Roundtable: Electricity Rates And Solar, Concealed Carry Case, High School English

SIMILAR PRICE CHANGES FOR ELECTRICITY ARE ABOUT TO CAST A SHADOW ON SAN DIEGO'S FAST-GROWING SOLAR ENERGY MARKET. MORE PEOPLE COULD BE PACKING HEAT IN PUBLIC PLACES AND A FEDERAL COURT MIGHT DECIDE WITH A SAN DIEGO MAN OVER CONCEALED WEAPON PERMITS IN A HIGH SCHOOL ENJOYS GREAT SUCCESS WITH ITS NOVEL APPROACH FOR ENGLISH LEARNERS. I AM MARK SAUER AND THE KPBS ROUNDTABLE STARTS NOW. WELCOME TO OUR DISCUSSION OF THE WEEK'S TOP STORIES. I AM MARK SAUER AND JOINING ME AT THE ROUNDTABLE TODAY IS REPORTER LISA HALVERSTADT WITH THE VOICE OF SAN DIEGO AND KRISTINA DAVIS THE COVERS CRIME AND PUBLIC SAFETY FOR THE SAN DIEGO UNION TRIBUNE AND EDUCATION REPORTER MARIO KORAN, WITH THE VOICE OF SAN DIEGO. THERE IS NO HOLIDAY FOR THE CALIFORNIA PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION, THE OVERSIGHT AGENCY IS SET TO VOTE TODAY ON NEW RATE STRUCTURES. BOTH PLANS ON THE AND CONSEQUENCES BEYOND REGULAR RATEPAYERS BEING AFFECTED. IT HAS A BIG IMPACT, AS WE SAID EARLIER ON THE SOLAR ENERGY INDUSTRY, HOW SO?; ENERGY USERS HAVE A BIG INCENTIVE TO GO SOLAR. WHAT THEY CAN DO BY GOING SOLAR IS OFFSET THE HIGH ENERGY USAGE. AND REALLY SAVE A LOT ON THEIR BILLS AND WE WILL TALK ABOUT HOW THAT WORKS. LATER. IF THE TIERS ARE CLOSER TOGETHER SELLER MAY NOT PENCIL OUT FINANCIALLY. THE DECISION TO GO SOLAR IS AS MUCH AN ENVIRONMENTAL ONE AS IT IS A FINANCIAL AND PAY PEOPLE SEE IT AS A WAY TO SAVE MONEY. SO IF THE TWO TIERS ARE CLOSER TOGETHER, THERE IS LESS OF A DIFFERENTIAL PAY PEOPLE MAY NEED TO BE SHOWN. THIS IS STILL GOING TO MAKE FINANCIAL SENSE AND THAT WILL PAY OFF THAT UPFRONT COST OF GOING SOLAR IN A TIMELY FOR COMFORTABLE WITH. WE WILL GET INTO THAT. A BIT LATER, BUT I WANTED TO ASK WHAT ENVIRONMENTALISTS SAY ABOUT THE CHANGE IN THE RATE STRUCTURE AND THE WAY IT HAS BEEN PROPOSED. SINCE THEY ARE CONCERNED BASICALLY THE CURRENT STRUCTURE INCENTIVIZES CONSERVATION AND THIS NEW ONE WOULD ACTUALLY REWARD PEOPLE FOR SOME FOLKS MIGHT REFER TO AS ENERGY HOGS AND NOT ALLOW A POSITION THAT CONSERVATION THEY FEEL IS IMPORTANT. WE HAVE A BY FROM DAN JACOBSON, A CALIFORNIA THE TALKS ABOUT THESE POLICIES TO MAKE INSTALLING SOLAR PENCILS-PANEL SENSIBLE. SMITH POLICIES THAT DO AWAY WITH THESE THE STREAMLINED PERMITTING, TO MAKE IT EASIER TO SELL YOUR EXCESS ENERGY BACK INTO THE GROUP, IT IS OF THE PROGRAMS THAT HOMEOWNERS AND PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNIT CAN DO THE MATH AND DO THE NUMBERS, SOLAR MAKES SO MUCH SENSE. THIS RATE STRUCTURE IS NOT THE ONLY THING THAT MIGHT IMPACT THE SOLAR INDUSTRY. TALK