Inner-City Youths Might Not Be Bused to White Point School

School officials have told parents of pupils at White Point Elementary School in San Pedro that youngsters from overcrowded inner-city schools will not be bused to White Point next year if an anticipated influx of new students from military housing in the area uses its extra classroom space.

The parents had requested a meeting with the officials last week to air their concerns about how White Point might be affected by the district’s program for dispersing students from overcrowded schools.

The officials confirmed that four bungalows, each with a capacity of about 30 students, will be installed on the White Point playground this summer. But they said the extra space is intended for 40 to 100 elementary students from families that will occupy new U.S. Air Force housing scheduled for ground breaking this spring.

Won’t Sit Idle

Sally Coughlin, a Los Angeles Unified School District assistant superintendent, said, however, that “we obviously will not let the bungalows sit idle” if enough students do not materialize from the military housing.

Coughlin said no other district schools in the South Bay have been designated to receive bused-in youngsters next year. However, she said that the district reviews its needs year by year.

Elementary schools in San Pedro already included in the busing program, she said, are Leland, Crestwood, Taper and Seventh Street. Two Lomita schools, Eschelman and President, and Halldale in Gardena also receive youngsters in the district’s program to relieve overcrowding.

Trustee John Greenwood told White Point parents that the Palos Verdes Peninsula and Torrance districts have snubbed his appeals to let Los Angeles lease or buy their closed campuses.