Appeal by Former Student Fails to Save Fernald School
Despite an appeal by a former Fernald School student, members of the University of California Board of Regents last week upheld their March decision not to stop the June 30 closure of the UCLA school for learning-disabled children.
About 20 of the 30 regents attended the discussion of Fernald at a Thursday meeting of the board’s educational policy committee in Laurel Heights, said Lilia Villanueva, a University of California spokeswoman.
The regents heard a presentation by Clydell Hill, president of the California Assn. for Neurologically Handicapped Children, who said his time at Fernald was instrumental to his obtaining a bachelor’s degree in psychology at UCLA last year.
After a brief discussion, Villanueva said, the regents upheld their decision not to interfere with the Fernald closure, which they said was within the jurisdiction of UCLA Chancellor Charles E. Young.
Young earlier had said he decided to close the school so research funds could go directly to the university.
About 70 students will have to be placed in other programs for the learning-handicapped as a result of the closure, according to Friends of Fernald, a group which is fighting Young’s decision.
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