Lynwood Schools Reopen on Appeals Court Order

A state appeals court Wednesday afternoon stayed a lower court order shutting down the Lynwood Unified School District’s five year-round schools.

The action by the 2nd District state Court of Appeal sends 5,000 students back to school about 24 hours after a Superior Court judge had ordered the schools closed because the district had not properly notified parents of the change to a year-round schedule.

“Students in year-round report to school tomorrow. School will resume,” Supt. Audrey Clarke said. “We know students and parents are confused at this point, because things have been happening and changing so fast.”

On Wednesday morning, most students, parents and staff members did not know for certain if the schools would be open. At Lynwood High School, guards were admitting students as usual, even as the school district’s attorney was explaining to the media that the district was attempting to obey the shutdown order.

The schools stayed open all day because the district could not get the message to parents in time.

At the high school, many students turned in their books. Others roamed the halls and grounds, resisting attempts by teachers and guards to direct them into classrooms.

The district had already scheduled an open house at its elementary schools Wednesday night, ostensibly to confirm for parents the news that schools would be closed. But because of the successful appeal, the message would be different.

“This is very positive and what should have happened in the first place,” Clarke said. “We were quite dismayed that the education of our 5,000 students was being jeopardized.”

Lucy Hernandez, a member of the parents group that filed suit, said she and the others would continue the court fight against year-round schools.

The 15,500-student district adopted a year-round schedule to combat overcrowded conditions. The district has grown more than 13% in the past two years. Lynwood High School, built to hold 1,800, has seen its enrollment rise to 3,500.

In July, a parents group sued the district to stop year-round schools. The parents said the district failed to provide timely notice of the change or instituted it without advice from parents. Some parents complained that their children were on different tracks, making it impossible to coordinate child care or family vacations.