Jefferson High Students Stage Walkout Over LAUSD Computer System

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Hundreds of students Monday walked out of classes at Jefferson Senior High School in a protest over what was described as "scheduling problems" due to a much-criticized Los Angeles Unified school district (LAUSD) computer system.

An estimated 300 students participated in the protest of apparent troubles with the My Integrated Student Information System (MiSiS), including alleged scheduling issues that left some of them unable to attend classes needed to graduate.

A group of five or six Advanced Placement students were also seen talking to the principal about their grievances, according to United Teachers Los Angeles spokesperson Suzanne Spurgeon.

In addition to problems with the computer system, Spurgeon also blamed a "shift in school leadership over the summer" for spurring the protest.

In a statement, LAUSD area superintendent Tommy Chang acknowledged that "administrators made some changes in the master schedule last week" after Advanced Placement classes were slotted in the same period and limited students' access to a college curriculum.

The issue also affected English Learners by "limiting their access to various subjects as all were scheduled at the same time."

Despite the latest setback, Chang reassured students that district officials were on top of the situation.

"L.A. Unified is about creating opportunities for all students to take the necessary rigorous courses that prepare them for success," he said. "We have a sense of urgency, just like the students."

Teachers across the LAUSD were told not use MiSiS to take attendance earlier this month after students' schedules were scrambled on the first day of school for the fall semester.