After thirty years in education, teacher Ira West retires

Fri, 13 Mar 2009 21:10:59 GMT

By Marin Kakachev

(June 19, 2006) -- The classroom fell deathly silent, May 4, as U.S. History teacher Ira West uttered the words, “I’m retiring July 1.” With a reputation spanning 30 years in education, West is moving on, and moving east. West began his teaching career in the early 70’s teaching discussion classes on U.S. history at UCLA. Once he had all of his credentials done, he moved on to teach in the Los Angeles Unified School District, where he created new courses relating to U.S. history and the trial process of this country’s judicial system. Ironically enough, after teaching kids about the way trials work, he changed positions to work at the Soledad Correctional Facility in California in 1981. There he taught adult classes and helped inmates get their GED’s and a better education for life after they were released. Following his eight-year stay there he taught at neighboring Hoover High. Then he took a two-year position at International Polytechnic High School in Pomona. Finally in 1999 he joined the Clark staff and has been contributing to the education of this school’s juniors ever since. West’s retirement is the product of his wife’s advancing in her own line of work. Kathleen West applied for and was accepted as the new Rector of the Episcopal Church in Provo, Utah. For one year, From May 19-23, the Wests went to Provo to meet with a church committee in charge of appointing new personnel at the church. The Wests both participated in interviews for the position. Mr. West explained that the spouse played a very important role in the selection process of a new Rector. “We got along famously,” he said. After the interviews and all the paper work was done, the Wests spent the remainder of their time getting to know the area. “Never having been to Provo, I had no immediate knowledge,” West said. West said he was also amazed at the predominantly Mormon community and how it has managed to deal with modesty and violence in the media. “There was a store there that edited rated R movies so they would be considered PG,” he said. He also spoke of the way magazines are sold in Provo. Strict rules apply to the retail of magazines, including regulations that if any skin is shown on the cover of the magazine it must be put behind a cover. After exploring the town, the Wests retired to their hotel room, where they were greeted with the news that the committee in charge of the church had already appointed Mrs. West. “My wife took 24 hours to think about it,” West said. But he already knew that she would accept the offer. West said, “We are really excited about this adventure, going off to Utah.” He described Provo as “a very vibrant community.” West said he is concerned about the cold weather, “I have never been one for the cold,” he said, “and it snows up to 69 inches a year.” Other than his worry with the weather, he said he loved the area and can’t wait to move there. He described the area as “an outdoor paradise…not that I hunt or fish.” As far as his plans, “I just kind of plan to chill for about six months,” West said. After that, he is considering teaching part time at some of the charter schools in the area.