‘Graduates’ Honored at a Dubious Exercise

The graduates of Eagles Academy walked proudly across a stage last month to collect their high school diplomas before an audience of friends, family and dignitaries.

The nine students from the continuation school in West Hollywood received achievement certificates and plaques congratulating them for “completing this most important educational journey.”

There was only one problem: Nearly all of the would-be graduates hadn’t finished high school.

Seven of the nine students had yet to complete their course work or proficiency exams to earn diplomas, as required by the Los Angeles Unified School District.

And the academy’s principal said she did not authorize--nor attend--the June 9 ceremony. It was orchestrated by a teacher who founded the program for gay and lesbian students, most of whom have had trouble in traditional high schools.

In the weeks since the ceremony, the situation has evolved into a drama as full of twists and turns as any of Shakespeare’s plots.

Eagles Academy founder Jerry Battey--beloved by many of his students, distrusted by others--is doing battle with the program’s principal, a former teacher and a private investigator who leads a foundation that raises money for the academy.

“He did a naughty,” said Principal Beth Newman, adding that Battey could be disciplined. “What he did was a bad, silly mistake. A teacher in this school [district] does not stand up on a stage and declare a graduation. That’s not the way we do things.”

School board member Caprice Young, who handed out the achievement certificates during the ceremony, said she felt duped. Young, who has since been named board president, has asked the district’s inspector general to investigate.

“I was angry that I had been included in this charade,” said Young, who learned of the alleged deception when someone whispered the details during the graduation.

Virtually everyone involved is pointing fingers at one another. Battey has hinted that the diplomas were stolen from his office--a view his admirers support--despite the fact that students say they received the documents at the ceremony.

Other students and at least one adult accuse Battey of trying to cover his tracks in recent weeks by telephoning “graduates” and tearfully begging them to give back the diplomas.

The fiasco has cast unexpected attention on the two-room academy, which is run out of a Methodist church on Fairfax Avenue. As the saga unfolds, several of the Eagles Academy graduates are trying to figure out whether they have to return to high school.

“It’s sickening to me,” said Justin Gonzales, 18, who had planned to attend cosmetology school after graduation but has since learned he must make up as much as a year’s worth of credits.

Another student, Stephanie Esparza, said Battey insisted that she and others participate in the ceremony because they were going to finish their credits by the end of the summer. “It’s like false advertising,” said Esparza, 18.

Graduation Violated L.A. District Policy

Amid the rumors and innuendo, one fact is solid: The June 9 ceremony violated L.A. Unified’s graduation policy. The guidelines allow students to participate in graduation ceremonies and obtain diplomas only after completing all academic requirements.

Battey said that he was unaware of the policy and that his program has followed different rules for most of the nine years it has been running.

“If you have not completed all course work and all exit exams but are within striking distance, you can participate as a soon-to-be graduate and finish up at summer school,” Battey said. “You can walk the stage. I leave it kind of open-ended.”

Battey said two students who participated in the ceremony had met all graduation requirements; the other seven were close enough to finish during summer school.

Some of Battey’s critics believe that he wanted to pad the graduation list to impress Young and other dignitaries.

Principal Newman, who oversees 35 small continuation campuses, said Battey did not have the authority to hold the ceremony. Newman said she learned of plans for the graduation about two weeks before it took place but told another teacher at the academy not to proceed.

“I could have tried to do more to stop it,” Newman said.

A Father Figure to Many Students

Battey, 58, has run Eagles Academy since 1992. The school serves about 50 students, including some who live on the streets, in foster homes or in homeless shelters. Battey has developed a loyal following over the years and many of his students view him as an inspiring father figure.

If Battey is guilty of anything, they say, it is merely bending the rules to give his students a boost. Indeed, two of those who graduated last month said that Battey made it clear to all would-be graduates that they would have to return and complete their credits, if necessary, during summer school.

“He is here for us,” said Jorge Hernandez, 20, one of the graduates who is attending summer school and plans to enroll at Santa Monica College next month. “He is doing all this because he wants us to succeed.”

Those who are close to Battey believe his adversaries are waging a smear campaign to get rid of the teacher, whom they compare to a biblical shepherd persecuted for looking after wayward sheep.

Battey and his allies are focusing their animus on three people: Newman, the principal; former teacher Judy Atlas; and a private investigator named John Nazarian, who serves as vice president of a fund-raising foundation for the academy.

Battey has gone so far as to suggest that one or more of his detractors, in order to discredit him, may have taken the diplomas out of a file cabinet in his office and distributed them to students.

“They’re trying to close the school,” Battey said. “This program will not continue if I’m not around, pure and simple. These kids will be put out on the streets.”

Newman, Atlas and Nazarian all scoffed at the suggestion of a diploma theft and professed their support for keeping the school open. “I would move mountains to keep it going,” Newman said.

Still, Nazarian has openly criticized Battey’s leadership.

“I’m so angry with this guy,” said Nazarian, who looks after one of the students who recently graduated. “I thought teachers and kids, what could there be but good things?”

Some students are angry as well, accusing Battey of betraying their trust.

“He asked for my diploma back, but I didn’t give it back,” said Eli Orellana, 19. “If I gave it back, I knew I would never see it again.”