School Celebrates 25 Years of Integration
The Community Magnet School, founded when parents from two racially segregated schools sought to form their own integrated school, celebrates its silver anniversary this year.
Founders and supporters of the Westside campus point to several accomplishments, including a California Distinguished School designation and many grants for their innovative curriculum, which focuses on the humanities and multicultural lessons.
“The diversity of the school is really beautiful, to see all the kids playing together, from all different parts of the city,” said Principal Pam Marton. “I think they know they’re part of something unusual because . . . we teach them about the history of the school.”
In the early 1970s, Crescent Heights Elementary School was nearly all black; Canfield Avenue Elementary, less than a mile away, was almost all white. Community’s student body is now 35% white, 25% black, 30% Asian, 8% Latino and 2% other ethnicities.
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