Teachers, Students Voice Concerns Over Plans for Restructuring Fremont High School
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Supporters gather outside of Fremont High School to further announce their
frustration with district plans for restructuring. (Erin Richards)
A somber group of teachers, students, parents and alumni came together outside of John C. Fremont High School Friday morning to publicly voice their outrage and frustration with the district's plans for restructuring after the end of the current school year.
The dispute began after Ramon Cortines, superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District, announced in December 2009 that he would be shutting down the school, releasing its staff and reopening it. Starting June 30 2010, current school employees will have to reapply to their jobs for the following year, he said.
Cortines has said he hopes this will help to reset Fremont High, which is documented as being one of the worst performing schools in the L.A. School District. Fremont's student population is often more than 4,500 students and typically boasts fewer than 400 student graduates.
"This is nothing to celebrate," said George McKenna, superintendent of LAUSD District 7.
However, teachers, parents and students expressed concern over the reform plans, which they say have been put in place without any input or adequate communication with those who will be affected the most.
Fremont teacher Juan Puentes said more than half of the teachers at the school--himself included--are not going to reapply due to their frustration with the district.
"Not until they decide to let the parents and the teachers be part of the planning process," Puentes said.
Fremont senior Cristal Guizar expressed her concern over what could be a mass influx of new teachers, many without the history and experience of working with students and parents from the surrounding community.
"It's going to be such a shame," she said. "Who's going to teach my little sister when she comes to Fremont?"
Parent Mirna Rico said she hasn't seen any outreach from the district. She said she was "extremely outraged and insulted" at the district's decision to implement the restructuring with what she feels is a lack of dialogue with the community.
"Mr. Cortines has never once taken it into his own hands to notify the community, inform us in any way or educate, or help us to put input or suggestions of any sort into his decisions that are affecting thousands of children and a whole entire community," she said.
But McKenna said parents are clamoring for the changes.
"I haven't gotten one complaint from parents, not one," he said.
He also said the district sent letters home to parents last December about the school's reconstruction plans.
McKenna said the re-hiring process will include teacher interviews with panels composed of students and parents to decide who will receive the teaching positions.
He said the reform process will take a few years to see results, but he is confident that the reconstruction process will benefit Fremont.
"We will make it work," he said.
However, teachers and students remain unsure of the possible benefit considering the drastic changes they may face if they continue to be shut out of the process.
"It's top-down reform, and it doesn't work," said Fremont teacher Johnny Jauregui. "They can't do this without the community."
The deadline for teachers to reapply for their jobs is March 16.
