Anatomy of a Movement: SOS Save Our Schools ~ Whittier, CA

Whittier, CA --

It was not that long ago that a group of unsuspecting parents woke up one morning to the news that their local elementary school was at risk of "closing down permamently..." It sent sock waves through the quiet neighborhood surrounding this school -- Lincoln Elementary.

The parents were dismayed, what to do? Who do we talk to? Who is responsible for this taking place? How do we fight to keep our school open? These and many other questions entered the minds of the parents and school community that was being affected by this proposed action.

The parents began to mobilize themselves, holding meetings from house to house, reaching out to other parents in the Whittier City School District where all of this was happening. From this early discussions emerged a small core group of parent and school community persons committed to helping their parent friends at Lincoln Elementary.

A young man, a parent at Phelan Elementary School with a 9 year old boy emerged as a natural leader of the group... Gabriel Montoya, 28, an EMT, former Student Trustee at Rio Hondo College, and someone who had a background in (union) organizing and had worked in the School Bond Measure Campaign at Rio Hondo as a very young student.

Gabriel Montoya along with a core group of school community leaders formed the, "Whittier City Parents for Education." A few key players in this group; Hector Castillo, PTA President at West Whittier Elementary, Maria Lopez, a community organizer trained up through the Parent Institute at San Diego State University and been active for over 25 years, Cecila Ruiz, parent with a 19 year background with the UFW, working along side Cesar Chavez in organizing, and Jesse Ramirez, parent and professional educator, a high school teacher at Norwalk High School, his wife also in education. It is this core group who has struggled and planned the actions which have led to an outpouring of support for the "Saving of our Schools..."

Initially the heat and wrath the parents were feeling was directly at the local school board and superintendent, and to the undiscerning and informed eye this would be the logical place to look. After all the Superintendent & School Board are responsible for the running of the schools in the Whittier City School District. They ultimately will decide the fate of Lincoln Elementary. Therefore the mobilizing first took place in meeting with the School Board and District Administration. It was not an auspicious start.

The Parents and Board were immediately "at odds" with each other, each side feeling passionately about the issues. What about the issues? Was it the School Boards interest "really" about wanting to close a school? Was there some diabolical plot to "hurt children?" One could argue, "No..." The local school board found themselves, like hundreds of school districts across the state of California in a precarious position...

Here are the facts of the matter: The State Government, and independent Legislative Anaylst has predicted about a $16.5 Billion deficit for this coming fiscal year that starts, July 1, 2008. The Governor came out with his "proposed budget" in January, 2008 recommending an "Across the Board 10% budget Cut in every Department of State Government." The independent Legislative Anaylst has described the Governor's proposal as, "Short sighted and nor responsible." The Governor needs to shrpen his pencil and make recommendations on strategic cuts were they are warranted.

This State Budget crisis is what has come, flying in the faces of school districts, parents, and children. It came in the form of a "wake up call" to the parents of Lincoln Elementary in the central part of town in Whittier.

To the credit of the parent organizers, led by Gabriel Montoya, they recognize that the real "culprits" in this scenario are not necessarily the local school board and the superintendent, but the "larger" issue of the State Budget Crisis. It is like a "gathering storm" waiting to arrive in each community across this state. No district will be exempted, The budget crisis it will affect every school district, every community, every city in California regardless of being a "rich or poor" community.

In relation to Whittier City's woes, the neighboring district, El Rancho Unified, is planning the closure of not one school, but "four schools..." There in Pico Rivera (CA), the parents are talking of "recalling" all of the School Board Members for this perceived "outrage!"

Again, is it really the local school board to blame? Not entirely.

The Whittier City Parents for Education, have taken the "high road" they recognize that they need to work with their locally elected officials to send a clear message to the State Government Officials to, "Save Our Schools."

The parent's leader, Gabriel Montoya, young and strong, has aged and his strength has been challenged. He has been feelings the burden of carrying the weight of responsibility for leading a movement, a cause for his 9 year old boy, and the hundreds of thousands of children that will be affected just in the greater Los Angeles are. Long days at work (on his new job) and long hours into the night planning, strategizing, returning phone calls from multiple school groups, attending meetings every night of the week. Little sleep...Little rest... His mettle is being tested. He is a young man who relies heavily on his Faith... God he feels has to be with us, he cares about all of his children. Young Gabriel is coming to understand what it feels like at the Top... It can be a lonely place. There are so many people counting on him. Belieivng that he is the right man for the job.

He decided to reach out to those with the experience beyond his own. Gabriel bagan to call on local officials who have connections, experience, "know how" to get things done. He came to realize almost immediately from that first day he decided to reach our for assistance that not all were interested in weighing in on these issues, "Picking? Walking?, Marching?, Protesting? Rallying?" Not terms that bring "comfort and security" to elected officials and community leaders with reputations to protect...

However, Gabriel perseveres, he is understanding that some of the politicians in town do not want to go out on a limb... He gives them a pass... No hard feelings. He does not have time to feel remorse or rejection from those who do not wish to help him, "pave the lower regions... to fight for a cause that does not even affect their own family or situation..." It can be a lonely road... a pilgrimage that not many would volunteer to take. But, he presses on. Gabriel remembers someone who he met during the Rio Hondo School Bond Campaign... That's right, the School Bond Committee's Senior Advisor -- Dr. Ralph Pacheco. Say, Gabriel thinks, "Isn't he also the President of the Whittier Union High School Board? Perhaps he could help us to secure a meeting place for the parents, and maybe also provide the Whittier High School Auditorium for a SOS Community Rally... I'll call him."

As we fast forward, young Gabriel and his team of core leaders have successfully held a "Walk for Education" on April 5, 2008 with over 200 participants, covered by the Whittier Daily News and Five (5) TV News Networks, KCBS, KNBC, KTLA, KABC, and Telemundo. A SOS Save Our Schools -Southern California- Rally with a expected attendance of between 3,000 and 7,000 attendees from the entire region of Southern California scheduled for Saturday, May 3, 2008 at 1:00 P.M. at the Pioneer High School Football Stadium (605 Fwy & Slauson Blvd. Off-ramp).

So, it started with an outcry of a hand full of parents from Lincoln Elementary School, which represented a "snapshot" of a bigger looming issue coming down from Sacramento... Now the Whittier City parents are strategically placed to preside over one of the proposed largest Rallys in Whittier's history.

[ Ed. note: Watch for my next blog... "SOS: Anatomy of a Movement, Part 2" ]