Hearing Today in Lawsuit Over Pasadena School Closures That Displaced Latino Students

A motions hearing is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. Monday in Department 49 of the Stanley Mosk Courthouse in downtown Los Angeles in a discrimination lawsuit filed against the Pasadena Unified School District by seven Latino parents whose children attended Roosevelt, Jefferson and Franklin elementary schools — all shuttered by the district in 2019.

The plaintiffs — David Chavez, Danae Tapia, Luz Becerra, Jose Flores, Belen Cid-Garcia, Carla Ponce and Jessenia Mancia — allege the school board’s decision to close the three majority-Latino campuses was unconstitutional and disproportionately harmed Latino students. The closures forced hundreds of children to transfer to Madison, Longfellow and Altadena elementary schools, which the lawsuit claims were already over-enrolled and unfamiliar to many of the displaced students.

The parents are seeking a court order requiring Pasadena Unified to implement a more equitable school closure process. The case, filed in December 2022, is being led by the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF), with attorney Ernest Herrera representing the families.

The lawsuit cites violations of the California Constitution and state laws prohibiting discrimination in publicly funded programs, including Government Code section 11135 and Education Code section 220.

Among the plaintiffs is Luz Becerra, whose second-grade child with osteoporosis uses a wheelchair and was reassigned from Roosevelt Elementary to Willard Elementary, five miles away. Because Becerra does not drive, the lawsuit alleges she faced significant transportation challenges. Roosevelt was the only campus in the district specifically designed to accommodate children with special needs.

Another student, transferred from Franklin Elementary to Altadena Elementary, reportedly experienced depression and suicidal thoughts and was placed in therapy, according to the complaint.

The Pasadena Unified School District has denied the allegations. In a January 2023 statement, the district called the lawsuit “meritless” and said that any closures would inevitably affect Latino students because they made up 60% of the district’s enrollment in 2019-2020. “The District did not target Latino-majority schools for closure,” the statement read.

The three schools — Roosevelt, Jefferson and Franklin — were closed following a 4-3 vote by the school board on Sept. 26, 2019. At the time, Roosevelt was 88% Latino, Jefferson 86%, and Franklin 76%, according to state education data. The district cited declining enrollment and financial strain as primary reasons for the closures.

None of the shuttered schools was located in the eastern portion of the district, which has a higher percentage of white students and lower Latino enrollment. The lawsuit notes that two schools with declining enrollment and lower Latino populations were considered but ultimately not closed.

Parents also allege they were given inadequate notice, with formal notification arriving just one week before the board vote. “The proposals in front of you today only represent the discussions of three board members and staff,” plaintiff David Chavez told the board during the September 2019 meeting. “That’s just not justice; that’s just us being kept out and disregarded.”

The closures prompted emotional testimony from families and staff.

“They are sacrificing the children from Roosevelt,” said parent Elita Sir, who fought back tears during the board meeting. “Roosevelt was built for special needs children. Where are they gonna be? Where are they gonna go?” Jefferson Elementary’s longtime office manager Ana Carias also expressed heartbreak, saying, “We’re supposed to stay open, but the district decided this, and I don’t think it’s fair for our students.”

The hearing will take place at 111 N. Hill St., Room 509.

The nature of the motions to be heard today has not been publicly disclosed. There is no available information about settlement discussions between the parties.

Roosevelt Elementary is to be redeveloped into a 110-unit workforce housing complex for Pasadena Unified employees. The status of the Jefferson and Franklin campuses remains unclear.

[Editor’s note:  This article originally said attorney Erika Cervantes also represented the families, but in fact she is no longer part of this case as she no longer works at MALDEF.]