Teachers, Students Debate Prop. 187 : Schools: At Reseda High, peaceful walkout becomes a learning experience. Other Valley campuses have less organized demonstrations.

An early-morning student protest against Proposition 187 at Reseda High School on Monday took a decidedly different turn when administrators and teachers joined the march, provided the students with a bullhorn, and then organized a lunchtime debate on the illegal immigration ballot measure.

The Reseda protest was in stark contrast to the student walkouts in Downey last week that prompted police to use special grenades to disperse the crowds. Reseda Principal Bob Kladifko met with the students to discuss the proposition and to find a way to let them make a statement in a safe and orderly manner.

“I think we turned this around and made it a terrific educational opportunity for them,” he said, shaking hands with students as about 200 of them returned to class.

Students from four other San Fernando Valley campuses also held walkouts Monday. Los Angeles Unified School District officials said the morning protests were peaceful at John H. Francis Polytechnic High and Olive Vista, San Fernando and Sepulveda middle schools.

In a somewhat disorganized protest, about 200 students left campus at San Fernando Middle School. “It definitely appeared to be organized by students,” said Principal Arturo del Rio. “They didn’t have any coordinated strategy. They were wandering around looking for a place to go.”

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At Reseda, meanwhile, the protesting students crowded into Regents Hall, listening while two teachers discussed their support for the measure and other students and teachers blasted it.

“This country is made up of immigrants,” said Luz Castillo, a Reseda senior who helped organize the walkout and debate. “We should protect the rights of immigrants. I don’t know how anyone could think of passing such a proposition.”

On the other side, Al Benson, a social studies teacher, said the issue boils down to money. He said illegal immigrants are costing the state--and the country--too much money during recessionary times.

“Your presence here . . . it doesn’t come free of charge,” said the teacher to a mostly orderly crowd. “The point is we have to take care of our own in certain times of crisis--I see nothing wrong with that.”

Jay Shaffer, who teaches history and oversees student government activities, said he, too, supports Proposition 187 because he said this country “rewards” illegal residents by giving them a free public education and other social services.

“The U.S., historically, has been the land of opportunity . . . my feeling is let’s not stop immigration--that’s what this country is founded on,” Shaffer said. “But I do draw a line between legal immigration and illegal immigration.”

Proposition 187 calls for schools to verify students’ legal status and ultimately to report illegal students and their parents to authorities. The Los Angeles Board of Education, which has voted to oppose the measure, expects to join legal challenges if the measure is approved on Nov. 8.

Reporting students and their families could turn schools into “a police state, McCarthy-era, Nazi Germany,” Castillo said. “This is ridiculous.”

Dave Lincoln, a science teacher, got a rousing response from the students when he told them his father came to this country from Russia as an illegal immigrant. “I say give them all a chance,” he said to a standing ovation and loud cheers and whistles.

Rushing back to class, Miriam Peniche, a senior who helped organize the protest, said she believes Proposition 187 would hurt most of her friends at the school and deny them an education. “I think the proposition is inhuman and racist,” she said.

Peniche said she and several friends got the idea for the walkout from other schools where protests already had occurred and said that they wanted to make a public statement. The students even asked the principal to call local news media.

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Most administrators and teachers said they believe that the majority of the students are sincere in their desire to protest the measure but that others are joining friends to ditch classes.

“At this age, some are concerned about it--no question,” said Jean Whitaker, assistant principal at Olive Vista. “But at this age, some are doing it because they see the opportunity” to miss classes.

Reseda’s Kladifko, who said he would not penalize the students for missing five class periods, said, “They didn’t want to ditch class, they wanted to make a statement. They had an issue and I wanted to support them.”