Angry Woodland Hills Residents Hot about Plans for Alternative School

SAN FERNANDO VALLEY NEWS-Woodland Hills residents spoke out Tuesday against El Camino Real Charter High School’s plan to relocate its alternative education school to the former Platt Ranch Elementary School campus at 5345 Wilhelmina Ave. 

Speaking at an informational meeting hosted by El Camino’s school board, residents who live near the campus said they are worried about the potential harm the school might have on the neighborhood. 

Platt Ranch would serve as an alternative education program, otherwise known as a continuation school, for El Camino high school students who were unable to complete or meet the needs of the curriculum. El Camino has had a continuation school for roughly 30 years, and leasing Platt Ranch from the Los Angeles Unified school district will allow them to relocate the school to a bigger campus to accommodate more students and create more parking spaces for students. 

A lease has not yet been signed between El Camino and LAUSD, and residents asked if their opinions would alter the school board’s decision. Opponents of the project believe opening a continuation school would increase traffic, violence and trash, and harm their quiet community.

Almost all of the local residents who attended the meeting were in favor of starting a petition to stop the continuation school from relocating. During the meeting, community members frequently interrupted the board member’s presentation – sometimes with insults and strong language. 

“Are the kids coming to burglarize the community? Do they have criminal records?” shouted one resident. 

Community members in the audience felt they were not receiving straightforward answers and began shouting their comments and concerns. (Read the rest here.) 

 

-cw

 

 

CityWatch

Vol 12 Issue 94

Pub: Nov 21, 2014