VALLEY REPORT / SCHOOLS IN CRISIS : Teachers’ Classroom Politics Questioned

Teachers demonstrated outside San Fernando Valley schools Wednesday for higher taxes to avoid layoffs and school budget cutbacks, but critics question their bringing the issue into the classroom as well.

Legal experts, educators and district officials disagreed over whether it is proper for teachers to enlist their students as allies in the political and financial struggle.

Stung by the prospect of salary cuts and layoffs, scores of sign-toting teachers throughout the Valley urged parents dropping off their children at school Wednesday to sign petitions and write letters supporting higher state taxes.

At some schools, they were joined by students.

Some teachers said they would discuss the issue in class and assign students to write letters to elected representatives and Gov. Pete Wilson, raising the issue of classroom politicking.

A Sun Valley Junior High School teacher gave her class lessons in civil disobedience, so they would be prepared if police are called to quell demonstrations.

Teachers also recruited students to their cause in the nine-day Los Angeles teachers’ strike two years ago. The current efforts, however, apparently enjoy broad support from a coalition of teachers, parents and district officials who have joined forces to increase state funding for public schools.

“Are they using kids? Of course, no doubt about it,” said East Valley school board member Roberta Weintraub. “But not in a bad way.”

Senior high school Assistant Supt. Daniel Isaacs said it is appropriate for teachers to raise issues of school funding in class, as long as students are allowed to form their own opinions.

“That is the basis of democracy,” he said.

But Stuart Biegel, a professor who teaches in the UCLA department of education and law school, said teachers must be careful not to misuse their authority in persuading students.

“At UCLA, we teach our students that the public will not stand for indoctrination,” said Biegel, who was formerly a classroom teacher in Los Angeles. “Teachers should not be trying to convince students that one point of view is correct.”

Grant High School Principal Robert Collins said teachers should not push their opinions on students.

“I think it is appropriate to do issues of a political nature before school, after school and on their own time, but not to use class time,” Collins said. “I would have concern if class time was used to write letters.”

Teachers are angry over district proposals announced this week to increase their workload while cutting salaries 7%, measures made necessary by dwindling state funds.

Los Angeles Unified School District budget officials this week released proposals to cut more than $340 million from next year’s budget.

Teachers union representatives said they tell their colleagues to encourage different points of view during classroom discussions about the issue.

It may be difficult, however, for students to argue such issues with teachers under some circumstances--for example, for students to oppose higher taxes when teachers tell classes that the increased revenue is the only way to save their jobs.

“The teachers are telling us how they will have to put their houses up for sale and move out of state,” said Kennedy High School junior Heather Gravil, 17. She was among 100 students who did not attend second period classes Wednesday to demonstrate support for teachers.

No violence was reported at the demonstrations, which were held at about half of the 600 or so schools in the city, district and teachers union officials said.

But in an apparently unrelated incident, Kennedy student Arvel Merritt, 18, was stabbed in the shoulder with a pocketknife by another student shortly before the walkout there.

He was treated for the wound and released from a local hospital.

A 16-year-old boy was arrested in connection with the attack, police said.

At Sun Valley Junior High School, about 200 students marched alongside instructors.

Protesters handed out flyers to motorists and chanted, “Save our futures, save our teachers.”

Parents dropping off their children were asked to sign petitions seeking more school funding.

For the past two weeks, students at the school have been actively mobilizing support for their teachers. Last week, about 50 students gathered for an after-school protest in front of the campus.

Steve Rivas, 16, said he and other organizers went from class to class, encouraging students to attend Wednesday’s protest.

Rivas said the student activism was spontaneous and not coached by teachers.

Several teachers at the school said, however, that they discussed the issue of teacher layoffs in class and encouraged students to protest peacefully.

One teacher, who asked not to be identified by name, said she led rehearsals in the classroom of peaceful protest and passive resistance.

She said she lightly shoved some of the students in a demonstration to see how they would react to physical aggression.

“If you want to get something done, you cannot act violently,” she said. “If you want to get your point across, you have to do it eloquently.”

Times staff writer Leslie Berger contributed to this story.