It has recently come to my attention that the school board has plans to re-fence Malibu High School and lock the school down on weekends and nights. Those of us in Malibu Park who have been through fires know that the school is our emergency area. The place people and animals need to go when wildfires come through the canyons, towards the ocean. The school is also the designated emergency area on the fire department’s list. We do not have anyone on the school board that understands the uniqueness of Malibu. This is a family-friendly, rural area that helps each other out in emergencies. We are not like a Santa Monica school, that has a different set of problems. This neighborhood needs flexibility and the school needs to remain open on weekends and nights.
Last summer there was a fire in one of the classrooms and the alarms were going for two hours. I called the sheriff’s station and they said they were looking for someone who had a key. It took the vice principal 45 minutes to get here from the Valley. We need to have someone close to the campus with keys and a number where they can be reached in emergencies.
The SMMUSD is meeting in Malibu, Feb. 4 at 6 p.m. If you are concerned about this, please attend and let them know or write a letter.
Judi Hutchinson