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“What’s Next for Hawthorne?” [Issue

 #668]

Hawthorne’s looming destruction involves

more than gutting beautiful, irreplaceable

buildings. It swings the wrecking ball atcommon sense, educational achievement,

and at the School Board’s integrity.

This is a project in search of a justifica-

tion. You’d think that safety issues would

be front and center. But unfortunately for

the knock ‘em sock ‘em building com-

mittee, Hawthorne is structurally sound.

Earlier, lack of storage space was floated

as trial balloon A in the why-are-we-doing-

this derby. Evidently, that cubby didn’t fly.

Flattening an entire school to add storage

space isn’t very sexy.

I can only imagine the brainstorming

sessions raging at district offices and at

architectural firms eager for a share of 

the loot. The Weekly’s article listed the

following reasons: modifying classroomsto accommodate “21st century learning

communities,” moving bathrooms from the

wrong places to the right places, removing

an auditorium balcony inaccessible to non-

stair climbers, adding a gymnasium, relo-

cating the library to a more central spot, and

underground parking. To be helpful, I’ve

done a little brainstorming myself. How

about a movie theater? Giant video game

playrooms? A Viking theme park with Leif 

Ericson boat rides?

The Board should be congratulated for

taking steps to fulfill its mission. According

to BHUSD’s new mission statement, each

student should be, “empowered to achieveacademic excellence.” How any elemen-

tary school student can achieve academic

excellence without underground parking is

beyond me.

BHUSD.org proclaims, “Nothing will

take precedence over the elementary through

secondary instructional program.” Well, one

school razing reason actually relates to aca-

demic excellence and instruction. But, it’s

detrimental to both. Learning communities

is code for a failed education reform for-

merly called student-centered learning. Like

Marxism and all edu-fads, student-centered

learning sounds great in theory, especially

to progressive teaching types. The trouble

is that it hasn’t worked anywhere in real-

ity. Hence the nuanced and brilliant name

change, kind of like canning global warm-

ing in favor of “climate change”. You

even say, “21st century learning comm

ties” in anything but hushed tones o

and respect.

At the risk of being sent to the princ

office, I’m going to chuck the pomp

and call student-centered learning b

real name. For one thing, it’s more acc

and descriptive. Student-centered lea

means that students learn primarily

each other; the teacher being relegat

the role of facilitator, or perhaps c

ing up on spider solitaire during

Student-centered philosophy also emb“discovery learning.” That is, students

sit around a circle taking turns readin

of a textbook and doing exercises. N

To learn about Boyle’s Law, they ne

discover Boyle’s Law from scratch

you might imagine, actual learning in

dent-centered learning is quite slow

happens at all. On the other hand, eve

involved ends up feeling really good

themselves. That, by the way, explains

student-centered learning is such a

lived edu-fad. The only thing that educ

find more amazing than feeling good

themselves is thinking that kids mig

feeling good about themselves.

So, in a nutshell (or a nut house, I’m

sure which), Hawthorne’s destruction

a) accomplish a series of follies like

venting able bodied people from sitti

the balcony because physically challe

people need to sit on ground level, b

likely send Hawthorne’s API scores i

kamikaze tailspin, c) breaks a prom

the taxpayers not to raise tax rates ahe

Page 2 • Beverly Hills Weekly

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SERVINGBEVERLYHILLS • BEVERLYWOOD • LOS ANGELES

Issue 668 • July 19 -July 25,2012

rudy cole • 

Reality checks Page 6

briefs • New office buildingand parking

structure approvedat Spaldingand Wilshire Page 3

briefs • Boardof Educationpostpones

vote onhome lease withWoods Page 3

cover story • pages 8-9

What’s

Next for

Hawthorne?Board of Education to

consider the merits of historic preservationversus new construction

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 Inside Beverly Hills, moderated by columnist Rudy Cole, will next air on July 26 at

3:30 p.m. and July 27 at 10 p.m. about the Rodeo Drive Committee; July 27 at 6:30

p.m. about Theatre 40; and July 30 at 8 p.m., July 31 at 6 p.m. and Aug. 1 at 5 p.m.

about Beverly Hills Theatre Guild.

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letters cont. on p

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The book group, which will take place at

a private home, will include a conversation

for parents and teachers about technology

specific to BHUSD led by Chief Academic

Officer Jennifer Tedford and Beverly

High teacher Steven Rubenstein, who is

BHUSD’s technology TOSA (teacher on

special assignment).

“The response from my students and

parents and also my private book group to

this book has been overwhelming,” said

Goler, who facilitates book groups. “I really

had to sell the book because of its length,

but everyone says they can’t put it down

[because Jobs’] life was so compelling, hor-

rifying and inspiring.”

Goler said leadership will also be a topic

of the book group discussion.

Sarah Gallop, PTSA executive board

member in charge of programs, is coordi-

nating the event.

“What I enjoy

most about it is

bringing together

the parents with

the teachers to

talk about some-

thing other than

academics or their

children’s grades,”

Gallop said. “It’s

something that

everyone can have

a discussion aboutand have it not be about their particular

child.”

