Students protest leave of teacher

COSTA MESA — More than 30 Estancia High School students picketed outside the campus Thursday to protest the absence of a teacher who has been put on administrative leave.

Bob Sterling, who teaches the school’s Advancement Via Individual Determination — or AVID — program, was replaced last week by a long-term substitute. A number of Sterling’s students, who said the school has not adequately explained his departure, began demonstrating outside Estancia on Monday and have continued every day this week.

Starting about 7 a.m., the students — some wearing handwritten T-shirts that read, “Where’s Bob?” — gathered on Placentia Avenue and displayed banners and hand-held signs to passing motorists.

Maegan Aronson, a senior in Sterling’s class, said more students have joined the demonstration daily.

“We started Monday, and we’re going to keep going until we get our teacher,” Maegan, 17, said.

A call to Sterling was not immediately returned Thursday.

Laura Boss, the Newport-Mesa Unified School District’s communications director, said the issue was a personnel matter and that she could not comment on it further.

“He has been put on administrative leave, and there is a process, and we’re hoping to resolve that in the near future,” she said.

Estancia Principal Phil D’Agostino also declined to comment on the reasons behind Sterling’s absence, but said he shared the students’ hope to have their teacher back in the classroom soon.

“It’s just a very sad situation, and we want it resolved as quickly as possible,” D’Agostino said. “We know the kids are frustrated, and we understand that.”

AVID, a preparatory program, teaches students to apply for college and master other skills necessary for life after high school.

Many students in the program are economically disadvantaged or struggling academically.

Estancia, which adopted the program in 2000, has four AVID classes.

Sterling’s students described him as a dedicated teacher who showed up to class even when sick and worked overtime to ensure that everyone got the attention they needed. When word spread of the protests this week, a number of Estancia graduates drove down to join the demonstrations.

“It’s just a great program,” said Lidia Diaz, who graduated in 2004. “It’s for students who want to go to college but don’t know what to do to get there.”

D’Agostino, who founded the Student Political Action Committee at Newport Harbor High School before moving to Estancia, said he admired the students’ initiative.

“As a former U.S. history teacher, I think the ability to allow students to express themselves is a skill that can be developed at the high school level,” he said. “If the students want to express themselves in an appropriate manner, we have no problem with that.”

MICHAEL MILLER may be reached at (714) 966-4617 or at michael.miller@latimes.com.