ABOUT OTHER THINGS THAT ARE CHANGING AND A SHORT TIME TO COME BY THE END OF THE YEAR THAT COULD IMPACT US. THE SAME LEGISLATION THAT WE TALKED ABOUT A.B. 327 CALLED FOR A DIFFERENT BILLING ARRANGEMENT FOR SOLAR CUSTOMERS. RIGHT NOW, IF YOU HAVE SOLAR PANELS ON YOUR ROOF, YOU CAN SIGN UP FOR A PROGRAM CALLED 'NET ENERGY METERING'. WHAT THAT ALLOWS YOU TO DO, YOU ARE SELLING TO THE POWER COMPANY. YOU ARE GETTING CREDIT FOR THE ENERGY YOU ARE PRODUCING WITH YOUR SOLAR PANELS AND IF YOU ACTUALLY PRODUCE MORE THAN YOU NEED IN THE YEAR YOU DID A SMALL AMOUNT BACK IN ADDITION TO THAT, FROM THE UTILITY. SO THAT IS REALLY WHAT MAKES GOING SOLAR SO-SUCH A GOOD FINANCIAL DEAL. IT IS A NO-BRAINER. YOU'RE GOING TO SEE A MAJOR PRODUCTION. YOU MAY OFFSET YOUR BILL ENTIRELY AND ALONG WITH ONE POINT ON THE RATE STRUCTURE THAT IS RELATED TO THAT, THE PROPOSALS WOULD HAVE A MINIMUM OF BUILD THAT IS SET. THAT WOULD BE A BIG DEAL FOR SOLAR CUSTOMERS BECAUSE SOME OF THEM ARE COMPLETELY OFFSETTING THEIR BILL AS IT IS. IF THERE IS A MINIMUM BILL, THAT WOULD ADD TO THEIR COST THAT THEY HAVE ON THEIR MONTHLY ENERGY BILL, THEY PAY THOSE IN THE YEAR TERM. ANOTHER THING THAT IS CHANGING. SOON, RIGHT NOW THERE IS A FEDERAL TAX INCENTIVES THAT OFFERS PEOPLE HAVE EITHER SOLAR PANELS UP FRONT, OR GET A LOAN TO DO SO, COULD GET UP TO 30% OFF THE COST OF GOING SOLAR, EVEN WITHIN THE FIRST YEAR. THEY TAKE IT RIGHT OFF OF THEIR TAXES. YES. AS LONG AS THEY MAKE ENOUGH MONEY TO PAY ENOUGH IN TAXES AND RIGHT NOW IT IS A HUGE FINANCIAL BILL FOR PEOPLE. ONE GENTLEMAN I TALKED TO IN THE FIRST YEAR, HE GOT $4800 BACK. SO THAT WAS IN ADDITION TO THE SAVINGS ASSOCIATED WITH 'NET ENERGY METERING' THAT HE PAGE. LET ME ASK YOU, IF YOU ARE LOOKING AT SEVEN, EIGHT, 10 YEARS TO PAY OFF YOUR INVESTMENT IN SOLAR VERSUS THREE OR FOUR, THAT IS A HUGE DEAL, RIGHT? CONNECT I AM IN THE PROCESS OF BUYING A HOUSE RIGHT NOW SOLAR SEEMS SO ATTRACTIVE. MY PARENTS JUST GOT IT. BUT I THINK IT WOULD DEFINITELY MATTER. IF IT IS GOING TO TAKE ME 10 YEARS TO PAY THIS OFF, IT IS A GOOD TALK OF CHANGE TO PUT SOLAR IN. THAT WOULD DEFINITELY BE WEIGHING ON MY MIND BECAUSE THERE ARE A LOT OF OTHER BILLS THAT GO WITH BEING A HOMEOWNER. I DID WANT TO ASK, THE PANELS THEMSELVES HAVE GOTTEN MUCH CHEAPER. IN RECENT YEARS. DOES THAT OFFSET THIS SUBSIDIES FOR LACK OF A BETTER UMBRELLA TERM, THAT ARE GOING AWAY OR HAVE A NOT GOTTEN THAT MUCH CHEAPER? IT WILL STILL PUT A DAMPER ON THE SOLAR INDUSTRY. SOON THERE HAS CERTAINLY BEEN A MAJOR REDUCTION IN THE COST ASSOCIATED WITH GOING SOLAR BUT IT IS A HEFTY UPFRONT INVESTMENT. I HAVE HEARD ESTIMATES BETWEEN 15 AND 