The proposed school has met with opposition from nearby residents concerned about noise, traffic and other potential effects on the neighborhood.
The standing-room-only crowd, numbering approximately 150, was nearly unanimous in opposing the school. Dozens of individuals and the grassroots group Neighbors Organized and Involved to Support Education (NOISE) testified against the project at the April 21 meeting.
NOISE leader Yvonne Schueller narrated a PowerPoint presentation setting forth reasons to not build the school and referring to the school board’s authority to certify its own environmental impact reports as the “fox guarding the henhouse.”
No one in the audience offered support for the school.
(However, one San Pedran is publically expressing support in a unique way. Re-purposing opponents’ lawnsigns, this message is displayed in the 4000 block of So. Pacific Avenue.)
Representatives of school board member Richard Vladovic were also present. Chief of staff David Kooper offered assurances that Vladovic is paying attention to community opinion.
LAUSD administrators answered questions about the environmental process and the need for another high school in San Pedro.
Responding to a question about the number of San Pedro HS students who live outside San Pedro, Local District 8 High School Director Rita Davis told the crowd there are only four non-resident students at San Pedro HS.
The magnet programs have considerably more out-of-town students, but total less than 200 out of a student body of about 3,500.
Following the action to oppose the school at Angels Gate, the Coastal board recommended that officials conduct more intense study of traffic, light, noise and pollution during the environmental analysis phase.
These recommendations constitute the council’s official response to the district’s initial study or notice of preparation regarding the project.
LAUSD expects to the release the draft environmental impact report in late summer.
The topic will be a central point of discussion at the Palisades Residents Association annual meeting on May 13.
3 comments:
There are 3,437 students enrolled at San Pedro High School.
The Freshman class has 1,202 students, but by the time that class reaches its Senior year, it may dwindle down to the paltry number of 574, which is the current number of Seniors attending the campus.
NieghborHOODS Organized and Involved to Support Education believes it is better to fix whatever the problems are at San Pedro High School which is demonstrated by the vast number of students who don't make it all the way through to graduation, rather than building a new campus that may simply add another school to the mix of schools with incredibly poor graduation percentages.
If San Pedro High Schook can't be fixed, and a new campus is truly necessary, it should be for the fewest students allowed, no more than 500, and be built with assurances by LAUSD that the percentages of graduates from that new facility, will be much higher than at San Pedro High School.
Building the best graduates possible is a far better use of our tax dollars than building more facilities to house a failing system, in my personal opinion.
The Point Fermin Outdoor Education Center, when its redevelopment is complete, will do a far better job at allowing thousands and thousands of LAUSD students, the programs that so many of them will remember as they cross over the stage and accept their diplomas, in future years.
Placing any new high school campus directly next to the Outdoor Education Center, AND having Alma Street as the main access route for both facilities, is unthinkable, irresponsible, and unrealistic.
Let the Outdoor Center be named for a truly wonderful gift to OUR community and call it the John Olguin Outdoor Education Center and let it become the jewel in the crown of LAUSD, free of any and all problems associated by being too close to a LAUSD high school.
LAUSD is just a click below the pope when it comes to who has the most money...... The school will get built. It would be nice to see the locals (many of who became local, ie: dropped into Pedro an added to the congestion) put their energy into making sure the grandest school in the system is built at such a glorious location. There are so many open minds to go right along with the closed ones here in the community the chance to pool ideas an build something to be very proud of are endless. The name Olguin would stand proudly as a name above the entrance.
Oh by the way........ I got lost here in Pedro 25 years ago an have yet to find my way out.
Haven't tried real hard though.......it's home...
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