School Secessionists Will Honor Zacarias

About 250 people are expected to honor outgoing Los Angeles Schools Supt. Ruben Zacarias at a ceremony Wednesday in Huntington Park.

The event, the first farewell gathering to honor the 33-year veteran of the district, is sponsored by a coalition of cities that are considering breaking away from the Los Angeles Unified School District.

Zacarias, who was forced out by a new school board majority, is scheduled to leave office Jan. 15.

The cities of Huntington Park, Cudahy, Maywood, South Gate, Bell and Vernon--which have formed a breakaway group called Southeast Cities for Education, Empowerment (SECEDE)--will host the event at San Antonio Elementary School starting at 6 p.m.

According to members of the breakaway group, a few city representatives have suggested asking Zacarias to lead the new school district if the secession campaign succeeds.

But several officials said any discussion about a superintendent for the proposed district is premature. Officials estimate it could take four years to break away and launch a new school district.

“There are so many ifs,” said Huntington Park Mayor Rosario Marin. “I think we are putting the cart before the horse.”

Zacarias said Monday that no one has approached him with the idea of the superintendent’s job but added that he might consider the position if the proposed district were created and the job offered.

A district made up of the southeast communities would have a population of 325,000 and be more than 90% Latino.