24,000 AND SOMETIMES MORE, IT DEPENDS ON THE SIZE OF YOUR SYSTEM. BUT THE WAY IT IS SET UP NOW WITH 'NET ENERGY METERING' WITH A TAX CREDIT, AND WITH THE CURRENT RATE STRUCTURE, YOU GET A PAYOFF MUCH MORE QUICKLY THAN YOU OTHERWISE WOULD. SO ONE POINT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE MIGHT BE THINKING ABOUT GOING SOLAR, THE 'NET ENERGY METERING' METERING STRUCTURE, IF YOU WERE TO DECIDE TO GET TO SOLAR PANELS WITHIN THE NEXT YEAR OR SO, YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO STILL BENEFIT FROM THAT ARRANGEMENT FOR 20 YEARS. THE FOLKS THE SINAI WOULD BE GRANDFATHERED IN. ONCE THE REGION HITS THIS 5% OF BASICALLY THE UTILITIES POWER STRUCTURE COMING FROM SOLAR, THAT IS WHEN IT IS CUT OFF. WE DON'T KNOW WHEN THAT DATE IS BUT A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE SAYING, PROBABLY SOMETIME IN MID 2016. I WANTED TO ASK YOU, INTERVIEWED FOLKS WHO ARE IN THE SOLAR INDUSTRY AND INSTALL THESE PROJECTS IN HOMES AND BUSINESSES, WHAT DO THEY HAVE TO SAY? SOON IT A LOT OF THEM ARE SAYING GO SOLAR BECAUSE A LOT RIGHT NOW WE HAVE CERTAINTY. WE KNOW WHAT THE DEAL IS GOING TO BE. WE KNOW WHAT YOUR PAYOFF IS GOING TO BE. THERE IS GOING TO BE A NEW 'NET ENERGY METERING' STRUCTURE, BUT IT IS PROBABLY NOT GOING TO BE AS SWEET AS IT IS RIGHT NOW. SO AGAIN, THE MESSAGE THEY HAVE, IF YOU GO WITH IT. NOW THERE IS CERTAINTY. IT MAY NOT BE SO BAD. LATER ON, BUT WE JUST DON'T KNOW. WE WILL BE LOOKING FOR YOU AND FOLLOWING UP THE COVERING THAT. ESPECIALLY WITH WHAT THE CPUC DOES. WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO GET A PERMIT TO PACK HEAT? IS IT ENOUGH TO SAY YOU NEED A GUN FOR SELF-DEFENSE FOR CONCEALED WEAPONS PERMIT? FEDERAL JUDGES ARE WEIGHING IN ON THE CASE. THE SAN DIEGO ROOTS. IT IS BEING CLOSELY WATCHED AROUND THE NATION. START BY TELLING US TO THIS PART-TIME RESIDENT IRRITANTS AND HOUSEHOLD THING ORIGINATED IN SAN DIEGO. HIS NAME IS ED PERUTA. HE OWNS A FREELANCE INDEPENDENCE VIDEO NEWS SERVICE-I BEEN FREELANCE INDEPENDENT VIDEO NEW SERVICE BUT HE IS A PART-TIME SAN DIEGO RESIDENT THAT HE WAS HERE IN A MOTORHOME BUT HIS HEARING. HE LIVES IN CONNECTICUT AND FLORIDA. HE DECIDED TO GET A CONCEALED WEAPONS PERMIT THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT IN SAN DIEGO AND FOR VARIOUS REASONS THEY DENIED HIM A PERMIT. AND HE FILED A LAWSUIT SAYING HIS HAIR-I BEEN HIS CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS ARE BEING TONIGHT BECAUSE HE DOESN'T HAVE THE RIGHT TO BE READY AT A MOMENTS NOTICE TO DEFEND HIMSELF A GUN. SOON IT THAT IS THE CRUX OF HIS ARGUMENT. WHATEVER REASON, I DON'T FEEL SAFE IN MALLS AND MOVIE