Lodi Unified School District

Lodi Unified School District is a school district located in San Joaquin County, California. It encompasses the cities of Stockton and Lodi and currently has roughly 28,396 students.

Specifics

The racial makeup of LUSD is 39% Caucasian, 30% Hispanic, 23% Asian, 7% African-American, and 1% Other. LUSD has 7 high schools, 10 middle schools and 38 elementary schools. Serving 350 square miles (910 km2), LUSD was created in 1967 when voters approved a measure to merge 18 elementary districts and a union high school district. The district is a major contributor to the economy of the area, employing over 3,000 people. In addition, over the last 12 years, the district has obtained over $100,000,000 in state bond funds for the construction and renovation of school facilities throughout the district. The district changed from a 'Concept-6' Year Round Calendar to that of a Modified Traditional Calendar in 2006 for most schools in the district with the creation of new schools.

Involvement with First Baptist Church

According to Hemant Mehta writing for Friendly Atheist there are serious allegations that the Lodi School District has a relationship with the local First Baptist Church. Including selling the church a 35-foot Winnebago Adventurer that had been outfitted with a computer lab for $4,500 when its blue book value was closer to $28,000. Also the church's outreach program One-Eighty has been given access to students for over three-years, whose website states that its goal is "students can hear the truth of Christ".[1] Record reporter Michael Fitzgerald reports that the "Stockton Area Atheists and Freethinkers submitted two Public Records Act requests to Lodi Unified School District probing its relationship with Lodi’s First Baptist Church." And discovered what "may amount to a school-to-Jesus pipeline" at tax-payers expense. The Lodi superintendent claims that they are a group that works with disadvantaged youth and he is not aware that there is any proselytizing. Fitzgerald cautions, "it is not necessary to preach to violate the Establishment Clause. Another legal criterion is called “excessive entanglement.” Lodi Unified officials should check for it."[2] Metha wonders "it’s possible that we’re only seeing the tip of the iceberg."[1]

Schools

High schools

Middle schools

Elementary schools

References

  1. 1 2 Metha, Hemant. "This California School District and a Local Baptist Church Have an Uncomfortably Close Relationship". Friendly Atheist. Patheos. Retrieved 29 August 2016.
  2. ↑ Fitzgerald, Michael. "Fitzgerald: Atheists question church in schools". Record. Retrieved 29 August 2016.

External links

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