Public, Parochial Classes Canceled

Classes were canceled today for thousands of students attending dozens of schools operated by the Los Angeles Unified School District, the Compton Unified School District and the Los Angeles Archdiocese because of fears for the safety of children, school officials said.

All campuses were shut down in 30-square-mile area bordered on the north by Adams Boulevard, on the west by La Cienega Boulevard, on the south by Imperial Highway and the east by Alameda Street, Warren Furatani, president of the Los Angeles Unified School District board said late Wednesday. The archdiocese closed schools in the same vicinity between Central Avenue and La Cienega. All schools in the Compton district were shut down.

Los Angeles school officials were monitoring the spread of the violence to determine if more closures might be necessary.

Also late Wednesday, the Southern California Rapid Transit District announced that it was canceling bus service because of the violence.

“The safety of the kids is most important,” Furatani said. “We have a lot of children traveling on (school) buses, picking up students, carrying them to different parts of the city and traveling on freeways,” some of which had been shut down.

He said the cancellation of RTD bus service also would have meant that many students would be walking to classes in the areas where there had been disturbances.

Furatani appealed to the thousands of young people whose schools were closed to remain home and off the streets.

He said the district was preparing to provide counseling and discussion groups about the Rodney G. King verdict and the rioting to students throughout the city, especially in the areas most affected.