Hope High Students Sue Their School

Hope High Students Sue Their School

A group of Hope High School students is mounting a legal challenge against their school over a plan to change the schedule in the school that they say would undo reforms that have been made over the past five years.

“We finally have a school that, instead of holding us back, is allowing us to become what we know we’re capable of becoming,” said Hope High junior Angela Cruz. “And they’re going to take that away? Oh no, they’re not. You can bet we’re going to fight for our education.”

In their suit, the students say that the planned schedule is a violation of a 2008 Board of Regents’ decision that bars schools from reducing common planning time from 2008 levels. The students say the current schedule preserves the advisory system, arts and technology programs, and has longer class periods.

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The students—who have formed a school organization known as Hope United—have argued their case in several school board meetings and in May staged a walk-out to protest the change. After those efforts failed, students said they decided to turn to a their legal options. A local attorney, Miriam Weizenbaum is representing them in their case.