THEATERS AND PUBLIC PLACES, BALLS POP-BALL PARKS. SO JUST BECAUSE I DON'T FEEL SAFE. I SHOULD BE ABLE TO CARRY A PERMIT AND THERE IS A RESTRICTION ON THAT IN SAN DIEGO COUNTY. SHE MET THAT IS RIGHT, BUT IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA. WE HAVE GIVEN THE POWERS TO WHO GETS CONCEALED WEAPON PERMITS TO ALL OF THE LOCAL SHERIFFS AND THE SHERIFF ARE ALL GOING TO TREATED A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY DEPENDING ON WHERE YOU ARE PUT IN SAN DIEGO, FOR YEARS, AS LONG AS I CAN REMEMBER, THE CRITERIA HAS BEEN PRETTY STRICT AND IT IS THE SAME IN A LOT OF BIG CITIES. IN CALIFORNIA. IN BASICALLY, YOU CANNOT BE A FELON. YOU HAVE TO HAVE A VERY SPECIFIC THREAT USUALLY PAID YOU HAVE TO SAY IS WHY YOU NEED A GUN. SO IF YOU JUST GO TO THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT AND SAY I FEEL UNSAFE AND I FEEL LIKE I SHOULD HAVE A GUN, THAT IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. YOU BASICALLY NEED TO SAY, MY EX-BOYFRIEND IS STALKING ME. HERE IS THE LETTER. HERE IS THE PROOF. OR I AM A DIAMOND DEALER AND I AM DRIVING DOWN WITH-AROUND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF DIAMONDS AND I'M A HUGE TARGET FOR A ROBBERY. SO WE DO HAVE A BITE. LET'S HEAR FROM THE ATTORNEY FOR MR. ED PERUTA AND SEE WHAT HE HAS TO SAY. SOON I FINISH APPLICATION WAS FOR THE FACT THAT HE WAS A JOURNALIST AND HE LIVED HERE AND HE HAD A NUMBER OF OTHER PERMITS AND HE SHOULD BE ABLE TO CARRY A FIREARM. HE WAS TURNED DOWN. HE THOUGHT THAT SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN A PROPER TONIGHT ON HIS APPLICATION. SO SINCE HE SPENDS SO MUCH TIME HERE. WHY WOULD HE BE ALLOWED TO HAVE IT CONCEALED WEAPONS PERMIT. HERE, WHY SHOULD HE HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL HE IS A VICTIM OF CRIME AND HAD THAT HAPPEN BEFORE HE IS ALLOWED A PERMIT IN SAN DIEGO? TO MAKE YOU ARE ALL JOURNALIST YOU NEED A CONCEALED WEAPONS PERMIT TO DO YOUR JOB? THAT SEEMS TO BE AN ARGUMENT. TONIGHT I NEVER THOUGHT TO APPLY FOR WHEN I COVERED PUBLIC SAFETY IN ARIZONA AND CHRISTINA DID ALSO. I WANT TO GET INTO IT A LITTLE BIT. THEY GIVE US THE HIGH POINTS OF THIS CASE. WE HAD A RULING AND IT WAS A THREE-JUDGE PANEL AND NOW THE WHOLE PANEL WILL HEAR IT FOR A CATCH US UP. MORE THAN A YEAR AGO. THE CASE WENT BEFORE THE NINTH CIRCUIT, A THREE-JUDGE PANEL, WHICH IS HOW MOST CASES ARE HEARD. AND IN FEBRUARY, 2014, IS WHEN THAT OPINION CAME BACK AND IN A TWO TO ONE DECISION, THEY DID DECIDE THAT THE SHERIFF OFFICE POLICIES WERE UNCONSTITUTIONAL. THE PEOPLE SHOULD NOT MADE A SPECIFIC CAUSE TO CARRY A FIREARM CONCEALED. