Antonio Villaraigosa,  Los Angeles Unified School District

The Miguel Contreras Learning Complex Pool Flap

The Miguel Contreras Learning Complex opened across the street from the Los Angeles Chamber at 3rd and Bixel on Sept. 5, 2006 to 1,800 students.

Looks like Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Vilaraigosa, his parks department and the Los Angeles Unifed School District is in trouble again.

The water was off-limits. But it certainly seemed somebody was all wet Tuesday afternoon at an Olympic-size swimming pool near downtown Los Angeles.

Was it Vilma Cortez, who was standing outside 3rd Street’s new Miguel Contreras Learning Complex, demanding that its high school pool be open to neighborhood kids such as her own three children, who are whiling away the summer sitting in their nearby apartment?

Was it Los Angeles Unified School District administrators, who say the pool is already plenty used by students enrolled in campus summer school programs?

Maybe the Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks, which insists the school pool was never designed for public access and lacks shallow kiddie wading areas, adequate showers and locker facilities?

Or perhaps Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, whose staff has voiced concern that public access to the pool is impractical from both a safety and liability standpoint?

What is the real problem here?

Is it perhaps the Mayor does not want to draw attention to the residents of this community who are primarily illegal aliens? Does he want to keep the rift-raft and Mexican Gang Bangers out?

Or does he wish to defuse criticism that the City and LAUSD are spending public money on illegal alien kids?

Flap understands that KFI’s (640 AM Los Angeles Radio) John and Ken will weigh in on this story this afternoon.

Stay tuned…….

The $160-million campus features three small learning communities and one autonomous New Technology High School, the Los Angeles School of Global Studies.

The Chamber and its affiliate UNITE-LA have been integral partners and instrumental in the development of the campus, which will equip students with 21st century skills to help them excel in an information-based, technologically advanced society.


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6 Comments

  • Maria hansen

    As someone who spent much of my life swimming in Olympic size pools, its obvious that these parents haven’t a clue as to as to haw dangerous a large, deep pool can be for kids. And the financial upkeep on pools is enormous. An Olympic size pool is designed for lap swimming, competitive diving and water-polo. It was ludicrous that the Times ran a photo of a two year old looking longly at the Contreras pool. No one with any sense would let a kid that age in a pool of that type, with or without supervision. Its far too dangerous. Realistically, if one were open the pool to the neighborhood, you’d need at least two lifeguards on duty at all times. And you’d have to regulate who goes to the pool, get active parental supervision (life guards can’t do everything), provide lockers for security, and showers. And don’t forget the swim coaches! Also, if those parents checked what the cost of a swim in a public pool, they might be less eager to access the pool. ($5.00 to $10.00.) And that’s a bargain compared to owning a private pool. On top of that anyone who has sat in lifeguard tower knows that “bringing a tall chair in” doesn’t qualify. These “loving” parents haven’t a clue as to what they are talking about. I the MCLC sticks to the original plan, and does not open up for a potential liability disaster. The best thing would block pool from public view.
    And finally the elephant in the living room: there is no doubt that if the locals are chanting in Spanish, they are here illegally. They ought to pack up and go back to whence they came and leave this lovely pool for the natives, and legal immigrants.

    • Maria hansen

      Well Flap, it would obviously be some bereaved parent. Even putting up signs “SWIM AT YOUR OWN RISK” unfortunately haven’t circumvented a lawsuit in such cases. Actually, I just did some checking on my two local(public) pools in and near La Jolla (No I’m not rich, just from a relatively old La Jolla family) and the fee is $10.00 for the public to swim. At least one of those pools (The Plunge) looses money. The Plunge makes up the difference using fees from our local amusement park, Belmont Park. The pool at La Jolla High is first and foremost a pool for the school, but is open to the public at limited times. Both these pools are fine additions to our community. In-fact The Plunge is an institution dating back to the 1920s . Generations of locals learned to swim there. Neither pool would allow young kids in without parental supervision. and don’t get me talking about the importance of swim diapers. A kid not wearing a swim diaper will get a pool closed down for more than a day. If only those parents had a clue as to what there are demanding. I even chatted with my mom about the Times article. (She spent many years carting kids to swim classes.) She wouldn’t let her kids go to an Olympic side pool until we had been swiming confidently for a few years— say age 8 or so. But again no management of an Olympic size pool would even allow inexperienced persons to use the facility. One may not be an Olympic quality swimmer, but a pool of that sort is the big leagues. Be careful what you wish for. I hope that do not open the pool to the general public. Those parents are nuts.On the otherhand, a lawsuit could bring in a lot of money. Maria. P.S. want to correspond?