44 North High Students Suspended

A walkout last Tuesday at North High School in Torrance resulted in the suspension of 44 students, the school principal said Friday.

Most of the students were suspended for two days, Principal Peggy Tremayne said. School officials said earlier that “at least 20” students were suspended.

More than 100 students walked out of classes at North High on Tuesday morning in what they called a show of support for their teachers’ position in contract negotiations.

Similar walkouts occurred Dec. 14 at West High School and Tuesday at South High School. Five West High students were suspended for less than a day. No suspensions were reported at South.

Tremayne said the North High students were suspended for two reasons: Some ran up and down the halls, disrupting classes, and others stayed out of class for 3 1/2 hours despite requests to return.

“They were asked many, many times to return,” Tremayne said.

Students who disagree with the suspensions have the right to appeal, she said.

The student walkouts in support of the teachers’ contract position were the first of their kind in the Torrance Unified School District, school administrators have said.

The teachers, represented by the Torrance Teachers Assn., have worked since June 30 without a contract. They have requested an 8% raise; the district says it can afford only 1% salary increase.