Pope’s Motorcade to Delay the Start of School by 1 Day

All 590,000 students in the Los Angeles Unified School District will have a day off Sept. 15, the first day of Pope John Paul II’s two-day Los Angeles visit, and will make up the lost time later in the school year, district officials announced Monday.

The cancellation of classes means that school will start a day later than planned--on Sept. 16--for most district students who attend school on a traditional September-to-June schedule.

About 150,000 students who attend year-round schools will also get the day off.

District officials decided to suspend classes because of fears that school buses would be caught in massive traffic snarls caused by people traveling to see the Pope. In the morning, an estimated crowd of 1 million or more will converge on an eight-mile stretch from Western Avenue to downtown to see the pontiff riding in his special “Popemobile” vehicle.

Officials were also concerned about afternoon traffic caused by ticket holders on their way to the Pope’s evening Mass at the Coliseum.

About 85,000 district students are taken to school on district buses, many of which must pass through the areas expected to be the most affected by the Pope’s visit. District officials said police barricades will seal off some streets used by the buses to pick up and deliver students.

“Our prime consideration . . . was the welfare and safety of the students of the district during an event which will . . . make it difficult, if not impossible, for many children to be where they need to be,” Supt. Leonard Britton said in a statement released Monday.

Teachers in schools operating on the traditional calendar will report to work on Sept. 14, as planned, to prepare for the arrival of students two days later, district spokesman Bill Rivera said. The district hopes to give teachers Sept.15 off, but Rivera said it will depend on the outcome of negotiations with the union to extend the school year by one day--to June 24--to make up for the lost instruction time.

Contract Provision

No extra costs will be incurred by the calendar change, he said, but the union contract provides that the teachers must agree to any such change.

Principals in schools along the motorcade--which will run through the Olympic Boulevard corridor to downtown--will also have the day off. Other district employees working in regional and downtown administrative offices will be encouraged to take a paid vacation day, and some employees may be assigned to work in offices in areas that will not be affected by the Pope’s visit, according to Rivera.

The district plans to notify students about the postponement in letters mailed out by individual schools.

Many of the Los Angeles archdiocese’s 322 Catholic schools may also close during the Pope’s visit, with the decision to be made by individual parishes. “If the schools want, they can take the day off,” said Sister Mary Elizabeth Galt, supervisor of elementary education for the Los Angeles Roman Catholic Archdiocese.

Some parish officials said they will cancel classes so children and teachers can attend the Pope’s motorcade. Officials in other parishes said schools will remain open and children will be bused downtown to watch the motorcade.

Because of the expected traffic congestion, Los Angeles transportation planners are recommending that downtown firms encourage employees to take Sept. 15 off. Those who must work are advised to form temporary car pools or to take the bus.