Long Beach : All-Year Choices Delayed

The Long Beach Unified School District has delayed for at least six weeks the selecting of five elementary schools for possible conversion to year-round operation. Deputy Supt. Charles Carpenter had earlier recommended to the school board that Burnett, Lafayette, Lee, Stevenson and Willard elementary schools be considered for conversion.

The delay came after representatives of the local chapter of the National Assn. for the Advancement of Colored People complained at Monday night’s board meeting that there had been little comment from the black community in making those selections. All of the schools recommended have heavy minority enrollments.

Responding to comments by NAACP representative Frank Berry, the board voted to postpone any action until public meetings can be held at each of the five schools. School officials have proposed year-round operation of some elementary schools as a way of combating overcrowding in the Long Beach district.