San Diego

Plan for Parole Office Near High School Upsets La Mesa Parents

A proposal calling for a parole office less than a half-mile away from Grossmont High School has some parents in La Mesa concerned.

The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) wants to open up a facility on Grossmont Summit Drive, where only Interstate 8 would separate it from the high school.

Parents picking up their kids Monday told NBC 7 they feel like it's not far enough away from campus.

“There are kids that are walking to and from school so they are vulnerable to people that are in the area,” parent Giana Holenstein said.

Another parent said she was upset because she didn't hear anything from the school or from the city of La Mesa making her aware of the plans.

“I definitely think they could have given us a warning, sent out a letter in the mail. Just hearing this... It's a surprise,” Monique Horsely said.

The CDCR told neighboring residents and businesses through a hand-delivered letter last week. Recipients of the letter told NBC 7 they were dated November 5, 2018 on the letterhead.

Both the city and the Grossmont Union High School District told NBC 7 they also learned about the plan last week. 

If approved, the facility would employ more than 60 people. But the parents' main concern is the number of parolees it would bring within close proximity to the school.

“Once we drop them off in the morning and we pick them up, they are in [the school’s hands],” Horsely said.

The CDCR said in a statement it is still in negotiations for a lease and in talks with the city of La Mesa.

As far as the parolees, the statement read in part:

“This proposed new office location will not bring new parolees to East San Diego County. The men and women who will be served at this office lived there before they were incarcerated and have returned to the community,”

Parents say they would like transparency along the process.

“There probably needs to be like a town hall meeting in regards to the new parole office, and make sure that all the parents of the school know,” Giana Holenstein said.

A group of neighbors has gotten together on social media to start a petition hoping to block the facility from being built in their neighborhood.

Anyone who would like to leave their comments on the proposal with the CDCR can call (916) 445-4950 and ask for the Office of External Affairs.

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