High-priced education carries an additional cost for black USC students

The City of Los Angeles has reached a settlement with several African-American students arrested by the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) in 2013. The students, who were enrolled at the University of Southern California, had been attending an off-campus party when a noise complaint was made. Members of Los Angeles’ finest showed up with helmets and batons and cleared out the party. The students alleged that a similar party across the street attended by predominantly white students received no such response. In fact, the students say, students attending the mostly white party were directed to stay inside the house as the police cleared out the other party. 

A federal jury ruled Thursday that LAPD officers acted with malice and violated the students' constitutional rights when at least 79 officers responded to the house party at 23rd and Hoover streets, seven blocks north of USC, for a noise complaint on May 4, 2013, according to the students' attorney Fred Dorton.

Coverage of the incident at the time, including video from KNBC, can be found here.

The University of Southern California, which is “unofficially” the country’s most expensive college, acknowledged the historically oppressive relationship between people of color and the LAPD in a letter to students. Written by Michael Jackson, USC vice president of student affairs, the letter pledged to work toward a better partnership for all involved.