A Salute to Educators Who Give Their All : Patsy Tafolla and Mel Lopez Have Risen to the Challenges in Anaheim’s Schools

It’s one thing for a principal to enter a school filled with well-fed youngsters from a common culture and background, ready to learn and encouraged by educated parents. It’s something else altogether to have to battle demons in the school’s neighborhood before getting undernourished children inside and trying to prepare them for the future.

The Anaheim City School District has its share of schools in which it is tough to be a teacher. Fortunately, the district has also had people like Patsy Tafolla, principal of Paul Revere Elementary School, and the district superintendent, Meliton (Mel) Lopez.

Tafolla began in the school system as a bus driver, worked as a school secretary and became a teacher’s aide. She earned her college degree and teaching credential and became a teacher at 37.

Six years ago, she took over as Revere’s principal and quickly organized neighbors of the school to oppose the possible opening of a nude dancing establishment nearby. A number of neighbors joined her to help persuade Anaheim Planning Commission members to reject the business.

That got parents on her side. So did persuading police to enforce laws and codes in the neighborhood, which cut down on drug dealing, prostitution and graffiti. Tafolla tried to alleviate the problem of hungry children by bringing snacks to school. But before long, she engineered a better solution, getting the school district to establish a free breakfast program.

Tafolla also managed to get a state-funded health clinic for the school, the first of its kind in the district. Last month the community named the clinic in her honor, a fitting send-off as she leaves to become principal of Benjamin Franklin Elementary School in Anaheim.

Among those saluting her was Lopez, who deserves praise himself on his retirement as district superintendent. Lopez grew up in Mexico in a shack made of sticks and mud and attended school only briefly at age 7. Not until he was 14 did he start his education in earnest, getting a high school diploma at age 21, coming to the United States and getting a series of degrees, including a doctorate.

As superintendent, he led a district in which dozens of languages are spoken and children from all cultures must be educated. He battled for more schools in tough economic times and worked to keep class sizes down.

School districts across the county have many teachers and administrators like Tafolla and Lopez. They deserve recognition for their good work and the example they set.