Venice Skills Center Update
By Robert
Yorgason
There have been recent
closures at the Venice Skills Center. This is an update and reflects reports
that i have received from students.
I called Fred Hermosillo, Skills Center
Principal, on Sept. 20.
He mentioned
the 23-students-per-class requirement. When I pointed out that there are not 23
computers in Robin Hill’s (another teacher) room he said, ‘Robin
knows about rotating students on the computers. When I suggested that I’ve
never seen 23 students in ANY class he said, ‘I’m not done with the
class closures yet.’ When I then said, Well how many classes would you
have to close before you shut down the school? And he said, ‘Oh
we’re not going to close the
school!’
When I said, ‘what
about promotion, there’s been no promotion for the school’, he said,
‘Don’t tell me, you’re preaching to the choir
here.’
My Response on the
23-student per classroom
requirement:
If this valid, it has NOT
been applied at the Venice Skills Center in years. If a party knowingly allows a
situation to exist for years, they are in fact party to that situation. The
classroom conditions right now at the Venice Skills Center cannot service 23
students in every class. There are not 23 functioning computers in any classroom
on campus.
Rotating students on
computers? Which one of you would attend a class where you have to sit and wait
for a computer. Would you attend a class where you had to fight for and then
stop using a computer half way through your
lesson.
Rotating students on computers?
In Ms. Hill’s Class, or the Web Class? There seems to be a lack of
understanding of the scope of the subjects taught, and the software and
equipment required. My class is being asked to leave exactly at 12:45. No one
can stay to ask questions.
Every
computer and piece of software currently in use was purchased by previous
administrations. You may thank Nina Flores for her efforts in this area. This is
another “unpaid for” hat which she
wears.
Robin Hill built her own
program, with little help and many obstacles. She has created, in my opinion, a
program which is decades ahead of anything else in LAUSD. Her class is the equal
of most community college courses.
The Dental
Assistant class is another example of a very functional program built through
the efforts of a single teacher, against the odds, and in spite of
obstacles.
There have been other hard
fought for programs, (CAD based Fashion Design to name one) which are now gone
forever.
There are more class closures
to come.
How many more classes can be
closed before there are no more classes. There are not that many
left.
The following questions need to
be asked:
– Why are more classes being
closed?
– Why does the Superintendent
not know about it?
– Why is the school
district paying to rent space on Lincoln Blvd. when there are empty classrooms
at Venice Skills Center? Why are students having difficulty
registering?
– Why is there confusion
about official class times?
– Why is
there no system to prevent persons known to be violent or disruptive from
enrolling?
– Why aren’t
additional classes opened when there is obvious
demand?
– Why is 23 a magic
number?
– If 18 people attend, and are
dependent on the class for EDD, then what is done to assist them after a class
closure?
– Why do the buildings
leak?
– Why do the air conditioners not
work in Room 10?
– Why has there been a
crack in the wall of Room 10 for 4
years?
–Why doesn’t the District
respond to ANY calls from the Plant Supervisor? Oh yes, they did get someone to
paint the doors.
– Why is construction
on the new building been delayed again after 5
years?
– Who makes these decisions and
why do they still have a job?
– What
funds were ear marked for construction at Venice Skill Center in 1999, 2000,
2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, and 2005?
–
What happened to those funds?
– Why has
the process not been transparent?
– Why
has an active community like Venice not been kept in the
loop?
– What has been done to correct
any of this?
– Why is there no
advertising?
One of the Cisco
Networking students reached Dr. Santiago Jackson, the Assistant Superintendent
of L.A. Unified School District (LAUSD). The first thing Dr. Jackson did was to
ask the student for the name of the person who gave him phone number. Then Dr.
Jackson then replied that he knew nothing about any class closures. He then told
the student to call Nancy Woodrum.
How
can the head of the Adult Division of LAUSD be unaware of a Skills Center
closing 20 percent of its classes? Why is he not aware of the situation. Now
that he is, what will he do about it?
I
have not been able to reach Marlene Canter (LAUSD School Board Member), yet. I
still have hope.
I am open to suggestions. If
you have the time then please try to contact any or all of the following people.
Ask your own questions, and have no fear. These people work for you. Point out
that there is no alternative for classes on the West Side of Los Angeles. Maybe
they forgot.
DIVISION OF ADULT AND
CAREER EDUCATION
Santiago Jackson, Asst.
Superintendent - 213.241.3150
Nancy Woodrum,
Division Administrator 213.241.3153
I
will continue trying to arrange a meeting with Marlene Canter. She has been
helpful in the past. Please continue to let me know who you contact and what the
response has been.
For the
record:
Opinions in this document are
mine.
Other Instructors have been
mentioned without being asked. No action should be taken against
them.
I thank you all for your efforts. I am
grateful that some have expressed concern about teaching jobs. For the record,
from me …. This is not about my job. I frankly expect my actions to have
predictable consequences. This undertaking is simply the correct thing to do.
The students and the community of Venice have been wronged. The effort is about
saving an institution for the future. I can wash dishes. I will be fine. It is
you, the students, I am concerned for. Let us save Venice Skills
Center.
Robert Yorgason is
an Instructor at Venice Skills Center.
Posted: Sat
- October 1, 2005 at 01:15 PM