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CONCEALED FIREARMS. SO THEY RULED ED PERUTA. AND A LOT OF GUN OWNERS CONSIDER IT A VICTORY. HAD TO BEHOLD NINTH CIRCUIT DECIDE TO TAKE IT ON? THE NINTH CIRCUIT HAS A MECHANISM WHERE THE JUDGES CAN'T PUT THE QUESTION OUT THERE AMONG ALL OF THE OTHER JUDGES IN THE NINTH CIRCUIT COURT OF APPEALS TO SEE IF ANY OF THE OTHER JUDGES THINK THE CASE SHOULD BE REHEARD. IT IS KIND OF RARE. IT IS DONE ANONYMOUSLY. AND IN THIS CASE, A JUDGE SAID. I THINK WE ALL SHOULD HEAR THAT CASE AND HERE WE ARE. AS I SAID, IT IS BEING WATCHED AROUND THE NATIONS OF THE NATIONAL RIFLE ASSOCIATION SUPPORTED ED PERUTA. WHO ELSE? I MADE PRETTY MUCH ANY GUN RIGHTS ORGANIZATION, YOU COULD THINK OF, HAS FILED BRIEFS IN FAVOR OF THE CASE AND IN SOME OTHER STATES WHERE CONCEALED WEAPONS ARE MUCH LOOSER. , INCLUDING TEXAS AND LOUISIANA AND OTHER STATES. PAMELA'S FILED A JOINT BRIEF SAYING THAT OUR RESIDENTS ENJOY ALL OF THESE SECOND AMENDMENT FREEDOMS AND THE MOMENT THEY CROSS THE CALIFORNIA STATE LINE THEY SHOULD NOT HAVE TO GIVE UP THOSE REASONS. IT IS VERY INTERESTING. THE WHOLE COUNTRY IS WATCHING US. NO MATTER WHICH WAY IT GOES. PEOPLE ARE SAYING THIS COULD BE THE SUPREME COURT CASE THAT'S GOING TO DECIDE THIS ISSUE. THE SHERIFF DOES NOT AGREE WITH ED PERUTA SIDE OF IT. HERE IS ROBERT FAGAN PRESENTING THE DEPARTMENTS TAKE. OUR SHERIFF TAKES A VERY SICK MINDED APPROACH TO CCW AND THAT IS BASICALLY HE UNDERSTANDS IT IS THE LEGISLATURES JOB TO PASS THE LAW AND THE JUDICIARY'S JOB TO DEFINE THEM AND IT IS HIS JOB TO ENFORCE THEM SO HE DOES NOT HAVE A DOG IN THE FIGHT HE IS JUST LOOKING FOR DIRECTIONS FROM THE COURTS. SO WHAT IS THE SITUATION NOW WITH THE CONCEAL AND CARRY PERMITS? IT WAS A SCOPE WITHOUT MONEY FOLKS HAVE THEM , AND HOW EASILY THEY ARE OBTAINED. I DON'T HAVE THE NUMBER IN FRONT OF ME ABOUT HOW MANY PEOPLE CURRENTLY HAVE CCW'S. I KNOW THAT 2000 PEOPLE, SINCE FEBRUARY 2014 RULING, 2000 PEOPLE HAVE PUT IN THEIR APPLICATIONS JUST WAITING AND HOPING THE COURT RULES IN THEIR FAVOR. SO THEY WOULD BE PROCESSED TO GET APPLICATIONS UNDER THESE NEW RULES. IF I DID WANT TO GET A PERMIT, I WOULD BE WAITING. AND YOU WOULD BE IN LINE FROM THE FIRST PERSON THEIR APPLICATION IN ANY SENSE OF THE THE FOLKS ARE THE ATTEND TO WANT TO HAVE THESE? MAYBE THAT IS ANOTHER STORY. GOING FORWARD. I THINK A LARGE ASIDE, WENT CROSS-SECTION OF RESIDENCE. I WOULD SAY. I WOULD SAY A LARGE CROSS-SECTION OF RESIDENCE. I WOULD SAY. PEOPLE WHO OWN GUNS ALREADY, I WOULD ASSUME. A FEW YEARS AGO THERE WAS A MOVEMENT TOWARD PEOPLE WERE CARRYING GUNS AND STARBUCKS. ARE THESE CASES SIMILAR? ANY PUSHING THE SAME ENVELOPE? SOON