Southern California’s education sector has reached a milestone, marking the beginning of the second generation of Korean-American educators, with many following in the footsteps of their parents.
The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) announced the appointment of two Korean American principals ahead of the new school year, which begins on August 12.
These appointments bring the total number of Korean-American principals in LAUSD to 38, with six in high schools, four in middle schools, and the rest in elementary schools.
The number of Korean-American education administrators in the district is estimated to be as high as 100, including scholarship officers at district headquarters, assistant principals, coordinators, and administrators from Orange and San Diego counties.
Since the mid-2000s, when there were fewer than 10 Korean-American principals, the number began to rise significantly by 2020. During the pandemic, LAUSD grouped schools in the Koreatown neighborhood into a separate district known as Koreatown Pio Pico, which concentrated first- and second-generation Korean American educators. This led to the consistent appointment of as few as three and as many as five Korean-American principals each year.
Schools named after Korean Americans have also seen Korean-American principals and vice principals. For instance, Young Oak Kim Academy has had Karen Jin as principal since last year, and Dr. Sammy Lee Medical & Health Science Magnet has been led by Jee Sun Chung for three years. Jonathan Paek has been the principal of Charles H. Kim Elementary School, the first Korean American-named school, for nearly a decade.
“In the 90s, there were only three or four Korean-American principals, and I’m proud that there are now nearly 40,” said LAUSD Administrator Chiae Byun, considered a first-generation Korean-American principal.
“More importantly, there are more opportunities for Korean-American educators to be appointed as principals because of their reputation and favorable impression as Korean-American educators in the district,” Byun added. “I look forward to seeing more educators grow and eventually lead the district.”
The new Korean-American principals are Alice Cho, who will begin at Warner Avenue Elementary School in West LA, and David Kim at Frida Kahlo High School near downtown Los Angeles. Cho, who started as a teacher at Commonwealth Avenue Elementary School 24 years ago, was an assistant principal at Dr. Sammy Lee Magnet and Los Angeles Elementary School in Koreatown before being promoted to principal.
Kim, whose parents are both LAUSD teachers and still teach at City of Angels School, began teaching in 2014 and served as an administrative assistant principal responsible for the operations of six independent schools under the RFK Community Schools and as an assistant principal at Pio Pico Community School before being named principal.
“I was influenced by my parents who are teachers, so I had no difficulty deciding on a career path. I am happy to follow in my parents’ footsteps as an educator,” Kim said.
BY NICOLE CHANG, HOONSIK WOO [chang.nicole@koreadaily.com]
