WCCUSD superintendent aims to address safety at football games

In his newsletter, Superintendent Matt Duffy addressed the shooting that occurred across the street from De Anza High after Friday night’s football game that injured four people, including two students, along with other violent incidents during football games. His full statement follows:

Dear WCCUSD Community,

After the football game at DeAnza High School on Friday night, shots were fired in an area across the street from the school.  Four members of our community were wounded in this needless act of violence. Two of those injured were students at De Anza, a third attends a nearby private school. An adult was also hurt. 

While we do not know what led to this shooting, police are investigating.  We are praying for a full and speedy recovery for everyone injured during this incident and hope that our law enforcement partners find those responsible.. 

I want to thank the staff at De Anza and the police officers from the cities of Richmond and Pinole as well as Contra Costa County Sheriff’s office. Their quick response and professionalism helped keep an unnerving and confusing situation from becoming unmanageable. Leaders, teachers and staff at De Anza and Pinole Valley high schools have alerted their school communities about the incident and, beginning tomorrow, school leaders and school staff, along with district personnel, will be supporting staff and students who were impacted by this traumatic event.

We work hard to make our schools places of safety and security in an uncertain social environment. Our schools are not exempt from the challenges facing the communities they serve, but it is our obligation to keep the students and staff who are on our campuses safe.

During the De Anza – Pinole Valley game, there were a number of small fights that also caused significant concerns and just a few weeks ago, another incident at Deer Valley High School where one of our football teams were playing involved fighting and the game needed to be stopped.

Safety is the absolute priority of our school board and district leadership.  We will take all necessary measures to ensure our schools, our games, and most importantly our students are safe.  To that end, if we need to take more extreme measures around prohibiting fan attendance or even cancelling games, we will do so. 

We will continue to work closely with local police agencies, community partners and district and school site staff to improve the climate and culture on our campuses, and try to make them places of refuge from the violence that can take place in our communities.

I thank you for your patience in this difficult time and look forward in working with you going forward.  Thank you for your cooperation.

In Partnership,

Matthew Duffy
Superintendent