Parents Hold School Board Accountable

By Ann K. Williams
Staff Writer

April 25 -- Nearly a year after fights forced a lockdown at Santa Monica High School and months after hate graffiti marred its walls, some parents feel the district isn't doing all it can to reduce the threat of racial violence.

Earlier this month, three parents and community activists stayed past 11 p.m. at the April 6 School Board meeting to hold district officials accountable for the high school's implementation of a "Ten Point Plan" black and Latino organizers first presented after last spring's lunchtime melee. (see story)

The Board promised a thorough study of the plan after parents representing The Unity Coalition confronted school officials in February over graffiti targeting African-American students, apparently the result of ongoing black-Latino tensions on and off campus. (see story)

"I really have mixed emotions," Unity Coalition Moderator Jules Bagneris told the Board. "It's like a man who watches his mother-in-law driving over a cliff in his brand new Mercedes Benz."

While Bagneris was pleased by the effort that went into the report, he said "it misses an essential point."

The coalition had asked for an evaluation of the plan's "impact on reducing racial tension and violence," Bagneris pointed out.

He cited a recently adopted "comprehensive school safety plan" that found "there has been an increase in the number of students involved in physical conflict on our campus.... There has been an increase in the amount of graffiti around the campus without consequences, graffiti related to gang activities."

The district's report, read by Interim Superintendent Michael Matthews, did touch on mediation and in-house suspension, but focused more on the effect of the plan on minority student achievement and academic intervention.

Matthews highlighted data that showed increases in state Academic Performance Index (API) scores among black and Latino students.

During the three years from 2002 to 2005, black students' scores rose 46 points, Latinos' rose 52 points, while white students' scores rose 28 points.

"That's what defines closing the achievement gap," Matthews said.

While the data "in no way states the achievement gap is closed," they do "indicate strongly that we are moving in the right direction," he said.

Matthews also pointed to programs that help minority students aim for four-year colleges and to changes in the curriculum that address racism in society and the contributions of blacks and Latinos.

Neither Ana Maria Jara, who addressed the board, nor Board member Maria Leon-Vazquez were sold by the API numbers.

"Why is it that our kids are still failing in the classroom?" Jara wanted to know.

And Leon-Vazquez pointed out that while the API scores continue to rise, minority students' Grade Point Averages (GPAs) have fallen. The percentage of minority GPA's below 2.0 has increased, she said.

Matthews promised that a study on GPAs is in the works and will be presented this year.

The board agreed to support an annual summit devoted to equity and equality in the schools, and to augment its mandate to the Intercultural Advisory Committee, which will report back to the Board in June.

Board member Jose Escarce supported the district's goals, but cautioned that the schools can't solve a problem of this magnitude without help from the community and the City.

And it will take time, Matthews said.

"We want to keep the conversation going," he said, promising that the district will remain committed to all of its students.