CRESCENDO CHARTER SCHOOL PARENTS SPEAK OUT AT LAUSD MEETING

FOX 11 News video report | Reporter: Gigi Graciette |Posted by: Tony Spearman / myFOXla.com |http://bit.ly/eT06h5

Wednesday, 06 Apr 2011 - Los Angeles - The parents of Crescendo charter school students are begging the Los Angeles Unified School District not to not punish their kids for something adults at those schools did wrong. This, as the school board takes the first step to closing those school down.
FOX 11's Gigi Graciette has the story in the video report.

Story Script:

ANOTHER DAY AT LA UNIFIED HEADQUARTERS... ANOTHER PROTEST... YET THIS ONE WAS DIFFERENT.

CHANDRA BOSLEY/PARENT
"IT IS A VERY EMOTIONAL ISSUE. MY DAUGHTER IS A SCHOLAR. SHE SAYS THAT TO ME EVERYDAY. MOMMY I AM A SCHOLAR."
CHANDRA BOSLEY ONE OF OVER ONE HUNDRED PARENTS TRYING TO SAVE THEIR CHILDREN'S CHARTER SCHOOLS... CRESCENDO... FROM BEING SHUT DOWN AFTER FOUNDER JOHN ALLEN ADMITTED TO ASKING TEACHERS TO CHEAT ON STATE TESTS.

COQUISE PORTER/PARENT
"WE CAN NOT ALLOW OUR SCHOLARS TAKE FAULT FOR SOMETHING THAT A GROWN MAN HAS DONE."

MR. CLARK/PARENT
"I THINK YOU SHOULD DEAL WITH THEM INSTEAD OF THE KIDS."

LISA SIMS/TEACHER
"ARE YOU WILLING TO DISPLACE THIRTEEN INNCOENT CHILDREN FOR CRIMES THEY DID NOT COMMIT? THEY HAVE ALREADY BEEN THE VICTIMS OF JOHN ALLEN'S LACK OF FAITH IN THEIR ABILITIES."

AFTER THE INTENT TO CHEAT WAS UNCOVERED, THANKS TO COURAGEOUS TEACHERS WHO BLEW THE WHISTLE ON THEIR BOSS, THE SCHOOL BOARD VOTED TO SHUT CRESCENDO'S 6 CAMPUSES DOWN.

CRESCENDO'S BOARD EVENTUALLY FIRED ALLEN AND SAID THEY WERE SORRY FOR WHAT HAPPENED.

AFTER HOURS OF PARENT'S PLEAS, THE BOARD VOTED TO PUT THE SCHOOL ON NOTICE, GIVING THEM UNTIL THE END OF APRIL TO PROVE THINGS ARE DIFFERENT.

TAMAR GALATZAN/LAUSD BOARD MEMBER
"THE FOLKS YOU NEED TO BE ANGRY AT IS YOUR BOARD AND ADMINISTRATORS WHO DIDN'T THINK YOUR KIDS, YOUR SCHOLARS COULD SUCCEED ON THEIR OWN AND WANTED TO CHEAT FOR THEM."