BOARD RATIFIES SHANNON DECISION.Byline: Helen Gao Staff Writer Overriding protests from Latino activists who want one of their own named for a top Los Angeles Unified post, a split school board Tuesday ratified the appointment of Sue Shannon to oversee public schools in the heavily Latino Northeast San Fernando Valley San Fernando Valley Valley, southern California, U.S. Northwest of central Los Angeles, the valley is bounded by the San Gabriel, Santa Susana, and Santa Monica mountains and the Simi Hills. . About a hundred people bused in by the San Fernando Valley Mexican American Political Association Mexican American Political Association (MAPA) is an organization that promotes the interests of Mexican-Americans in the United States. History Following a 1959 summit of 150 Mexican American leaders in Fresno, California, MAPA was formed in 1960 as a means to denounced Superintendent Roy Romer's choice as grossly insensitive and questioned the validity of his selection process, but there was also a handful of parents who spoke in favor of Shannon. ``She is one of the few administrators who work with Latino parents hand in hand,'' said North Hollywood High School North Hollywood High School, originally called Lankershim High School when it opened in 1927, is a secondary school in North Hollywood in Los Angeles, California. The school mascot is the husky, and the school colors are blue, white, grey. parent Ruth Engelking who got to know Shannon during her tenure as principal at Lankershim Elementary. ``I was impressed with her knowledge and ability to get things done. I was also impressed by the amount of respect she received from teachers and other principals.'' Sporting signs reading ``Our community demands to be heard'' and ``Romer hear us,'' MAPA organizers called for the appointment of Maria Reza, assistant superintendent of student health and human services Noun 1. Health and Human Services - the United States federal department that administers all federal programs dealing with health and welfare; created in 1979 Department of Health and Human Services, HHS , to fill the local District B superintendent Post. ``There isn't a person in the Valley who brought us together on education issues as Maria Reza has,'' said MAPA president Xavier Flores Flores, town, Guatemala Flores (flōrəs), town (1990 est. pop. 2,200), capital of Petén department, N Guatemala. Flores was built on an island in the southern part of Lake Petén Itzá and on the site of the , who noted Reza was previously the leader of a cluster of 26 Valley schools and has 29 years of experience as a teacher and school administrator. The board, however, approved Shannon 4-2 for the $140,000-a-year job, with Jose Huizar and Julie Korenstein voting no and David Tokofsky abstaining. Romer had defended his selection, noting Shannon is a 32-year veteran of the district with an extensive background in bilingual education. The controversy over the appointment ignited heated debates about the need for diversity in the top echelons of the nation's second largest school district. ``As a person of color Noun 1. person of color - (formal) any non-European non-white person person of colour individual, mortal, person, somebody, someone, soul - a human being; "there was too much for one person to do" , I understand exactly your frustration and anger,'' Hayes, who is African-American, told the audience. ``It's mine also. Time and time again we see people who are promoted who are not people of color Noun 1. people of color - a race with skin pigmentation different from the white race (especially Blacks) people of colour, colour, color race - people who are believed to belong to the same genetic stock; "some biologists doubt that there are important . Unless the message we send is there are no competent people of color.'' Helen Gao, (818) 713-3741 helen.gao(at)dailynews.com |
|
||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion