Parents tell Lynwood Unified board of alleged physical incident at Lugo Elementary; call for investigation and transparency

Multiple parents told the Lynwood Unified School District board on March 26 that their children remain traumatized after an incident they say occurred on Feb. 17 at Lugo Elementary, and they pressed trustees for a public investigation, clearer communications and accountability.

At the start of public comment, Yesenia Guillen described seeing her 6‑year‑old daughter Kaeli allegedly pulled, lifted, dropped and dragged by a teacher identified in the comment as "Mrs. Kirkley," and said she was not notified by the school or district the day of the incident. "I felt my feet flying, then she let go of me," the parent recounting her child's description said when describing what Kaeli told her.

Paola Melcore said the district concluded an investigation on March 16 without interviewing Kaeli or student witnesses and that the substitute teacher had returned to class as if nothing had happened; she said the investigation was reopened on March 18 after parents pressed the district.

Other public commenters said children in the class continue to have nightmares, miss sleep and resist attending school; they called the district’s initial communication and HR response inadequate and urged trustees to demand a full, transparent inquiry and timely reportback.

Board member Dr. Castro asked the superintendent to research the reports and provide a general report to the board while acknowledging personnel matters may require confidentiality; legal counsel and the superintendent said staff could provide a general update without violating personnel confidentiality rules.

What the board said and asked

Trustees publicly acknowledged the parents, directed the superintendent to research the reports and consider what information could be shared consistent with confidentiality, and asked for steps to ensure student safety and support. Several trustees called for the district to provide counseling resources and to review reporting protocols so families receive timely information.

What remains unresolved

Parents said they have not received satisfactory details about the investigation’s findings. The board requested a general report, but the transcript records no final factual determination about the incident or disciplinary outcomes at the March 26 meeting.