Creative Performing and Media Arts

I used to teach at Ray Kroc Middle School when it was the most advanced technology school in the district. The Kroc family, worth billions, gave us basically, little to nothing; the physical campus was grim. Once, the building was painted (not much of an improvement) and it was said the Kroc widow paid for it, or partially paid for it. Whoopie! I thought we should have changed the name back to Einstein, but there was no political will on campus to do this. How cheap was the kroc family? Why celebrate a fast food icon and get worthless support out of it? Only the fools who named this campus, and kept the name with limited support, can answer that question. The lack of substantial support from the Kroc family was a dirty little secret in the San Diego community, though it was openly discussed by teachers; some of us called them the Kroc of Sh-​t family-​fakes. The campus was bland and underfunded, dusty and bleached out, the lighting would give you headaches, the desks were old, many things, window and shades, did not work well, left over from the 50s. However, the staff was pretty innovative and impressive, and many decision were made democratically, in open meeting. There were way too many meeting, and they ran way too long. We did have Dr. Coates, a real visionary and intellectual running the place; Ken Peterson was the VP Tech Guru (kept ordering more computers; loved that guy!); Ms. DaRosa was the other VP-​a really super nice lady. Teachers were allowed to teach, without too much testing oppression from above. Discipline was lacking, but the social problems were huge. Some really talented folks stood out: especially the English teachers and tech teachers, good coaches. Maybe a ¼ of the kids were bussed in from Southeast San Diego, and they brought a lot of «ghetto» problems with them, though most of the kids got along real well. In fact, there was a really wonderful mix of kids, few «racial» problems, though we had few/​no minority teachers. Why? In this respect, SD was very backward. After the administration left, the school pretty much took a nose dive. Busing was already a mistake when I left; Clairemont Mesa was already racially complex and the kids who got off the bus were stigmatized. Unfortunately, few of the kids who got off those buses could compete with the middle and working class white and Asian kids. The school in SW San Diego are awful. How do I know? I also taught in the ghettos of San Diego. Pretty grim stuff; racist funding; old schools without air conditioning or decent playgrounds; overcrowded classes. Note: the class sized at Kroc were way too big; I would never send my own kids to a school that overcrowded. Now, if this school really ever wants to be anything, they have to fix up the campus: put in grass, trees, benches, an auditorium, stop busing kids; build NEW schools in low income neighborhoods if need be. Otherwise, it’s just another underfunded San Diego public school, dressed up as a performing arts school; but just another dumping ground for bussed, low-​income kids. Note: I was a popular teacher with the kids; all the kids; and I am only telling it like I lived it. No real bitterness; just sadness over what was (something good, and getting better) and what could have been (something amazing). That’s not what happened.

This property has a long history of change. Originally dedicated as Albert Einstein Jr. High School. Later as Ray Kroc Jr. High School and finally as The School of Creative Performing and Media Arts. All I know is that Einstein JR High was a special place that acknowledged the future. Clearly that message was falling on deaf ears, as a restaurant tycoon soon replaced the symbol of ultra cool brain power! Happy Meal anyone?

ZERO stars if i could. My daughter went there for 6^th grade. It was the worst decision we ever made!!! Out of 500 students in the whole school only 22 white children. Completely outrageous! On a daily basis my child was made fun of, ridiculed & harassed because she was the minority. Threats everyday that she was going to get «jumped» by a group of ghetto children because she didn’t speak Spanish, grease back her hair, slur her words, wear rubber bands on the bottom of her jeans or have a pair on Air Jordans. The teaches didn’t care about what was happening at their school or that little ghetto juvenile delinquents with knifes were running their school. That’s why everyday at lunch they locked them selfs in their barred classroom and refuse come out till lunch was over. Daily cop cars sit in the parking lot waiting for a problem or to call an ambulance. This is the worst school I’ve ever seen. Do NOT take your child there.