After breaking the class into groups, Alvarez handed out an assignment and promised 50 extra credit points to the first group to finish correctly, which set off a quick burst of activity.
Alvarez walked through the class fielding questions. When asked if Joseph Stalin killed himself, Alvarez quickly said no. He paused before offering a few words of encouragement. "I like your thinking. That was a tough question, even for me," he said.
For The Record
Los Angeles Times Friday, March 07, 2008 Home Edition Main News Part A Page 2 National Desk 1 inches; 41 words Type of Material: Correction
Teacher layoffs: An article in Monday's California section about the possibility that teachers could be laid off in the Rialto Unified School District said that the district is among the state's 40 smallest. It is one of California's 40 biggest districts.
Alvarez never thought he would end up back in high school after he graduated Rialto High School in 2001. He wanted to be an architect, but while attending Cal State San Bernardino, he began tutoring for extra cash and discovered that he loved the job. "I was teaching my friends' little brothers and sisters. I really liked giving back to my community," he said.
He started teaching full time for the district last year and bought a house for nearly $400,000 in August because he thought his job was secure. "I heard you can never go wrong with real estate," he said.
Not only is Alvarez now checking his mailbox every day, looking for certified mail, but he also is concerned that he won't be able to find another teaching job if he is laid off.
"I really like it, but every district's going through the same thing, so it's not like a lot of places will be hiring," he said.
In one classroom down the hall, 15-year veteran Susie Whitesell said that she wasn't afraid of losing her job but that "the teachers lounge isn't a good place to visit now. A lot of people are scared," she said.
As the clock ticked down in Alvarez's class, the groups raced to finish the assignment. One student asked another what the Italians did during World War II.
"They got beat up by everyone, just like you on the football field. C'mon man, hurry," said Manuel Madriz in an impassioned though dubious assessment.
Despite Manuel's encouragement, his group handed in their work a few seconds behind another. "I needed those points," one muttered.
Alvarez looked over both answers. Like a man who was trying to stockpile his good karma, he gave both teams the extra credit. "Your group had to walk a little further," he told Manuel. "So you tied."
Even students know there's something amiss, Alyssa Silva said. The Carter High junior is one of 26 students in her pre-calculus class and is concerned that if teachers get laid off, class size will grow and students won't get the same quality of education. The 305 employees who received potential layoff notices are about one-fourth of the district's total staff.
