The School Board Race : DISTRICT 6: THE EAST VALLEY

THE CANDIDATES MARY LOUISE LONGORIA, 48 She is a consultant for the county Human Relations Commission. A schoolteacher for 19 years, she is a doctoral candidate in education at the University of Southern California. She is active in Latino, East Valley and other community affairs. ROBERTA WEINTRAUB, 49 She is a member of Los Angeles school board. First elected to board in 1979 on an anti-busing platform, she has broadened her interests to include the promotion of women, combating drugs and improving the nutritional content of food served in schools. Q:

SCHOOL DROPOUTS The school district says 44% of the students who enter city high schools do not graduate. What would you do about that?

Longoria: Concentrate on the elementary grades to ensure that, with help from parents, community and teachers, all students learn the basics before being promoted. We need counselors and tutoring in elementary and junior high schools. Weintraub: I have vigorously supported the new Dropout Outreach Program. Starting next school year it will identify likely dropouts, offer counseling and vocational education to regular high school students and aggressively campaign to persuade dropouts to return to school. Q:

ATTRACTING TEACHERS The best and brightest students today are often not attracted to careers in education. What would you do to get the district more actively involved in teacher preparation?

Longoria: Work toward better salaries for teachers. Direct input into higher-education institutions to include curriculum that will turn out teachers ready to work with a diverse population with different educational needs, such as intergroup relations, cultural awareness, classroom management skills and the basic skills. Weintraub: This school year the district instituted a free training program for new teachers designed to give them practical teaching skills. We will continue to be actively involved in recruitment of high school young people for future teaching careers. Q:

DAY CARE Finding good day care is a growing concern among working parents. Do you believe the school district should expand before- and after-school care services for school-age children?

Longoria: Yes. Cooperative efforts with business and churches could be explored and pilot projects undertaken immediately. The district must assume a leadership role in providing such services and/or setting up a resource directory for parents’ use. Weintraub: State-funded child care is too expensive to allow major expansion and is now designed to deal only with poverty-level applicants. Changes in state legislation are essential to make it easier for the district or outside groups to provide child care at district facilities. Q:

SCHOOL CLOSURES 19 of the 22 Los Angeles schools closed for underenrollment have been in the San Fernando Valley. At present, the school board and district staff believe no more schools should be closed. Is there anything one of seven board members can do to ensure that savings from closed West Valley schools flow to overcrowded East Valley schools?

Longoria: I would try to ensure that we plan for projected enrollments by buying land next to schools, expanding existing schools and doing the research and making the personal contacts necessary to convince the other members of the board that District 6 has definite use for funding. Weintraub: I voted in favor of the rule that all proceeds from school closures, including any leases, must go for relief of overcrowding, which, of course, includes all overcrowded schools in the East Valley. Q:

PROMOTIONS What would you do to make sure teachers of all races and both sexes have equal opportunities to be promoted into counseling, administrative and district policy-making jobs?

Longoria: Observe the promotion policies of the board and ensure that the consent degree is carried out to place more women in administrative positions. Also, request periodic reports from the personnel division regarding this matter. Weintraub: I have helped develop a policy which will help increase promotional opportunities for women and minorities. The consent decree, which gives 50% of all administrative jobs to women by the year 1990, was instituted during my term as president of the board. Q:

EXPULSIONS The board has recently decided that any student found carrying weapons or drugs, or who injures a teacher, will be recommended for expulsion. Are you satisfied with the new policy?

Longoria: I agree with the board’s action on this matter. I don’t believe the rules should be softened or repealed. Safety within the schools must be a top priority. Weintraub: I moved to make expulsion mandatory for bringing weapons onto campuses. That has promoted this tougher policy. I also seconded and support wholeheartedly the motions on expulsion for drugs and assaults on teachers. The rules are adequate at present. Q:

SOCIAL SERVICES Today’s pupils seem to require a lot from the schools. Some do not speak English as a native language. Some face problems like pregnancy, drug addiction and trouble with the law. What can and should the schools do about this?

Longoria: I expect to involve myself in the recommendation to higher education institutions regarding curriculum that must be included in today’s schools. Teachers, future teachers and administrators must address not only basic skills, but also the dangers of drugs, the consequences of pregnancy and the responsibilities of being a productive citizen. Weintraub: Today’s schools must have a recognition of the changing multicultural environment and gear education and counseling services to the young people and their particular problems. More one-on-one counseling, both within the school district and in the community service agencies, is essential. Q:

CURRICULUM The schools are about to start classes on nuclear weapons, and it has been proposed that ethics and energy conservation also be taught. Are there other special subjects that you would like to see made part of the curriculum?

Longoria: I believe that schools should include skills in interpersonal relations, critical thinking, analysis and respect for others, especially teachers. Weintraub: Although I have no problems in dealing with controversial topics, I think the major focus in the next three to five years should be on increased academic achievement. Q:

DESEGREGATION The school board may be faced with another court challenge over desegregation. Do you agree with the board’s decision to fight any new attempt to bring about desegregation through court action? Why?

Longoria: I believe that the board’s decision to fight any new desegregation is right. Because of the changing demographics of this district, the conditions that brought on the suit do not currently exist.

Weintraub: I voted “yes” to fight any new desegregation litigation in the courts. I am opposed to mandatory busing of students. Q:

TRANSPORTATION Bus transportation was once provided for students who lived a long way from their schools or who lived in areas hard to get to. This ended in 1981 for budget reasons. Now many must cross railroad tracks and busy streets. Do you believe the transportation should be revived? How should the district fund it?

Longoria: Yes, if it’s voluntary and can be funded out of the General Fund, not at the expense of other schools. Weintraub: The year after the district cut home-to-school transportation, the state began providing financing for districts that had maintained it. Legislation should be sought to provide financing for districts that revive the service and correct this inequity.