Northwood Pupils Stage Walkout

Forty students walked out of class Monday at Irvine’s Northwood High School to protest pending teacher layoffs.

The action was taken in the wake of student discussions last week about staging a demonstration in support of their teachers. Eighteen of the school’s 34 teachers received initial layoff notices in March.

Faced with a $4-million budget deficit, the Irvine Unified School District may lay off as many as 120 teachers next year.

Trustees hope a $95 parcel tax measure on the April 11 ballot will save them from having to lay off teachers in May. If the measure, which is estimated to bring about $3 million to district coffers, fails, trustees said they would have to cut some arts, music and science programs, increase class sizes and reduce health clerks, nurses, counselors and librarians.

Tony Ferruzzo, Northwood High’s principal, said the students had agreed a demonstration would be inappropriate.

“We thought that the issue was dead,” he said.

But when rumors spread Monday morning that some students would still walk the streets to demonstrate, Ferruzzo announced participants could face suspension.

“A lot of people wanted to go,” said Stephanie Chan, 15, a sophomore. “But they didn’t want to get suspended.”

School officials said the students were suspended for three days, including Monday.

Irvine police arrested two students who left campus with the protesters, but who went to a local yogurt shop. The two were arrested on suspicion of providing a police officer with false information, said Lt. Dave Freedland. He added that the students had probably given false identification.

The two students were released to school officials, according to Freedland.