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South Pasadena parent urges board to let two autistic students finish fifth grade at Marianga Elementary
Summary
A South Pasadena parent asked the school board to reverse a February 13 disenrollment and allow her two daughters, both on the autism spectrum, to finish the fifth‑grade year at Marianga Elementary, citing emotional and educational harm if they are moved midyear.
Olga Gen, a parent, asked the South Pasadena Unified School District board on Feb. 11 to reconsider a decision to disenroll her two daughters and allow them to finish fifth grade at Marianga Elementary.
Gen said the family moved out of South Pasadena over winter break because of “unexpected circumstances” and that district staff told her the girls’ disenrollment is effective Feb. 13. Gen said both daughters are on the autism spectrum and have attended Marianga for years, and she warned that midyear removal would disrupt services, routines and progress tied to individualized education programs (IEPs).
Gen told the board she had emailed members before the meeting with documentation about her case and said she cannot formally appeal because the family no longer lives in the district. She asked for a compassionate extension allowing both students to finish the year at Marianga rather than transferring midyear. “To abruptly disrupt this progress now would be incredibly damaging for them,” she said.
Gen described school-based supports and the district’s efforts as instrumental to her daughters’ development and said replacing IEP services at a new school would delay needed supports. She said the move would be “severe” emotionally and academically and asked the board to weigh the short remaining time in elementary school against the harm of a forced transfer.
The board did not make a decision during the meeting. Members acknowledged the comment during public comment; no formal action was taken that night.
