Graduates See a Happy Ending After Year of Turmoil

Leuzinger High School looked like a picture-perfect model of racial integration Wednesday as its Latino, black, Anglo and Asian students walked onto Olympian Field in caps in gowns to receive their diplomas.

That graduation, and one at Hawthorne High School two hours later, brought a peaceful end to a year of turmoil and racial divisions in the Centinela Valley Union High School District.

In March, 1990, when this year’s graduating seniors were nearing the end of their junior year, 2,500 students from Leuzinger and Hawthorne boycotted classes for two days to protest allegations of racism against blacks.

The following year, black parents complained that their concerns had been ignored by the predominantly Latino school board. In addition, 13 employees filed discrimination complaints with state and federal agencies. The board denied the allegations, but an atmosphere of anger and distrust persisted.

Two months ago, dozens of black and Latino students at Leuzinger fought along racial lines after an argument between two girls, one black, the other Latina. Last week at Hawthorne High, another racially tinged melee broke out after a Latino youth struck a black student over the head with a pipe. Dozens of students joined in.

Sheriff’s deputies and Hawthorne police were on hand at both graduations, but no problems were reported. Hawthorne teachers frisked male seniors as they arrived, checking under their gowns for concealed weapons. None was reported found.

Wednesday’s calm was a welcome contrast to the discord that had strained relations in the district. As the final names were called and the ceremonies wound down, it became clear that the past strife had left some graduates with a maturity beyond their years.

“In a way, I’ll miss it,” said Leuzinger honors student Jay O’Balles, “because I did a lot of growing up here.”