Demanding Parent Love and Accountability in Our Schools (2017)
How South LA Parents Exposed the Unfinished Work of Discipline Reform—and Reclaimed Their Place as Equal Partners
What This Report Is and Why It Matters
“How can you love the kids, but hate the parents?”
That question—posed by South Los Angeles parents—cuts to the heart of school discipline reform in LAUSD. Demanding Parent Love and Accountability in Our Schools is a parent-led shadow report released in October 2017, marking ten years since LAUSD adopted School-Wide Positive Behavior Intervention and Support (SWPBIS). While district leaders celebrated declines in suspensions, parents were documenting a deeper, more painful truth: discipline reform had stalled where parent power was excluded.
Led by CADRE parent leaders, in partnership with Public Counsel, this report examines whether SWPBIS was implemented with rigor, equity, and fidelity in South LA schools—and whether parents were treated as partners or problems. Through participatory research conducted between 2016 and 2017, parents surveyed over 100 families, convened focus groups, analyzed district discipline data, and reviewed public records for more than 100 schools.
The findings are clear and urgent. Yes, suspensions declined districtwide. But racial, gender, and grade-level disparities persisted, especially for Black students, boys, and middle school youth. Many schools continued to rely on informal removals, police involvement, and off-the-books discipline. And perhaps most strikingly, parents were routinely shut out of decision-making spaces, including SWPBIS teams that were supposed to include them by policy.
This report matters because it reframes discipline reform as a relationship and power issue, not just a technical one. Parents name how bias—especially anti-Black racism—shows up when schools dismiss parent knowledge, intimidate families in meetings, or label parents as “difficult” for advocating for their children. The report insists that schools cannot claim to support students while disrespecting the parents who love them most.
As a shadow report, this publication exists because official oversight once again failed to capture lived reality. CADRE parents stepped in to document what was missing, what was broken, and what true accountability would require. The message is unmistakable: discipline reform without parent dignity is not reform at all.
Key Highlights
- Suspensions declined, disparities remained: Black students continued to be disproportionately suspended despite overall reductions.
- Middle school as the danger zone: Pushout intensified in middle school, where discipline disparities were most severe.
- Off-the-books discipline persists: Parents reported illegal classroom removals and informal suspensions, particularly affecting Black students.
- Bias and intimidation: Parents described school meetings as hostile, intimidating, and rooted in racialized assumptions.
- Over-policing in schools: Law enforcement continued to be involved in minor discipline matters, fueling criminalization.
- Restorative justice gaps: RJ was rolled out unevenly and often disconnected from SWPBIS, weakening both.
- Clear path forward: The report offers concrete recommendations to humanize parents, enforce parent rights, and redesign school culture.
Who This Resource Is For
- Parents and caregivers advocating for fair discipline and respect
- South LA families navigating school pushout or exclusion
- Organizers and community leaders building parent power
- Educators and school administrators committed to equity and partnership
- Advocates and legal partners working on discipline accountability
- Researchers and students studying parent-led monitoring and reform
Publication Details
Title: How Can You Love the Kids but Hate the Parents?
Authors: Community Asset Development Re-defining Education (CADRE), with Public Counsel
Year: 2017
This report is part of CADRE’s broader work to dismantle the school-to-prison pipeline, outlined in our Theory of Change.
