Santa Rosa, Calif. — The principal of Elsie Allen High School in Santa Rosa has been placed on paid administrative leave after a stabbing incident on campus last week. A 15-year-old student was reportedly stabbed three times by another student on February 25, leading to significant concerns about how the situation was handled by school officials.
The father of the injured student, Jesse Trejo, has raised questions after claiming that the school failed to notify him that his son had been hurt and taken to the hospital. In a video shared publicly, Trejo explained how he was left in the dark about the incident. Despite leaving a voicemail for the school and attempting to get answers, Trejo said he did not receive a return call.
“I called the school, they didn’t answer, I left a voicemail, no call back,” Trejo said. “I started asking him about my son, then he said we don’t know who your son is. I told him he was the one who got injured, I asked him why didn’t you call me? An hour and five minutes, I got no call.”
Trejo said he only learned of his son’s condition through a relative before rushing to the school. When he arrived, he confronted the principal, asking why he wasn’t informed sooner.
The victim, Trejo’s son Christopher, spent ten days in the hospital recovering from the wounds. Trejo, who had recently transferred his son from Lake County, confirmed that all emergency contact information had been submitted to the school prior to the incident.
In response to the situation, Santa Rosa City Schools placed Principal Gabe Albavera on paid administrative leave. In a statement, the school district acknowledged that staff took immediate action to secure the campus and protect students, but admitted that “some things may not have been done properly.”
“Although this incident contributed to our decision, other factors played a role in our decision to place Mr. Albavera on administrative leave,” the district said.
While the district has not provided specifics about the additional factors influencing their decision, the move to place Albavera on leave has sparked a small group of supporters to gather outside the district offices. They are demanding an explanation for the decision, asserting that Albavera should not be held solely responsible for the way the situation was handled.
Meanwhile, the alleged attacker, also a 15-year-old student, was arrested and booked into juvenile hall on charges of attempted murder and possession of a weapon on school grounds.
Despite the ongoing investigation into the incident and the controversy surrounding the principal’s leave, Jesse Trejo emphasized that his primary concern was his son’s recovery.
“All I want is my son to be OK and get better,” Trejo said.
The incident has raised broader concerns about how schools respond to emergencies, particularly regarding communication with families during critical moments. As the investigation continues, both the school district and the community are left to grapple with questions of accountability and the safety of students on campus.