Racial Tensions Flare Up at Hearing on Breakup of L.A. District : Schools: Both sides level segregationist allegations. Most people at Van Nuys meeting, including some mayoral candidates, express support for the split.

By LESLIE BERGER

March 13, 1993 12 AM PT

TIMES STAFF WRITER

Charges of segregationist attitudes flared anew Friday during a hearing on the proposed breakup of the Los Angeles Unified School District as the San Fernando Valley-based effort continued to dominate the city’s mayoral campaign and aggravate racial tensions.

Assemblywoman Paula L. Boland (R-Granada Hills), a movement leader, and Los Angeles NAACP President Joseph Duff, a critic, engaged in an emotional shouting match--each accusing the other of being a segregationist more interested in political power than education. Meanwhile, several mayoral and City Council candidates took advantage of a sympathetic audience to affirm their support for dismantling the school district.

Most of those attending the hearing in Van Nuys spoke strongly in favor of splitting up the district. Duff was an exception.

“This is the same as Yugoslavia,” he said. “It’s Balkanization, the breaking up of territories into ethnically pure states. It’s unabashed segregationism.”

Boland retorted: “You’ve called me a segregationist and you’re absolutely incorrect. It is you, sir, who are the segregationist.”

Boland said she scheduled the hearing at the Airtel Plaza Hotel near Van Nuys Airport to give Valley residents--the core of support for a school district breakup--a chance to speak on the issue because a similar hearing last month was held downtown. She is co-author of a bill with state Senate President Pro Tem David A. Roberti (D-Van Nuys) that would create a commission to study breaking up the sprawling Los Angeles school system into at least seven districts.

Boland has introduced a separate bill that would set aside at least four of the proposed commission’s 25 seats for Valley representatives, but she provides no such guarantee for residents from other parts of the city.

State Sen. Tom Hayden (D-Santa Monica) repeatedly questioned Boland about that bill on Friday, suggesting that her Valley emphasis might fuel charges of suburban favoritism.

“If this is your starting position, you’re only reinforcing the feeling that the San Fernando Valley is trying to get more representation” than other parts of Los Angeles, Hayden told Boland after her exchange with Duff.

“It doesn’t advance the dialogue in the city,” said Hayden, who supports a breakup of the district.

Boland made no commitment to amend her bill to ensure commission seats for South and East Los Angeles residents, and she pointed out to Hayden that the proposal will not succeed without Valley support. But she said the holding of “hearings means we’re open.”

Boland also had a testy exchange with school board member Jeff Horton, who blamed the Legislature for failing the district by not providing enough funding.

At Friday’s hearing, one speaker after another--including teachers, parents, politicians and activists--listed the school district’s failings and their frustration at dealing with its massive bureaucracy.

Many speakers, such as City Councilman and mayoral candidate Joel Wachs, dismissed allegations of racism, insisting that minorities have the most to gain from a sweeping reform of the 640,000-student district.

“The issue is not seceding or racism, but empowerment,” said Wachs, a Valley-based politician who ran full-page newspaper adsFriday touting his support of the breakup. “The truth is the people most hurt by the present system are those who can’t go elsewhere.”

Mayoral candidates Richard Riordan, Julian Nava and Nate Holden, a city councilman, also expressed support for the plan, with variations.

Other political candidates who spoke in favor of splitting up the district Friday were Dennis Zine, Laura Lake, Laura Chick and Dan Pritikin, all of whom are seeking City Council seats.

Rep. Howard P. (Buck) McKeon (R-Santa Clarita), attended and said he may introduce a measure to ensure a fair distribution of federal funds among the new school districts if the breakup occurs.