IT THAT WAS A HUGE QUESTION DURING THE HEARING A FEW WEEKS AGO THAT THE JUDGE'S KEYS IN ON BECAUSE A FEW YEARS AGO, IT WAS LEGAL FOR YOU TO CARRY AN UNLOADED GUN ON YOUR HEAD AS LONG AS IT WAS OPEN AND VISIBLE ABOUT LAW HAS CHANGED. YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO DO THAT IN PUBLIC PLACES BUT IF YOU'RE GOING CAMPING YOU CAN DO THAT BUT IF YOU ARE AT THE MALL. YOU CANNOT DO THAT BUT IT DOESN'T FLY ANYMORE. THE JUDGES WERE ASKING THE LAWYERS IN THIS CASE. IN LIGHT OF THIS NEW LAW, YOU CANNOT CARRY UNLOADED AND OPEN AND YOU CANNOT CARRY FIT IN, SEE CANNOT CARRY, BUT OFFERED IS THAT MEAN YOUR RIGHTS ARE BEING DIMINISHED AND SHOULD WE CHANGE THAT WERE CONSIDER THAT? THAT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO SEE WHAT THEY SAY. THIS MIGHT BE A TOUGH QUESTION TO ANSWER, BUT I AM CURIOUS IF IT SOUNDS LIKE THIS GENTLEMAN HAS A LEGITIMATE CASE? I MEAN, IT SOUNDS FUNNY WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT. HERE'S A MAN LIVING IN A MOBILE HOME, NOT A MOBILE HOME, A RV. A PART-TIME RESIDENT OF SAN DIEGO. HE IS GENUINELY CONCERNED ABOUT HIS SAFETY OR IS IT MORE LIKE THIS JOURNALIST WHO KNOWS THE SYSTEM, WHO WANTS TO HAVE IT RIGHT BECAUSE HE WANTS TO HAVE A GUN? HAVE YOU HEARD ANY THOUGHTS ON THAT? IT PROBABLY STRIKES ME A LITTLE BIT BOTH WAYS. ANYBODY WHO IS AN ADVOCATE WHO IS ABLE TO CARRY THEY CONCEALED WEAPON WOULD SAY I HAVE A LEGITIMATE CASE BECAUSE THE CONSTITUTION AFFORDS ME THIS RIGHT. IT BOILS DOWN TO THE BASIC ARGUMENT. I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE WOULD SAY. I SHOULD POINT OUT THAT THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT DENIED HIS CCW REQUEST ON NOT JUST THAT GROUND BUT ONE OF THE MAJOR FACTORS WAS, HE IS NOT A FULL-TIME RESIDENT AND THEY WANTED A BRICK AND MORTAR ADDRESS FOR HIM AND HE DOESN'T HAVE THAT. HE LIVES ARE PART-TIME. HE LIVES IN A RV. THEY DID CITE THAT IS ONE OF THE REASONS BUT I DO NOT THAT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED OR NOT. WE WILL MOVE ON. BUT WE WILL BE WATCHING FOR MORE REPORTING. HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WHO SPEAK VERY LITTLE ENGLISH ARE PLACED IN A SPECIAL CLASS FOR ENGLISH LEARNERS. SOMETIMES THEY SPEAK YEARS THERE FINALLY GETTING CLASSES. THE COUNT TOWARDS GRADUATION. YOU BEGAN YOUR STORY WITH A STUDENT NAMED ANGEL. ACTUALLY, HE USED SIGN LANGUAGE TO COMMUNICATE WITH TEACHERS AT THE BEGINNING BECAUSE HE SPOKE LITTLE ENGLISH. TELL US ABOUT HIM AND WHAT HAPPENED TO HIM AT KEARNY HIGH. AS I UNDERSTAND IT, THE STUDENT CAME FROM MEXICO. HE HAD NO LANGUAGE SKILLS. HE HAD NO SKILLS WHEN HE GOT THERE. AND IT IS AN