Two Teachers Allege L.A. County Schools Are Mismanaged, Unsafe

The Los Angeles County Office of Education will launch an investigation into allegations of widespread mismanagement in the county education system made by two teachers at a Canoga Park school for juvenile offenders.

The allegations, detailed in a study conducted by the teachers during the last five years, were announced Tuesday at a news conference in front of the county administration building in downtown Los Angeles.

In a prepared statement, the Office of Education said it was “proud of its accomplishments and stands by its record of providing services and programs to public school districts throughout Los Angeles County.”

The agency will “present a response to the complaint after it has had a full opportunity to carefully review and study it,” according to the statement, which also said the agency would investigate “the specific allegations or assertions that have been made.”

The Office of Education oversees schools that serve a total of 50,000 students. The students include juvenile offenders, those with special education needs, pregnant teens and youths who have been expelled from one of the 81 school districts in Los Angeles County.

Teachers Paul White and Robert McGill of the West Valley Leadership Academy in Canoga Park allege that the county spends too much money on administrators and not enough on attracting qualified teachers or improving its facilities. As a result, too many inexperienced teachers with little direction are employed at school sites where they fear for their safety, the two say.

The teachers’ report also partly blames the county for the death of Michael Urquidi, a 17-year-old juvenile offender who was killed in a drive-by shooting outside the West Valley Leadership Academy on Jan. 8. The teachers say the death could have been prevented if a security guard had been stationed at the school. The study cites an agreement between the county and the city of Los Angeles that requires a security guard to be on site starting a half-hour before school and ending an hour after school.

“A security guard could have made the difference,” said Michael’s mother, Sally Urquidi, who stood by White and McGill at the news conference.

In its written statement, the county said that it “took all necessary steps to ensure the safety of students” at the West Valley Leadership Academy. A spokesman for the Office of Education would not comment on whether a security guard was present or required to be present at the school at the time of the shooting.

White and McGill are hoping that their study will encourage the state to examine the county agency. Copies of their report have been mailed to the two candidates running in the November election for state superintendent of public instruction.

Candidate Katherine H. Smith of Anaheim said she could not comment because she had not seen the report, but was interested in learning about it. Her opponent, state Sen. Jack O’Connell (D-San Luis Obispo), did not return calls seeking comment.