School Magnet Programs Get Reprieve

The Long Beach Unified School District this week gave a one-year reprieve to seven magnet programs that were originally slated for elimination.

The Board of Education’s decision on Monday came after two hours of speeches from students, parents and teachers who pleaded to keep and expand the threatened school-based educational programs.

Administrators had proposed ending the programs for reasons ranging from their expense to their failure to advance desegregation. A primary purpose of the magnets is to attract white students to minority neighborhood schools, and vice versa. Supporters argued that the endangered programs also improve students’ chances to get a better education.

In all, the district operates 34 magnet programs, which have a budget of $4.2 million. The cutbacks would have saved an estimated $460,000.

The extended programs include a cultural heritage program at Gompers Elementary, a communications program at Riley Elementary, a physical education program at Buffum Elementary and an arts program at Los Cerritos Elementary. Board members said that the programs deserve a chance to reorganize and recruit at other schools.

The district began its magnet program in order to desegregate schools without forced busing. About 15,500 of the district’s 71,500 students participated last year.

In other action, the school board unanimously approved a resolution opposing a proposed state initiative that would allow parents to choose their children’s public school or use public money to attend a private school.

The resolution says the initiative would “produce second-rate schools” and would be “opening the door to unscrupulous, profiteering diploma mills that are not fully accredited and do not meet minimal standards.”

Under terms of the proposed initiative, the state would give parents a voucher for about $2,500 per child that could be used for private school fees, officials said.

Board President Bobbie Smith said she opposes such an initiative because the voucher money should be put into the public schools. “The public school system is best able to address the needs of the masses,” she said.