Now & Then: Reflections on LA schools in the 1960s and the present

by Chris Ungar

They say you can’t go home again. That’s not exactly true. You can return home, just be prepared for a lot of change. That’s what I found when I journeyed south to my childhood stomping grounds in the Los Angeles Unified School District. The setting was familiar, but the level of innovation I saw when I toured my alma maters, Wright Middle School and Westchester High, and Shenandoah Street Elementary, where my wife attended, was entirely new.

Change can be difficult, but this was change you can believe in! The focus on developing the whole child, on project-based learning, on cultivating a responsible outlook toward society and on engaging all students was completely inspiring. When L.A. Unified staff asked me to reflect on how the district had evolved since I tossed my graduation cap in 1969, I was happy to oblige. The Q&A below is the result of my conversation with staff.

Q: What was your chief goal in touring the schools?

Both Westchester and Wright have undergone tremendous changes in the nearly 50 years since my attendance. I knew that both schools had significant challenges with student achievement, yet both had undergone a renaissance. I wanted to see for myself the things that can lead to a school’s revitalization. For my wife and me, Shenandoah was, in some ways, a nostalgic visit that demonstrated the changing face of education in Los Angeles and California.

Q: What are some differences between now and when you were last on the campuses, and how did those differences shape your perceptions of education in California schools?

In the 1960s, Los Angeles schools were, essentially, segregated. Of the 2,500 students who attended Westchester at the time of my graduation, only three were individuals of color. Desegregation changed all of that, and the schools began to mirror the city at large — this is a good thing. Physically, the campuses looked pretty much the same, although older. Both have unique architecture.

At both schools, everyone took basically the same classes, and there was no such thing as “project-based learning,” although we did have shop classes. All the boys took wood, metal, drafting and electric shop. The girls took home economics classes. It was unheard of for boys to take home economics or for girls to take shop. This was true at both schools. Now there is a recognition that the “old way” perpetuated sexual stereotypes. Recognizing that everyone can become engaged in anything is really great. Both Wright and Westchester now have strong robotics teams that are open to anyone with an interest and a willingness to work.

At Wright, discipline was the purview of the vice principal, who would dole out swats to misbehaving boys. Other offenses meant lunch in the “garden,” where there was no socializing allowed. Now the garden is the Emerson Community Garden, which allows the community and school to come together. Of course, the big difference is that both are magnet schools with Wright focusing on STEAM and Westchester on environmental engineering, health and sports medicine, and aerospace engineering.

Q: What were some takeaways from the tour you believe relate to the goals LAUSD has in common with those of CSBA?

We both strive to be ardent advocates for students and public schools. We know that until every student has what he or she needs to achieve, our job will not be done. School boards lead districts, and the more we can demonstrate strong leadership, the more we will serve our community and the children who are our future.

The 1960s were a turbulent time for the United States with the Kennedy and King assassinations, the Vietnam War, the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, and the Civil Rights Movement. But my secondary school experience was somewhat cloistered: that is, my friends and I knew that there was “Something happening here/What it is ain’t exactly clear (Buffalo Springfield).”

In many ways, it was really an extension of the “Happy Days” of the 1950s. Although prepared academically, I wasn’t prepared for the significant changes that our nation would undergo. When I look at the students at Wright and Westchester and Shenandoah today, I’m thrilled to see young men and women who mirror the reality of California, with all of its challenges and promise. I know that there are caring teachers, administrators and school board members who, each day, put their hearts, minds and souls into our kids, all our kids. I’m not nostalgic for times past: I’m excited for the future.

Chris Ungar is the California School Boards Association 2016 President and is a board member in the San Luis Coastal Unified School District in San Luis Obispo County.