Compton Unified School Board

A Superior Court judge on Tuesday upheld the appointment of Leslie Irving to the Compton Unified School Board. Compton officials had sought a preliminary injunction to block the appointment, maintaining that state administrator Randolph Ward's selection of Irving on Feb. 5 did not comply with state law that appointments must be made within 60 days after a vacancy. The city maintained that the vacancy was created Dec.

A Superior Court judge on Tuesday upheld the appointment of Leslie Irving to the Compton Unified School Board. Compton officials had sought a preliminary injunction to block the appointment, maintaining that state administrator Randolph Ward's selection of Irving on Feb. 5 did not comply with state law that appointments must be made within 60 days after a vacancy. The city maintained that the vacancy was created Dec.

After waiting more than five hours to go before members of the Compton Unified School District board and explain why he should have his old job back, Russell Otis got his chance late Tuesday night. And, as he seems to almost always, the controversial basketball coach emerged a winner. The board voted 4-3 to approve Otis' nomination, allowing him to return to the Dons boys' team as coach. He starts today.

Compton Unified school board member Basil Kimbrew will give up his post next month under an agreement with prosecutors that will allow him to avoid jail time for lying about his address in a 1999 school election. Kimbrew, 49, pleaded no contest Thursday to one count of false declaration of candidacy, for claiming to live in Compton when he lived in Carson. He will be ordered to quit Dec. 20, when he is sentenced to probation with possible community service.

Three high school students became the first student representatives to the Compton Unified school board last week. Their job will be to increase student involvement in district decision making. The students will have no decision-making authority. The students are senior LaJuanda Richardson from Dominguez High, senior Kren Malone from Compton High and junior Jasmine Hamlett from Centennial High.

Two Compton school trustees are among five candidates out to unseat veteran City Council members Maxcy D. Filer and Jane D. Robbins in the April 21 municipal election. John Steward, a two-term Compton Unified School District board member, will challenge Filer. Robbins will be opposed by longtime school Trustee Manuel Correa, as well as businessmen Richard Bonner and Andrew Manley, and past mayoral candidate Edward Loney. Filing closed Saturday, and no referendums were placed on the ballot.

The city of Compton on Monday sought a temporary restraining order to stop the appointment of Leslie Irving to the Compton Unified School District Board. Compton City Atty. Legrand H. Clegg II said the city believes state administrator Randolph Ward's selection of Irving last week was made too late and did not comply with state law stating that appointments must be made within 60 days after the vacancy is created.

The Compton Unified School District's Board of Education fired Supt. J. L. Handy on Tuesday and named Area Supt. Harold Cebrun as his interim replacement. The 4-3 vote to dismiss Handy was announced after a two-hour closed session. The board then voted 5 to 2 to name Cebrun, who is in charge of Dominguez High School and its feeder schools, as acting superintendent. Handy, who was placed on probation last month, has been criticized for mismanagement.

It was interesting to read your article titled "Inner-City Teachers: Well, It Isn't the Paycheck." (Times, Nov. 5). It was a positive piece reflecting the dedication of teachers in the Compton Unified School District. I am proud of those teachers and they deserve to be commended. My rhetorical question is why did the title say "Inner-City" teachers, as opposed to "Compton" teachers? If it had been a negative article, you can bet that it would have used the word Compton. In any event, I am on my way to personally compliment the Compton teachers you cited for their commitment to their profession.

In a special meeting last week, the Compton Unified School District board agreed to let Supt. Ted D. Kimbrough out of his contract so that he can become head of the Chicago public school system. The 54-year-old Kimbrough has been selected by the Chicago school board to head the third-largest school district in the country. He is to assume his new job in January and will resign his Compton post the same month, although the exact date has not been set.