Community rallies to support charter school

By Jennifer Solis

Of the hundred charter schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District, few can claim the kind of community support that has been shown to Academia Semillias del Pueblo in El Sereno.

More than 200 parents and local neighborhood residents gathered at the Huntington Avenue school Saturday afternoon to express their desire for the school board to renew its charter later this year, and to keep the unique program aimed at instilling pride in children of Mexican and Native American background.

The 253-pupil academy became a "cause celeb" last week when a local talk radio station criticized the school’s principal, and sent out a reporter to interview him, the parents and students. One of the parents, believing that the reporter was taking pictures of the kids, chased after the reporter and confiscated his tape, which turned out to be audio, not video.

Principal Marcos Aguilar apologized to the station, but explained that his academy, like many other elementary schools, is continually on the alert for child predators, and the incident was an over-reaction to the presence of a stranger with recording equipment. The reporter was unhurt, but suffered torn clothing when he was tackled in front of the school.

The school serves over 150 local families, almost entirely from Mexico, with a program which emphasizing learning about the ancient heritage and culture, in order to give the students a sense of “roots” and pride, which should translate into motivation to become better students and future leaders.

Principal Aguilar was a teacher for several years at Garfield High School, and became frustrated at the great number of dropouts experienced there and other mostly Latino populated secondary schools. He attributes the lack of motivation to succeed to the denial of culturally relevant programs, and an inflexible attitude to Americanize first generation students in the elementary grades.

Aguilar partnered with some local community leaders and applied for a grant from the Raza Development Fund and Amicus Bank. A $1.4 million loan was acquired to turn an abandoned Masonic Lodge into a charter school in 2001, and the LAUSD granted a five year approval on December 11th of that year. Academia Semillias del Pueblo opened with about 150 students the following August.

Although California has almost 600 charter schools now in operation, and is increasing that number by a hundred each year, the requirements for a startup are very strict. Accountability is the same as that for all public schools which are supported by taxpayer funds.

Priority is given to prospective schools which serve low-achieving communities and have programs which are designed to appeal to the unique needs of their neighborhoods. ASP has grown to double its original K to 3 enrollment of 125, and now teaches from kindergarten through fifth grade.

The standardized test assessment scores are about the same as other elementary with similar demographics. Its current Academic Performance Index (API) is 597 (in 2004) out of a possible 800. Almost all its students are from low income, English learning families.

The LAUSD encourages the development of local charter schools to ease the shortage of school facilities and seat space, and increase responsible parent and student involvement in learning. The district’s mission statement for charters is to follow LAUSD policy “except in those areas they specifically describe in their charters, such as curriculum, pedagogy, philosophy, personnel and governance.” Among the criteria encouraged is the “use of different and innovative teaching methods.”

Academia Semillias del Pueblo describes its course offerings as having dual-language immersion, global cultural studies, visual, performing and martial arts instruction, and “a living curriculum to give rise to a regenerative school culture that embraces the customs and traditions of those served.” This includes learning a vocabulary of the ancient Aztec language, Nahutal, and an understanding of the “base 20” mathematics used to build ancient pyramids to astronomical knowledge.

Throughout the campus is an impressive collection of Native American art and crafts, including Chicano folklore projects which have been produced by the schools’ students. The school has become a center for immigrant family “regeneration,” hosting ceremonies and festivals for students and adults forced to leave their homelands to find economic opportunity in “El Norte.”