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LA County youth advocate says 15 school moves disrupted education and led to special-education placement
Summary
A speaker who identified themself as an advocate for system-impacted youth at Los Angeles County recounted moving schools more than 15 times, being placed on an IEP for behavior after suspensions and tardiness, and later working for the county to support others.
Commenter, an advocate for system-impacted youth at Los Angeles County, described moving schools more than 15 times and the educational disruption that followed. "Are you in school and tired of moving schools? Believe it or not, I moved schools over 15 times," the speaker said, recounting that instability began in ninth grade.
The speaker said they found a stable placement at a San Pedro high school where they felt they "belonged" and received one-on-one academic support, but a move about a year and a half later upended that progress. "A year and a half later, of course, I had to move schools, which was very devastating to me because at that point, I had to leave my friends behind, start all over," the speaker said.
After the move the speaker said they experienced bullying, tardiness and suspensions. That led school staff to schedule an Individualized Education Program (IEP) meeting for behavior; the speaker reported the IEP recommended placement at a nonpublic school. "After that IEP, the results were for me to go to a non public school, which was smaller," the speaker said, adding that the placement "really didn't work out" for them.
The speaker described practical barriers tied to the moves, including losing access to school transportation and walking to school, which they said contributed to chronic tardiness: "I didn't even get transportation. So I had to walk to school... I started getting suspended, started getting issues because of my tardiness." They also said social isolation followed, noting limited peer connections and missing activities such as prom.
The speaker said they ultimately graduated high school, later attended college, have two children and now work for the county as an advocate for system-impacted youth in Los Angeles County. They urged others to learn their rights, saying "I really didn't know my rights till after college, after high school" and recommending resources and videos to empower students.
The transcript does not specify whether these remarks occurred during the public comment portion or another agenda item of the meeting. No formal motions, votes or policy actions related to the account appear in the transcript.
