Parents urge council to keep Jim Gilliam childcare director; Council member Ridley-Thomas promises follow-up

Dozens of parents and community members from the Jim Gilliam Childcare Center at Baldwin Hills Village told the City Council during the public-comment period that they oppose a planned transfer of the center’s director, identified in testimony as Carol McAllister, and asked the council to intervene.

Speakers described long-standing ties between the director and families, growth of the program and services to parents: “When the school started out, it was, like, 7 years ago. It only started with 10 children. Now she has 65 children attending there,” parent Antoinette Ashby said. Several speakers said the director helped parents pursue schooling and that the center provides child care that enables parents to work.

Many parents asked the council to keep the director at the center. Zubaida Dolphin said her daughter has attended since age 3 and that the director “does a really good job for the community.” Mark Fenton, a single parent, said the director used personal funds for improvements and called her an accepted community leader.

Council member Ridley-Thomas told speakers he had met with them and would pursue a prompt follow-up with the Department of Recreation and Parks. “I will be in conversation with them no later than Monday,” Ridley-Thomas said, adding he had already called Recreation and Parks leadership to request information and would report back to the parents.

The council did not take formal action on the item during public comment. Ridley-Thomas’s commitment to follow up was the only official response recorded in the hearing. Parents left a petition with the council and asked staff to reconsider any transfer plan.