Another Hurdle Cleared
Joel Rubin of the Los Angeles Times reported in this morning’s paper about today’s vote by LAUSD on the city public arts high school. Rubin finished with a quote from my wife:
Last year, the [LAUSD] board approved an agreement with Discovering the Arts, a nonprofit fundraising organization formed to help cover the additional costs of running a high-caliber arts high school.
But Araceli Ruano, the group’s chairwoman, said the board needed to approve the project before any discussion of fundraising could occur.
“If [the board] demonstrates tomorrow that the school is on track to be built in 2008,” Ruano said in an e-mail, “we will do what it takes to make this school a reality.”
Less than an hour ago, Araceli got the word here in Paris that the school board passed the construction contract, 5 votes to 1! One step closer to a school everybody can be proud of, from the parents in the neighborhood to the children who will attend to LAUSD itself.
For my part, I’m very proud of Araceli. But I’m also hoping that this means we can finally do a little sightseeing tomorrow…
[Update:] Joel Rubin and Tanya Caldwell have the follow-up in the LA Times.
March 8th, 2006 at 9:46 am
Why exactly is it that between the few LA Times articles regarding the issue and these blog pages the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts (LACHSA) has been completely neglected, while even the high schools for the arts in Cincinnati and Houston (schools that I might add LACHSA students share bonds with every year at the prestigious National Foundation for the Advancement of the Arts awards in Florida) have received mention?
Is it taboo to mention that Los Angeles already has a “premier arts high school” or would it simply not serve the purposes of those trying to push this school? What about any discussion of what happens to the LACHSA when this new school opens? Does LACHSA simply close its doors? Is it expected to compete with a 208 million dollar campus, when many have been saying for years that a campus is what the LACHSA needs? Where do LACHSA students and faculty go? Do they no longer matter (although county and state officials already act as if they don’t)? I am also fairly confident in my assumption that the same highly-qualified (ie professionals in their fields) arts faculty will not be employed at this new “School #9″ if they do not hold state teaching credentials, being replaced not by artists, but “arts teachers” (a crying shame.)
Basically, I’m appalled. The only good I see coming out of this project as of right now is a pretty, modern campus that fits into the new visual theme of Grand Avenue and good PR for certain politicians, members of the Board of Ed and Eli Broad. If arts education were something they were concerned about, they would answer the pleas that they have been receiving from the many talented students, parents, faculty and staff of the LACHSA for over two decades now.
-Isaac Palatt
Los Angeles County High School for the Arts
Visual Arts Class of 2004
and current student at Pratt Institute (that 119-year-old art school in Brooklyn, New York)
March 8th, 2006 at 10:43 am
Once again I am struck by the presumption by members of the LACHSA community that I am under any obligation to mention their school on my blog. On my blog, I write about issues of interest to me. Given that my wife is chair of the non-profit board that is advising LAUSD on the city performing arts high school, that school is very interesting to me.
I understand that LACHSA is of special interest to many people within the county. If those people want to do their own blog about the school, I’m sure they could build a lively on-line community. And if they want to celebrate their school on my blog, I’m fine with that, too. I’m confident it’s a wonderful place. But if they want to tell me what to do with my blog, I would remind them I am under no obligation to post anything. And I’m not sure how much more tolerance I will have for self-interested criticisms of the Grand Avenue school.
March 8th, 2006 at 12:07 pm
Andre,
I understand this is a personal blog. However, given your wife’s role with Discovering the Arts, your blog seems an appropriate place for us to ask questions that affect both the Grand Avenue school and the LACHSA. Broad, your wife’s organization, and the Department of Ed continue to ignore Los Angeles’s “flagship art school,” preferring to begin anew. We fear the LACHSA’s extinction, legitimately. Perhaps if your wife had a blog you could refer me to, I’d post my opinion there.
March 18th, 2006 at 12:06 pm
Isaac,
Andre is right- he is under no obligation to mention LACHSA on his blog.
Furthermore,it is somewhat frustrating to see LACHSA community members
using his blog to vent their well founded,yet completely misdirected questions.
Your questions should be directed to “the powers that be” responsible for the
management of the LACHSA. Perhaps more pertinent questions to ask are why the best teachers have been driven out? (I have a list Andre, in case Araceli needs it; students at SOME school should benefit from these gifted educators, and if LACOE doesn’t value them, perhaps LAUSD will?) Or why theater students are taking up spaces in visual arts classes
needed by visual arts students for their portfolios? Or why, at such a “prestigious” school
the student, staff and parents live in fear of retribution from LACOE employees
for rocking the boat over questionable situations that impact the well being of
the clients? (My personal favorite was when my daughter was put in a taxi cab in downtown LA by an administrative figure without an adult because there was an inadequate transportation plan for a field trip…)
Sorry Isaac, I know LACOE has perfected the art of telling you
what you want to hear, but as someone still in touch with people in the trenches at LACHSA, I can assure you all is not well in the garden of eden as you recall it.
