February 26th, 2025
The Honorable Al Muratsuchi
Chair, Assembly Education Committee
California State Assembly
1020 N Street, Room 159
Sacramento, CA 95814
RE: OPPOSE AB 68 (Essayli)
Dear Assemblymember Maratsuchi,
The California Youth Empowerment Network (CAYEN) respectfully opposes Assembly Bill 68 (Essayli), a bill that would require an armed resource officer on all school campuses.
CAYEN is a youth-led statewide network comprised of youth action teams and a youth advisory board which engages, empowers and represents Transitional Age Youth (TAY), ages 15-26, in mental and behavioral health advocacy on issues that directly affect TAY. Since CAYEN’s inception in 2006, CAYEN has taken many forms of action to empower TAY in their personal lives and spark progressive local and statewide change in public policy. On the Margins, our current youth action team in Sonoma County, is currently working on removing school resource officers off campuses and reallocating those funds to support youth mental and behavioral health services.
Armed resource officers are not a mental or behavioral health intervention strategy. They fail to provide meaningful mental or behavioral health support to youth, diverting critical funding from programs and services that are better equipped to address behavioral challenges. In addition, school disciplinary measures disproportionately impact youth of color, specifically Black and Latin(x) youth. The use of armed school resources officers would expose the same population to elevated risks of experiencing a violent and potentially deadly altercation.[1] Investments into wellness centers, peer support, and other prevention services provide better outcomes that resources officers, especially armed ones, cannot accomplish.
It is for those reasons that CAYEN must oppose this legislation and ask for your “no” vote. If you have any questions, or if CAYEN can provide assistance on this bill or any other legislation, please do not hesitate to contact me at dthirakul@mhac.org.
Sincerely,
Danny Thirakul
California Youth Empowerment Network
Public Policy Coordinator
[1] Armed School Resource Officers and the Safety of California’s Black and Latine(x) Youth: Policies and Recommendations (2024)