Steve Jobs will also be the first featured

title for the BHUSD staff book club, Goler

said.

Look for more specifics about the pro-

gram in the PTSA’s September newsletter.

E-mail sgallop100@aol.com with any ques-

tions.

Concerts on Canon seriescontinues tonight, Cluelessscreens Sunday

The City of Beverly Hills will continue its

free Concerts on Canon series tonight with

two performances by gypsy jazz combo IcyHot Club at Beverly Canon Gardens at 6

p.m. and 7:15 p.m.

The City’s new series of free Sunday-

night movie screenings continues Sunday

with an outdoor showing of  Clueless at

Beverly Canon Gardens at 8 p.m. Later

in the summer, film selections include

Casablanca and Mirror, Mirror .

Free parking is available to patro

the shows: Get a coupon at the c

or movie and redeem it for parking

Beverly Gardens parking structure

gardens feature plentiful seating and a

grassy area for picnic blankets. Table

chairs will be available on a first-

first-served basis. Patrons are encou

to enjoy outdoor dining at Bouchon o

Montage, enjoy special pre- and post

discounts at Beverly Hills restaurant

bars and pick up custom “to-go” boxe

a selection of local restaurants offerinnic options in connection with this ser

For more information, call (310)

6830.

Board of Education maysubmit “self-qualified”budget to LACOE

Confronted with a list of potentia

that Board of Education Vice Pre

Jake Manaster described as “unpalat

Manaster proposed sending a messa

the Los Angeles County Office of Edu

(LACOE) and the state of California b

proposing budgetary cutbacks and in

considering submitting a “qualified” in

budget to LACOE this fall.According to LACOE, a qualified c

cation means that school districts “m

be able to meet their financial commit

in the current or two subsequent years

Manaster made the proposal a

Thursday’s budget study session,

July 26 - August 1, 2012 • Pa

briefs cont. on p

Conference Calling• Local Numbers Throughout California • Reservation-based or Reservationless • Recording Capability 

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10 ¢/minute Toll Free Access

The Telephone Connection310 -789 -7900

San Francisco Los Angeles

San Diego

Dallas

Atlanta

ChicagoNew York

Measure E’s $300-million blank check, and

d) is just about the dumbest idea since the

non-renewal of the oil lease.On the bright side, the new Hawthorne

will be a monument to good feelings,

obscene spending, and local big govern-

ment trying its best to emulate federal big

government. A proper tribute to our age.

Steve Spitz 

 Beverly Hills

Beverly Hills has a proud past. So much

of that pride is because of our schools. We

simply have a great educational system and

students both past and present are aware of 

hat. We also have memories of growing up

n schools that are a part of who we are as

ndividuals and as a city. There has never

been a school system like BH.

To even think of tearing down one of hese historic schools is awful. To actu-

ally do it is shameful. While we are taking

steps to preserve our history, we must also

realize that our schools are a part of that

history. Maybe even more so than Rodeo

Drive because we learned in buildings

named Hawthorne and were taught how to

make the world a better place. We should

hink about changing our history grades to

an F if we allow any of our schools to be

destroyed. After all, if we can’t protect our

past, then what have we learned?

George Vreeland Hill 

 Beverly Hills

“Fine Art Commission tests sites for

placing public art” [Issue #662]

This is in response to a Letter to the

Editor in the June 14 edition of   Beverly

 Hills Weekly. The Fine Art Commission

(FAC) did not decline Guy Dill’s sculpture,

 Egalmah, The Great Palace. The donation

of the Guy Dill piece was accepted by the

City Council in 2000, bypassing the approv-

al process of the FAC. At the time, the Fine

Art commissioners expressed concern as to

the appropriateness of the work, given its

size with regard to it potentially overpower-

ing any other work that might be installed

on the Burton Way median. Again, please

note, there was never a point at which it was

“turned down.”

Mr. Dill has agreed to reconfigure the

components of the original sculpture to

form two new tableaus that will not over-

power, but enhance the site; he has alsoagreed to allow the City to sell the remain-

ing components to any interested party.

Since the City took possession of this

work in 2000, it has never been installed

anywhere and now must soon be removed

from its storage place to make way for

improvements to the City’s water services

for the residents of Beverly Hills.

The Fine Art Commission believes that

this option is the lease expensive, least

intrusive and most timely solution.

Terri Smooke

 Fine Art Commission Chair 

 Beverly Hills

letters cont. from page 2

BHPD honors Rosenstein, MazoPlanning Commission Vice Chair Brian Rosenstein (center) was honored with the

Lawrence I. Shapiro Memorial Award at Tuesday afternoon’s study session for his

volunteer involvement with the Police Department’s Disaster Communciations System

program. BHPD Chief David Snowden (left) and Mayor Willie Brien (right) presented

Rosenstein with the award, which was created in 2004 to recognize meritorious and

dedicated service by Police Department volunteers. Esther Mazo, who passed away in

2009, was honored with the award posthumously for her 12 years of volunteer work

with the Police Department. Her son Neil Mazo accepted the award.

   P   h   o   t   o   :    C    i   t   y   o    f   B   e   v   e   r   l   y   H    i   l   l   s