INTAKE PROCESS. SO HE MET WITH A PRINCIPAL AND HE IS USING SIGN LANGUAGE AND I THINK THE PRINCIPAL SPOKE SPANISH OR SOMEBODY SPOKE SPANISH AND THEY WERE ABLE TO TELL HIM HE WOULD BE A CLASS WITH ENGLISH LEARNERS. HE WOULD NOT BE IN ANY SPECIAL CLASSES AND HE THOUGHT THAT WAS THE CRUELEST THING YOU COULD DO TO A KID. SOON I DROPPED THE MINUTE HE DOES NOT SPEAK A WORD OF THE LANGUAGE. BUT THE PRINCIPLE THERE, ANNA, I DON'T KNOW HOW SHE KNOWS. MAYBE IT IS A TALENT. SHE HAS BUT SHE JUST KNEW THAT THIS KID WOULD BE ALL RIGHT. SHE KNEW THE SYSTEM. SHE SET UP AND THE TEACHER WHO WOULD BE TEACHING HIM WOULD BE ABLE TO HANDLE HIM AND WITHIN A MONTH. HE HAD PICKED UP SOME LANGUAGE SKILLS AND IN A YEAR HE WAS IN AP CLASSES AND HE WENT ON TO TAKE COLLEGE CLASSES. SUE NIKE IS EMBLEMATIC AND HE IS IN ENGLISH SECOND LANGUAGE, THEY ARE CALLED ESL GHETTO BY SOME PEOPLE. WHAT IS THE PROBLEM WITH THEM? I THINK THIS IS ABOUT A CONTENTIOUS TOPIC IN TERMS OF HOW TO BEST HELP STUDENTS WHO ARE LEARNING ENGLISH AND I THINK, HOW DO YOU TEACH THEM ENGLISH AT THE SAME TIME YOU ARE TEACHING THEM CONTENT THEY NEED TO LEARN IN CLASS? SO WITH THE ESL GHETTO , WE WOULD NOT WANT TO CALL THEM THAT IN SCHOOL. SUDAFED IS HOW SOME PEOPLE ARE TOWARDS THESE THINGS. THEY SIT WITH OTHER STUDENTS WHO ARE LEARNING ENGLISH AND PRACTICE THE LANGUAGE FOR MULTIPLE HOURS A DAY. WHILE THE REST OF THEIR STUDIES GO ON HOLD. THEY ARE LEARNING LANGUAGE UNTIL YOU CAN PASS A TEST. THE SAYS THEY BECOME FLUENT BUT UNTIL THEN THEY ARE MISSING THE CREDITS THEY NEED FOR GRADUATION. WHY IS KEARNY HIGH DOING SOMETHING DIFFERENTLY AND HOW IS IT WORKING OUT FOR THEM? AT KEARNY HIGH, I THINK ONE OF THE MOST PROBLEMATIC AND THE MOST COMMON WAYS OF TEACHING ENGLISH LEARNERS. APART FROM A SEPARATE LANGUAGE CLASSES. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, THROWING KIDS IN THE CLASS, SINK OR SWIM. A LOT OF TIMES IT IS NOT AN EFFECTIVE WAY TO LEARN THE LANGUAGE, SO WHAT THEY HAVE DONE IN THE CLASS, THEY HAVE SET UP MAINSTREAM CLASSES WITH THE KIDS ARE STILL LEARNING THE CONTENT THAT THEY NEED FOR GRADUATION AND THEY ARE DESIGNING THE CLASS AROUND THOSE OF STUDENTS AND THE TEACHERS KNOW WHO THEY ARE. THEY ARE THINKING OF THOSE OF STUDENTS IN PARTICULAR AND THEY ARE THINKING OF HOW THEY CAN DESIGN THE LESSON AND DESIGN. THE CURRICULUM WITH A LOT OF VISUALS. SO ADDING A LOT TO THESE KIDS. IT IS MAINSTREAM WITH A LOT OF SUPPORT. HOW MANY STUDENTS ARE STILL STRUGGLING TO LEARN ENGLISH IN SAN DIEGO UNIFIED SCHOOLS. HOW ARE THEY DOING ACADEMICALLY? THE MOST RECENT COUNT. I HAVE SEEN IS AROUND 6000 STUDENTS WHO ARE WHAT THEY CALL LONG-TERM ENGLISH