Liechty Middle School Monica Garcia protest / diploma scandal RECAP: On June 18 dozens of Liechty Middle School students silently protested L.A. Unified school board president Monica Garcia by turning their backs to her during the graduation speech. Principal Jeanette Stevens then refused to give 65 students their diplomas. Monica Garcia supported budgets cuts resulting in 2141 teachers losing their jobs. Liechty was particularly hard hit, with teachers receiving 70+ pinkslips this year at the 2 year old, downtown LA school. Liechty's student population is 95% Latino. Outraged parents organized a press conference June 22 to demand both an apology and the diplomas. La Opinion reported June 23 that students are being forced to sign an apology letter to get their diplomas. You can contact Monica Garcia by email: monica.garcia@lausd.net or tel. 213-241-6180 and Superintendent Ray Cortines at: superintendent@lausd.net or tel. 213-241-7000 MEDIA/BLOG COVERAGE JUNE 24 LAWeekly - http://tr.im/pBDs (Steven Mikulan) LatinaLista - http://tr.im/pAVR (Marisa Treviño, syndicated journalist in Texas) TheWashingtonTeacher - http://tr.im/pAYJ (Candi Peterson, editor, Wash. DC) JUNE 23 Washington Post - http://tr.im/pSQi San Jose Mercury News - http://tr.im/pSQH Associated Press - http://tr.im/pE9w The Southern Ledger - http://tr.im/pEWr KTLA - http://tr.im/pEa5 ThatGirlMystic Blog - http://tr.im/pBs9 ABC7 http://tr.im/psjW (Sid Garcia) LA OPINION http://tr.im/ptYI (Ruben Moreno) DetentionSlip.org - http://tr.im/pBCm JUNE 22 LAist http://tr.im/pokh (Lindsay William-Ross) Univision http://tr.im/pq5h (Norma Roque) A Day Like This Blog http://tr.im/pqd3 (Emily Henry) NBC4 http://tr.im/pnL5 (John Cadiz Klemack) 4LAKids Blog http://tr.im/psKG (edited by Scott Fulsom)