Lynwood : Academy Supporters Rally
More than 150 people gathered in the auditorium at Lynwood Adventist Academy on Tuesday night to show support for a community coalition fighting to save the academy from condemnation.
In December, the Lynwood Unified School District board voted to condemn the academy’s buildings and athletic field to build a public high school. But last month faculty members, students, parents and members of the Lynwood Seventh-day Adventist Church, which is on the academy property, formed STOPPS (Stop Taking Our Private Parochial Schools) to fight the board’s proposal.
“We tried to make our position clear to the board through letters and we were patient,” Joseph F. Dent Jr., STOPPS chairman and principal of Union Seventh-day Adventist (elementary) School, told the audience.
A seven-member advisory committee of nearby residents and one church member was formed to plan a strategy. “We plan to take our campaign to the other Lynwood churches and get their support,” Dent said. “We are also continuing private talks with school board members to find alternative sites.”
Last weekend about 20 members of STOPPS gathered more than 1,000 petition signatures from residents opposed to the board’s proposal.
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