Special School Parleys Rescheduled

Centinela Valley Union High School District trustees have rescheduled a series of private get-togethers that were canceled last week after a group of protesters took seats in the room where the discussions were to take place.

The 30-minute, private sessions--designed to give parents, teachers, students and community members a chance to talk to individual trustees about racial tensions in the district--have been set for May 21 in the board room where last week’s demonstration occurred.

In accordance with open-meeting guidelines for elected bodies, no more than two trustees will be present at any get-together.

Members of the predominantly Latino school board said the sessions were scheduled as part of a 10-point plan to help ease the district’s racial tensions. But several black groups, including the National Assn. for the Advancement of Colored People, objected to the meetings because they replaced two regular board meetings.

A second series of sessions is set for June 12. Anyone interested in attending a meeting with a trustee must sign up at the district’s personnel office between June 4 and June 8, Trustee Jacqueline Carrera said.

Though trustees will consider calling police if protesters try to disrupt the newly scheduled sessions, “I’m hoping it won’t come to that,” Carrera said.