Report Calls for Schools to Address Racial Issues

A long-awaited state report on racial tensions in the Centinela Valley Union High School District recommends that the district develop wide-ranging programs to reduce racial conflicts, including setting up an ombudsman program to look into complaints, and setting a strong anti-discrimination policy.

But the report, which was released Tuesday, does not take sides in the racially charged South Bay school district, which has been torn in the past year by a two-day student walkout and accusations of racism from black employees, students and parents.

“The district should identify the problems and issues that resulted in so many students, staff and other adults perceiving racism in the district,” said the 20-page report prepared by the state Department of Education’s Intergroup Relations Office.

Department of Education spokeswoman Suzie Lang said the report identified serious tensions that need attention in the district, which encompasses 6,000 high school students in Hawthorne and Lawndale.

“There are real problems there, and they could get worse,” she said. “But there are things that can be done, and this report outlines some of them. It is not at all a hopeless situation.”

Teachers and administrators had complained of a racist “environment,” of receiving offensive notes and of being the targets of insulting remarks from white teachers. Students staged the walkout to support them.

The report, which was requested by the school board in February, recommends that the district:

* Set up an ombudsman and an advisory committee to investigate student and parent complaints and recommend improvements in the district’s racial climate.

* Establish a strong anti-discrimination policy and sanctions for racist or discriminatory behavior.

* Implement the 10-point plan that a community group led by state Sen. Diane Watson (D-Los Angeles) prepared shortly after the walkouts. The plan includes proposed multicultural awareness training for board members, administrators and others.

Board President Ruth Morales, who had not yet seen the report, said the district has already implemented most of the provisions in the 10-point plan and has considered the idea of an ombudsman. She said the report would be referred to acting Supt. Tom Barkelew, who would then make his own recommendations to the board.

Barkelew declined comment Tuesday, saying he had not yet read the report.

The state report, based on more than 400 interviews with community members conducted in April and May, was both praised and criticized for not taking sides in the dispute.

“I think if the board reads through this report and adopts some of the recommendations, things may return a little closer to normal,” said Adrian Briggs, a black community activist. “This could be a very positive step.”

But Charles Stewart, a Watson aide, said the report does not appear to go far enough because it does not address the recent demotion of former Hawthorne High School Principal Ken Crowe or the firing of Supt. McKinley Nash, both black.

The school board has not provided reasons for those decisions, citing the confidentiality of personnel actions. But angry black community members have charged that the moves were part of an attempt by the board to rid the district of outspoken black leaders.

Bruce Bradford, a white parent and Hawthorne’s fire chief, said he believes that the charges of racism have been exaggerated and that the report does not take that into account.

“There’s some amount of racism wherever different groups are together,” he said. “But adults blew things so out of proportion that it’s going to take a while to heal.”

In the last decade, the district’s racial makeup has undergone radical changes. In 1980, 45.6% of the student body was Anglo, 33.7% Latino and 12.1% black. By 1988, Latinos accounted for 52.4% of students, 18.7% were Anglo and 17.2% were black. Most of the district’s faculty members are white, and four of the five school board members are Latino.

Times staff writer Shawn Hubler contributed to this story.