A tug of war over a teacher

Gerald Freedman teaches at a Los Angeles County high school, by all accounts laudably, while technically employed by the city school district.

That arrangement worked fine for almost a quarter of a century. But because of budget cuts and a Los Angeles Unified School District policy change, Freedman is being ordered to return to a city classroom next fall.

Freedman and others are trying to find a way for him to stay at the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts, but the prospects seem bleak. Freedman said he’d rather retire than return to a city school classroom.

“I’m too set in my ways,” said the 69-year-old history teacher. “I have no interest in getting the early-bird special every day. But that might be what happens.”

Freedman is one of about 10 L.A. Unified teachers who essentially are on loan to non-district schools. Teachers in those positions generally went to newer schools outside of L.A. Unified that needed instructors. The district is reimbursed for their salaries, but L.A. Unified is still responsible for their healthcare benefits after they retire, which today costs about $14,400 per person a year.

Officials have decided they can no longer afford to pay benefits for teachers who don’t work in the district.

The district also is calling back several hundred other teachers on leave, except those who are ill or on maternity leave. But the total savings would be small compared to the district’s projected $640-million deficit.

In the short term, it’s possible that bringing back such teachers will cost the district slightly more because it will have to pay their salaries, but L.A. Unified officials say the move is a smart one.

“We’d rather have an experienced teacher in the classroom” than hire an unknown instructor, said Justo Avila, a deputy human resources officer for the district.

District officials are moving to strengthen the quality of their teachers and recently announced that they are targeting about 110 probationary instructors, nearly three times more than average, for dismissal because of poor job performance.

Freedman began his career as a social studies teacher at Flushing High School in New York in the 1960s. In 1976, he took a vacation to Los Angeles, where he met the woman who eventually became his wife.

He moved here and began teaching at a private school in Hollywood but quit after six months. “It was too insulated for me,” he said.

Freedman then took a series of jobs, including unloading trucks and making deliveries at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and selling calendars and pens door to door. He took a job at a private high school and then got a position at L.A. Unified in the early 1980s.

He taught at Los Angeles High School but was concerned he could be fired because of his lack of experience in the district. He was told that he’d have more job security at alternative or continuation schools, but he didn’t enjoy his work there and wanted to return to a traditional high school.

He applied for a position at the county’s newly created High School for the Arts and began teaching there in 1986. “It’s been the perfect fit,” he said.

Watching Freedman teach Advanced Placement U.S. History, it’s easy to see why.

Freedman appeals to his students’ desire to perform. (Applicants must audition as part of the admissions process.)

On a recent day, he invited a junior to the front of the room to read a Union soldier’s letter and then divided the class into two teams so that each could quiz the other about history.

Why did Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton dislike each other? a girl asked.

“‘Cause, like, Hamilton was like, don’t vote for Burr . . . and then Burr shot him,” another student answered.

The final was rapidly approaching -- one student nervously went through flash cards during class -- and Freedman tried to instill a measure of calm.

“We’ve been together a whole semester, but I don’t want one test to overwhelm a whole semester of work,” he said to scattered cheers, although the girl with the flash cards went through them even faster.

Freedman displayed a similar gentle touch when overseeing detention in the past. A theater buff, he would often take out programs from plays he’d attended and discuss them, said Josh Groban, a former student and now a multi-platinum singer.

“Every detention was a show and tell,” said Groban.

Groban has returned the favor by inviting Freedman to many of his shows.

Students have rallied to try to keep the teacher at the school, signing petitions and sending letters, as they have twice before when Freedman’s position appeared to be in danger because of budget cuts.

“He focuses on history as a story,” said Angelica Garcia, the junior who had been going through her notecards.

“It’s a lot of work being in his class, but I’ve learned so much more.”

Freedman’s principal, George Simpson, said he hopes to keep him and has discussed options that could allow him to continue teaching, if only on a part-time basis.

“Gerry Freedman should be the one to decide when Gerry Freedman doesn’t want to teach [here] anymore,” he said.

jason.song@latimes.com