BOARD WITH SCHOOL: The Hollywood middle school teacher behind a unique gang diversion program seeks new backers, after the Los Angeles Unified School District pulls financial support.

Participants in Le Conte Middle School's after-school skateboarding program pose with their boards last year. The city may help the program get back on track after the school district announced that it could no longer back the program. (Photo by Greg Delger)

By ARIN MIKAILIAN, Staff Writer | Los Angeles Independent

Feb 3, 2010 at -- Since 2004, Joseph Le Conte Middle School teacher Greg Delger has supervised the school’s after school makeshift skate park, which he believes curbs gang membership.

But the program is now on hold.

Around the beginning of the current school year, Los Angeles Unified School District officials pulled its support from — as well as the insurance it provided to — Delger’s program, leaving him without the coverage needed to run it.

The educator and skateboard enthusiast said he’s not the most disappointed about it.

“The kids are upset,” he said. “They all want the program.”

He founded the skating program when he discovered that kids who skate are less likely to join gangs. Gang members usually don’t try to recruit skaters, who are virtually left alone, Delger said.

“Some people find their identity through skateboarding,” Delger said. “Gangs, too, accept — and usually leave them alone because those kids have already found their identity through skateboarding.”

This is not to mention, he added, the physical activity that kids get through skating.

About 30 kids a day would show up after school each day to skate on the different types of mobile skateboarding equipment that goes back into a storage trailer at the end of the day.

The equipment was donated by Beyond the Bell, a branch of the LAUSD that helps sponsor after-school activities throughout the district.

Tim Bower, a Beyond the Bell administrator, said the district isn’t against Delger finding a source for insurance elsewhere.

“[The skating program] is no longer something the school district is going to operate,” he said. “A third party may operate the program and there is a process where they have to acquire insurance and verify the steps along the process.”

Delger said he isn’t out of options yet, and will seek insurance coverage through Lacer Afterschool Programs, which coordinates other after school activities at Le Conte Middle School.

But the city does plan to step in another fashion.

Back in the September, the Los Angeles City Council unanimously approved at $56,000 grant to develop a permanent skate park at the school, one Delger hopes will be completed by June.

City officials have praised Delger’s efforts, and have positive things to say about having a full-fledged skate park in Hollywood.

They cite the potential benefits for students at neighboring Hollywood and Bernstein high schools.

“Greg is an example of our strengths and continues Hollywood’s legacy of people who have helped to build our sense of community,” said Los Angeles City Council President Eric Garcetti at his annual State of Hollywood address on Jan. 21.

As for Delger, he just wants the have his students back grinding on the rails as soon as possible.

“I was driving past the high school and I saw two kids that used to skate after school,” he said. They put on 20 or 30 pounds because they haven’t been skating.”

 

 smf: The late John Liechty was a champion for skater kids and skateboard parks and programs at schools that keep kids in school.   After John – maybe the best middle school educator this district ever made – died far too young - LAUSD held a memorial service in Disney Hall for him – and named our brightest, newest middle school for him.

And promptly forgot everything he he ever taught us.