New School Seeks Staff That Quit Over Faith

A parents’ group said Friday night it will open a nursery school employing teachers who resigned from a church-affiliated school after church leaders announced that all school personnel must profess faith in Jesus Christ.

The parents’ group said it has found another church willing to provide space for summer classes and said negotiations are under way on three possible school sites for a fall session.

About 130 parents of former and current students of the Sherman Oaks Presbyterian Nursery School heard a committee of about 10 parents and teachers explain plans for a new school at a meeting at the Van Nuys Woman’s Club. There were also about a dozen parents of children on a four-year waiting list to enter the church school.

Controversial Order

The drive to start a new school started shortly after the First Presbyterian Church of Sherman Oaks announced May 26 that all nursery school workers must profess faith in Jesus Christ or quit by September, 1989. Pastor John Powell has defended the change, saying the church’s governing board simply wants to create a Christian school.

But the news angered and shocked many parents and teachers. About half of the school’s students and five of 14 teachers are Jewish. The five and the school director announced their resignations the day of the announcement.

The resignations will take effect when the academic year ends June 15. The school is still functioning, but Powell has said it might have to close temporarily if the church is unable to hire a new staff in time for fall classes.

Those attending Friday night’s meeting were optimistic about starting the new school.

“It’s looking good, it’s really looking good,” said Laurette McCook, a parent.

Most of the parents at the meeting filled out forms to enroll their children in the new school.

“We’re only going to talk tonight about the future,” said Robert Porter, a parent. “We’re not going to talk about what has happened or anything negative.”

Incomplete Details

Porter’s wife, Jill Wagner-Porter, said that St. Michael and All Angels Church in Studio City has agreed to let the new school hold a three- or four-week summer session. The financial details are incomplete, she said, but the session should start near the end of June.

Another parent, Roman Silberfeld, said that lawyers filed incorporation papers for the new Sherman Oaks Nursery School on Friday afternoon and plan to file for tax-exempt status next week.

Silberfeld said it will cost from $100,000 to $150,000 to start the school. Since the fledgling institution will have no credit history, Silberfeld asked parents to guarantee bank loans for the school.

The loans would be paid back by the school, Silberfeld said. The parents would, in essence, lend the school their good credit histories, he said. About $60,000 in loans already have been pledged, he said.

A parent of a child on the school’s waiting list has donated office space to the group for the summer, he said.