DEMONSTRATORS BACK ZACARIAS.

Byline: Sherry Joe Crosby Staff Writer

Backed by a slate of Latino elected officials and community leaders, several hundred demonstrators demanded Friday that the Los Angeles school board rescind its action stripping Superintendent Ruben Zacarias of direct control over the 700,000-student district.

Chanting in Spanish and holding aloft signs, the protesters presented a list of grievances at district headquarters in downtown Los Angeles. Chief among their demands: Restore authority to Zacarias and return newly appointed chief executive officer Howard Miller to his position as facilities chief.

``We demand respect and return of power to the superintendent,'' said Sigifredo Lopez, president and chief executive officer of the Parent Community Coalition, a 10-year-old nonprofit group that organized Friday's rally and bused in parents from throughout the district.

The Los Angeles school board is expected on Thursday to ratify its decision removing Zacarias from day-to-day oversight of the district. Last week, the board voted 4-2 with one abstention to appoint Miller CEO. The decision was made behind closed doors and without public comment.

``Next Thursday, the school board has a chance to choose between democracy or dictatorship. They can choose to have constituents or subjects. We hope they make the right choice,'' Councilman Nick Pacheco said.

Three of seven board members - president Genethia Hayes and members Caprice Young and Mike Lansing - said Friday they would not change their minds regarding Miller.

Rally organizers also collected signatures for a petition seeking to keep Zacarias in office to ``continue and complete his reforms.'' The petition will be submitted to the board.

The rally attracted a slew of elected officials including state Sen. Richard Polanco, D-Los Angeles; U.S. Rep. Xavier Becerra, D-Los Angeles; county Supervisor Gloria Molina; Los Angeles City Council members Jackie Goldberg, Rita Walters, Nate Holden and Mike Hernandez; school board member Victoria Castro; and former board members Barbara Boudreaux and George Kiriyama.

Speakers at the rally criticized the board for failing to seek public input before hiring Miller behind closed doors.

``We want them to rescind this action,'' county Supervisor Gloria Molina told the cheering crowd. ``It's inappropriate and disrespectful.''

``The public must be included,'' Councilwoman Jackie Goldberg said. ``You cannot do this behind closed doors and have a public school system.''

Councilwoman Rita Walters attacked the three school board members who form a majority voting bloc and whose campaigns were financed by Mayor Richard Riordan.

``The group elected by Richard Riordan's millions of dollars is proceeding in the wrong way,'' Walters said. ``They cannot hire and fire people behind closed doors.''

Polanco called on the school board to reform its process of making decisions.

``We demand true reform,'' Polanco said. ``By defending this tainted process . . . they're setting dangerous precedents for this city, and it's wrong.''

Parents at the rally said they have lost faith and confidence in the school board and feel Zacarias has been unjustly treated.

``He has done a lot for the community,'' said Martha Alaniz, whose two boys attend El Sereno School in Los Angeles. The board of education ``broke the law. What are we going to teach our children?''

``We are the parents. We are supposed to say whether Dr. Zacarias is doing a good job or not,'' said Mara Avelar, a Sylmar resident who has four teen-agers. ``I want (the school board) to back off and let Dr. Zacarias do his job.''

Castro said her fellow board members violated the proper process by not seeking public input when they hired Miller and called on them to rescind their actions.

``I hope they re-evaluate their stance and change their opinion,'' Castro said.

Castro also said she did not organize or lead the large protest of students who marched to the Belmont Commission meeting on Wednesday.

Castro said she learned of the protest when the students reached LAUSD headquarters and came down to the commission meeting to assist the group and make sure there were no incidents. The Daily News reported on Thursday that Castro led the group after speaking to about a dozen students involved.

Also on Friday, Miller submitted a two-page report recommending disciplinary actions for the employees blamed for the controversial Belmont Learning Center, but the board refused to release the report.

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Photo: (Color) Parents Community Coalition President Sigifredo Lopez speaks out for LAUSD's superintendent.

John Lazar/Staff Photographer