One of the most gifted students in the VA department recently left the school
because he felt the school could not offer him sufficient resources. Knowing the
student and situation well, I concur with his assessment and support his decision.
Andre, my apologies to you and congratulations to your wife.
I, for one, sincerely hope that LAUSD will succeed where LACHSA has failed the young
artists of this city. I speak only from my personal viewpoint and experience of course,
but I am not alone, not by a long shot.
I apologize to you Andre for this reason:
I am the person responsible for drawing the LACHSA community’s attention
to your blog. I have been following the LAUSD minute on this school for
a very long time. I posted a link to your blog in a message board
community that I established for the LACHSA some years ago- I set the
board up because communication was vitually non-existent
at the school. The situation has only gotten worse and many people
write to tell me without the message board, they would have no idea
what was going on. Naturally, LACOE has chosen not to participate
in the online communtiy. But then, it must be uncomfortable for them
to discuss some of the questionable situations with the tax payers who
subsidize the school. However, it is interesting to see that they do
monitor the message board to “lift” information about scholarships and
other opportunities to benefit students to present as their own. lol.
What does THAT reveal about the folks steering the LACHSA ship?
Unfortunately, presenting the information as their own is about as far
as they can take it- the students still come to me for help in submitting
their applications and work to various competitions.
In closing- again, I do apologize Andre. I did not intend to unleash misdirected
frustrations at your blog.
I simply put out information, as is my habit as a person who cares about
ALL students. Again, the recipients of the information have no idea
what to do with it. I repeat- the questions are misdirected.
Isaac, as far as a job in your future, I would recommend working
for the LAUSD Arts High.
Have you researched Eli Broad and his involvement in the arts?
I can assure you he will assemble the very best candidates in the country
to staff this school, as he actually KNOWS something about art and a great deal
about education.
Best,
Annie
On edit: sorry for the typos-I am on the run to help a LACHSA student
photograph some slides…imagine that? Doesn’t LACHSA have a photograpy department?
April 5th, 2006 at 1:15 pm
I just happened upon this blog, because I googled Discovering the Arts. Only recently,
did I learn the board approved this unusual alliance and I wanted to learn more about
the organization in hopes of finding some funding/grants for our high school.
I’m a parent of sophomore who attends Hamilton Academy of Music, an LAUSD small
learning community, performing arts high school.
We have small but outstanding music and theatre depts. However we have NO MONEY!
It makes it really hard to give our kids the high caliber experience that they deserve.
Are we perfect… heck no. There’s too many kids and not enough teachers nor space,
so ultimately someone is always underserved or overlooked. That’s par for course
in every LAUSD school.
Though I applaud people in this town for making the committment to build an Arts school in a clearly underserved part of the city and for supporting our kids who go to public school that have dreams and talent for the industry that makes this city famous, I hope LAUSD doesn’t forget and obsure the beyond the call of duty hard work the kids and faculty and administrators and parents put in every day, in the one performing arts school they already have!
Don’t misunderstand. This is huge city. One school, not even the “flagship” state of art
school planned for 450 Grand can serve everyone. I think there’s a growing concern that
all else will be forsaken… for the sake of spotlighting and marketing this new Arts High
and other kids will be left out all over the city. Right now, there’s NO plan for supporting
the arts in our school and we STRUGGLE to get word out so we can have people in the seats, which is the only way the program pays for itself.
I’m an optimist though. I’m hoping Discovering the Arts hits it out of the ballpark.
Because then, they’ll have the collateral to eventually help improve more of the arts depts in this city so that everyone will have those chances to participate in a high caliber program and a state of the art production like those planned for 450 Grand.
( we need new lights, more mics and a decent sound system!)
So… for future’s sake…
Perhaps they can come check out “Chicago”, our Spring Musical, the first three weekends
in May, to see some of kids that could end switching to Arts High, once built.
Seriously though, I think it will be a good thing to be friendly and familiar with the
programs already in existence.
Since we’re doing “Chicago” and the chorographers are original Fosse dancers we’re
planning something very special.
GWEN VERDON actually attended Hamilton HS and we’re planning on dedicating the show
to her and daughter, who hopefully will be able to come out and receive a plaque which
will eventually hang in our lobby.
Good luck to you and your wife. I wish you great success.
August 7th, 2006 at 5:42 pm
I think it is great that they are building a new arts high school. LACHSA and Hamilton Academy of Music reject people from their programs that are still talented artists. that feel out of place in a public school. My son is one of those people..it is too late for him to reapply to LACHSA or HAMI but it really tore him apart when he wasn’t accepted.
Hopefully those that aren’t good enough for the other Arts High Schools can find success in the new one.