Teen’s Suicide After Assault Highlights Rising Violence and Budget Cuts in LAUSD

Xavier Nungarary, a 17-year-old senior at Franklin High School, jumped to his death after a classmate insulted and assaulted him on the fourth floor of a school building, according to his family. LAUSD, the nation’s second-largest district, has seen thousands of fights annually, and officials refused to provide up-to-date fight data while offering condolences and noting that the Los Angeles Police Department is investigating the case.

Former board member David Tokofsky linked the school’s problems to the presence of the Avenues gang and the district’s 2021 decision to cut the Los Angeles School Police Department budget by millions, eliminating over 130 officers. Recent student surveys reveal bullying rates at a peak since 2021-22, with physical bullying increasing from 6% to 15% between school years. Franklin’s own survey shows lower reported bullying among seniors, but the incident underscores broader safety concerns. The fallout challenges new superintendent Andrés Chiat, who succeeded Alberto Carvalho amid a federal probe, and has drawn calls from anti-bullying groups for an independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding Nungarary’s death.