Ask Yourself

I am in communication with some individuals who either want to see South Region High School #15 (SRHS 15) built in the Angel's Gate area, and others who object strongly to having the proposed 810-1,215-seat senior high school built in that area.

As one would expect, I do have a strong opinion on the issue and I have been able to create a list of questions I answered for myself and posed to some opponents of having the proposed school built where LAUSD wants it built.

But I think for folks to determine for themselves what they truly feel about this issue, your own answers, given to your own self or just a few folks, may help you fill in the reasons you have for how and why you feel the way you do.

But first, before I post the questions, I need to set a few ground rules.

If any of your answers include "because LAUSD owns so much land there", that is not really a fair answer. LAUSD owns property in many places in San Pedro where such a school could be built, and by stating that simplistic answer, it lets you not dwell with where that land actually is, and what routes and roadways are available.

I could very easily come up with at least ten good reasons for building a new school on that land, just as easily as I can come up with a different set of ten reasons why a school shouldn't be built there, but I am not the one answering your questions, you are.

So here goes, there are no points and either everybody wins or everybody loses, there will probably be no in-between on this one.

Does the Los Angeles Unified School District need another public non-charter senior high school built in San Pedro? If yes, why? If no, why not? If maybe or probably, then why?

If a new senior high school is truly needed, in your opinion, where should it be built, and why, should it be built in the area you fell it should be built at?

If a new senior high school is not truly needed in your opinion, then do you feel that San Pedro High School can handle more students? If yes, how?

How hard might you work to either support a new high school being built in San Pedro?

How hard might you work to oppose a new high school being built in San Pedro or where that high school may be located?

Do you feel LAUSD is being honest in their handling of the issue of a proposed new high school?
If yes, why? If no, why not?

OUR community is just beginning the processes that may bring a new senior high school to San Pedro. There are studies to be done, comments to be made and reviewed, public hearings to be held, and when it is all just about ready to be said and done, a vote by the members of the L.A. Unified Board of Education will be taken.

So you have time to ponder the questions and find your own answers.

As always, you may remain anonymous in any comments or answers to these questions you may wish to have published on this post.

As a matter of note, I do have answers to all of the questions I first asked myself, and I do have fairly strong opinions on this matter.

I do not however, live in a neighborhood that would ever come into view as a possible site for a new senior high school. I have an LAUSD elementary school in my neighborhood that I attended between September 1960 and June, 1967, so I am quite fond of my school, even though it is in the City of Rancho Palos Verdes.

I have really nothing to gain or lose concerning this issue beyond my purpose I have for doing what I do; If you don't stand for something, you can fall for anything.

I also have a lot to give back to OUR community that supported me and my family for several generations.

There is one answer that I will provide here that should, must, and needs to be the same answer for everyone to give.

If a new senior high school is built in San Pedro, what should it be named?

Well, this is an absolutely, positively, complete no brainer and the hardest slam dunk in the history of basketball. Either name it the John and Muriel Olguin Senior High School (Muriel graduated from Banning and is a fantastic Pilot alum) or the John Olguin Senior High School.

Any answer other than those two options will come from somebody who is not worthy of being called a Real San Pedran!