SCHOOL REPORT : Anti-Prejudice Policy Reaffirmed

Responding to complaints that children of Middle Eastern ancestry have been subjected to racial slurs, the board on Monday reaffirmed a policy approved two years ago condemning prejudice.

A resolution asks that all school employees combat prejudice and encourage open, accurate discussions about events in the Middle East.

School board President Jackie Goldberg said that students who call others names may be required to write essays on the importance of treating all individuals with respect or to attend group discussions about tolerance.

The board also:

Gave tentative approval to a proposal establishing a mobile Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream store to be managed and operated by Manual Arts High School students at USC. Students will be responsible for all phases of the business and profits will go to the high school.

FUTURE FILE

FITNESS: The board will consider a proposal by board member Mark Slavkin to seek private funding for physical fitness and health education programs. Slavkin has cited the poor showing of district youngsters on state physical fitness tests and wants the district to seek funding for private programs that supplement regular physical education classes.

Classroom Capsule

Of the district’s 625,000 students, more than 213,300 speak little or no English. The vast majority speak Spanish, but at least 82 other languages are spoken. Fewer than 6,000 of the district’s 30,000 teachers are trained to teach in languages other than English.