James Madison High

Abstract

This case tells the story of James Madison High School, which became the epicenter of a debate over the future reorganization and control of large secondary schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD). The LAUSD, recently taken over by the newly elected mayor, was fighting for control of this 3,000-student high school with a charter school company. Both entities offered plans for restructuring James Madison, which amid this larger debate was dealing with racial tension and poor academic performance. Students must analyze the political climate and determine how the school's new principal should approach the situation and what actions should be taken.