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GUESTS: Violet Gonzalez, mother of Academia student, member of Padres Unidos of Academia Semillas del Pueblo, Mixpe Ley, community activist

Academia Semillas del Pueblo in El Sereno is an LAUSD charter school that is facing closure. It is one of several schools in the district being evaluated on the basis of charter renewal. Supporters of the school have attended a hearing and been calling on LAUSD school board members to extend Academia’s charter for another five years. An organization of concerned parents has spoken out against an evaluation process based solely on an English-only standardized test. Listeners may recall that Academia Semillas del Pueblo was at the center of controversy last year when right-wing radio host, Doug McIntyre of KABC accused the school of being a “Mexican separatist school” and undeserving of its charter. The accusations came in the aftermath of last year’s unprecedented immigrant marches. There was also a racist bomb threat called into the school last June. Academia Semillas del Pueblo is a kindergarten through 8th grade public charter school that has served the greater East Los Angeles community since 2002. Its students are instructed in four languages; Spanish, English, Mandarin and Nahuatl.

We go live to a demonstration happening at the LAUSD building by parents and activists to urge the school board to renew the school’s charter.

There will be a large rally and march on March 29th at noon at the La Placita Olvera, to urge LAUSD to renew the Academia Semillas del Pueblo charter.

LAUSD board members can be contacted at 333 South Beaudry Avenue, 24th Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90017. They can also be reached via phone and email at:

• Marguerite Poindexter LaMotte- District 1 – (213) 241-6382 – marguerite.lamotte@lausd.net
• Mónica García- District 2 – (213) 241-6180 – monica.garcia@lausd.net
• Jon Lauritzen- District 3 – (213) 241-6386 – jon.lauritzen@lausd.net
• Marlene Canter- District 4 – (213) 241-6387 – marlene.canter@lausd.net
• David Tokofsky- District 5 – (213) 241-6383 – david.tokofsky@lausd.net
• Julie Korenstein- District 6 – (213) 241-6388 – julie.korenstein@lausd.net
• Mike Lansing- District 7 – (213) 241-6385 – mike.lansing@lausd.net
• Superintendent- David Brewer III – (213) 241-7000
• Gregory McNair (Charter School Chief Admin. Officer) – (213) 241-2665 – gregory.mcnair@lausd.net