LEARNERS. DISTRICTWIDE. AND IT MEANS THEY HAVE BEEN IN SCHOOLS FOR SIX OR MORE YEARS AND ARE NOT CONSIDERED FLUENT. THE NUMBER MIGHT SOUND SMALL OR LARGE, BUT WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THAT, IT'S REALLY STRIKING TO ME THAT A STUDENT CAN BE IN SCHOOL FOR SIX YEARS AND THEY STILL DON'T LEARN THAT LANGUAGE, THAT IS A PROBLEM WITH THE SYSTEM THAT IS SET UP AROUND THEM. THE PRINCIPLE THERE, YOU MENTIONED, AND ANOTHER PRINCIPLE AT KEARNY, THEY JUST DECIDED THIS APPROACH IS NOT WORKING, WE ARE GOING TO TRY SOMETHING ELSE. I THINK IT HAS BEEN A LITTLE BIT OF A PROCESS TO FIND OUT WHAT TO DO THAT WORK. THEY HAD FOUND HIS SUCCESS. OVER TIME, THROUGH IMPROVEMENTS. TELL US ABOUT KEARNY ITSELF. IT HAS A DIFFERENT ORGANIZATION AND A DIFFICULT-TYPICAL STRUCTURE. TO MAKE IT IS A SMALL SCHOOL MODEL. THE HIGH SCHOOL HAD NOT BEEN DOING SO WELL, THEY HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS WITH ANY AMERICAN URBAN HIGH SCHOOL. THEY BROKE THE SCHOOL INTO FOUR SMALLER SCHOOLS. EACH ONE AROUND A THEME. I CAN'T REMEMBER OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD WHAT THE THEMES ARE BUT BASICALLY THE SMALL ENVIRONMENT, STUDENTS HAVE MORE TIME TO GET TO KNOW OTHER STUDENTS. THEY HAD MORE TIME TO GET TO KNOW THE TEACHERS. IT IS A MORE PERSONALIZED ENVIRONMENT. ENGLISH LEARNERS ARE ABLE TO PROVIDE THE SUPPORT THAT YOU DESCRIBED EARLIER. IT HAS BEEN TRIED IT. IT HASN'T BEEN SUCCESSFUL, BUT KEARNY IS AN EXCEPTION. WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THESE PRINCIPLES FROM KEARNY GO TO THE ADMINISTRATORS AT LARGE IN THE DISTRICT AND SAY, THIS IS WORKING, WHY DON'T YOU TRY IT? THAT IS A GREAT QUESTION, AND WHAT HAS BEEN MOST SURPRISING TO ME, AFTER WRITING THIS STORY, WITH THE SUCCESS OF THESE KIDS ARE FINDING AT THE SCHOOL, I WOULD THINK THAT OTHER PRINCIPALS AND TEACHERS FROM OTHER SCHOOLS. WE WANT TO REPLICATE SOME OF THAT WOULD WANT TO SEE WHAT IS WORKING AND I HAVE RECEIVED A LOT OF ANGRY EMAILS AND PEOPLE REACHED OUT TO ME TO DEBUNK THE SUCCESS THAT THEY HAD HAD SO AND GOING BACK TO SOMETHING THAT ONE OF THE PRINCIPALS THE SIDE OF THE STORY, THERE IS A LOT OF RESISTANCE IN TERMS OF CHANGING TRADITION. PEOPLE ARE USED TO DOING THINGS A CERTAIN WAY THAT WHEN YOU LEAVE THIS THING IN FRONT OF THEM. THEY GET THREATENED AND IT IS NOT GOING TO WORK. WE WILL LOOK FORWARD TO A FOLLOW-UP ON THAT BUT THAT WRAPS UP A WEEK OF STORIES AT THE KPBS ROUNDTABLE. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK MY GUESTS, KRISTINA DAVIS, LISA HALVERSTADT, AND MARIO KORAN, ALL OF THE STORIES ARE AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE AT KPBS