When this area started getting populated, students in seventh grade on attended schools in the Anaheim Union High School District. (Oak, Pine/McAuliffe, and Los Al HS were all originally built and within the Anaheim District. Local parents wanted to gain more control of their children’s destiny, and committees were formed to pursue the unification of the high school students with the Elementary district. Among the most vocal opponents of unification were teachers in the employ of the Anaheim District who taught at local schools. These teachers felt that not only would the quality of education drop because of teacher exodus, smaller tax base, but that their professional advancement opportunties would be severely lessened with a smaller district.
The earliest and strongest opponents of the unification were the teachers at Oak Junior High, who according to one flyer, came out “unanimously” against unification. The flyer below was signed by a unification opponent whose wife was apparently a teacher with the Anaheim District.
Before You vote: Read This. We have Questioned Unification. Have You?
Why did the Los Alamitos Board of Trustees publish this pamphlet “why the election to establish Los Alamitos Unified School District?” This was at TAXPAYERS EXPENSE, and was distributed by elementary school children, candidates for the unified board, and district personnel.
The California Education Section 1073 states: “NOTHING IN SUB-DIVISION (c) OF SECTION 1071 SHALL BE CONSTRUED TO AUTHORIZE THE PREPARATION OR DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION FOR THE PURPOSE OF INFLUENCING THE ELECTORS IN THE DISTRICT IN VOTING AT ANY SCHOOL DISTRICT ELECTION OR IN VOTING UPON ANY PROPOSITION AFFECTING THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS OF THE DISTRICT…”
The Assistant Orange County District Attorney, has been quoted as saying he feels the Los Alamitos Board of Trustees CLEARLY VIOLATED THE EDUCATION CODE by its actions.
Whydid Mr. Claud Klug, President of the Board of Trustees, Los Alamitos School District, state in the “argument in favor of unification” which was included in your sampole ballot:
“The unification plan has the OFFICIAL SUPPORT of the Orange County committee on District Organization and the California State Board of Education, Anaheim Union High School District DOES NOT OPPOSE IT?”
- The Chairman of the Orange County Committee on School District Organization says that they DID NOT lend their support to this proposal, nor did they make a study of the proposal, but merely acted upon it and passed it on to the State Board fo their approval so that it could be placed on the ballot for a vote.
- The President of the State Board of Education says that their board is “NEITHER FOR NOR AGAINST” THE PROPOSAL but merely approved it for the ballot.
- The President of the Anaheim Union High School Board of Trustees says that the statement “does not oppose it” was a TOTAL MISREPRESENTATION of their actual position. The Anaheim Board of Trustees has gone n record as opposing unification “WITH EVERY LEGAL MEANS.”
Why have the proponents of unification stated that if they had to replace 50% of the secondary teachers the education program would nt be affected?
PROFESSSIONAL EDUCATORS feel wholesale turnover of teachers is extremely detrimental to the educational programs and staff morale. The Los Alamitos Board is PERSONALLY INVOLVED in selection of teachers.
What are their qualifications to judge educators?
Isn’t this the function of District Administrators?
Why are the professional educators, the teachers, overwhelmingly opposed to this unifcation? They are the ones i a position to evaluate the quality of the educational programs. Should we listen? Would the new district be able to RECRUIT and RETAIN teachers of high quality?
Los Angeles Times, February 17, 1969, quotes the U.S. GOV’T. “The most critical educational problem is the RECRUITMENT, preparation, retraining and RETENTION of teachers.”
Coordination of instruction is cited by the elementary board as a major reason for unification. If so, WHY HAVEN”T THEY MADE AN EFFORT TO CO-ORDINATE PROGRAMS WITH ANAHEIM? DO THEY KNOW HOW?
Why is the elementary board unwilling to explain its educational philosophy or how it differs from that of the Anaheim Union HIgh School District?
Why are you nt told what lies in store for the children in terms of educational programs if unification passes?
Approximately 900 Cypress and Los Alamitos students reside in the Cypress Elementary District. Why has the elementary board led people to believe they will continue to attend Pine Junior HIgh and Los Alamitos High School? THIS DECISION HAS NOT BEEN MADE and there are other options open to the Anaheim Unon HIgh School District.
If the goal of unification is “LOCAL CONTROL,” then why did only 12% OF THE VOTERS BOTHER TO VOTE IN THE 1967 local school board election? Is this “LOCAL CONTROL?”
Realistic projected costs of running the district if unified cannot be guaranteed because of the impossibility of predicting the future.
As a result of our research, we seriously question the wisdom of unification and the Elementary Board who proposed and supports it. The information stated in this pamphlet may be researched by those who are still in doubt. After considering all varifications of unifcation we feel the education of our children is at stake and we urge you to vote February 25th.
George H. Tracy – Russell Hairrell
Residents of Los Alamitos
Committee Question Unification
A pamphlet published by K.N.O.W.
Now that the Anaheim Union High School District Board of Trustees has taken a public stand opposing the proposed Los Alamitos unification, we the teachers of Oak Junior High School can make public our 100% opposition to unification.
Our primary concern is for the education of the children of this Community and we sincerely believe a unified Los Alamitos district could NOT provide the same quality educational program that the Anaheim district has provided.
- Limited resources of curriculum materials, credentialed consultants and financial base are weaknesses of a single high school district.
- The inaccurate, misleading and unjustified statements of the proponents of unification lead us to doubt that they have adequately studied the secondary school aspects of a unified district.
Sincerely,
Oak Junior High Faculty Club
James W. Sorenson, President
Who Says Unity?
Who stands to gain?
The pupils?
The Teachers?
Or only the school board?
Who started this program?
The legislature? Who said so?
The teachers? Ask them?
The school board? Probably!
Will it cost the taxpayers More?
Now?
Or ONLY after 1970?
Where do federal; funds really come from?
Are there educational advantages?
By whose standards?
What about personnel turnover in Los Alamitos district?
Teachers, principals, superintendents, & special districts?
Why are the majority of secondary school teachers against this unification?
What confidence can you have in candidates who advocate unification but will not discuss programs until after elected?
Why are these issues being evaded?
Demand
Definite Answers Before Voting!
College Park Committee Opposing Unification