On Monday October 28th, several hundred students, parents, alumni and other Armenian schools came together in unity to save AGBU Manoukian High School in Pasadena, CA.
Posted on November. 5. 2019
During the protest rally, Rev. Father Barthev Gulumian stated: “Two years ago, when it was announced that AGBU Central Board president Berge Setrakian was going to pay a visit to the (AGBU MHS) school, the teachers and students started rehearsing for two whole weeks in preparation of an Armenian cultural program to show Mr. Setrakian as to how devoted are the faculty and students to maintain Armenian identity; how the school was helping to nurture the students with Armenian heritage and instilling in them love and appreciation of Armenian language and culture. The presentation featured very inspiring performances of Armenian dances, songs, poetry recitations by the school choir, dance troupe and other talented individual students.”
As Rev. Gulumian concluded saying “Our Armenian children expressed themselves in Armenian. They sang in Armenian! They danced with Armenian spirit” the students and parents participating in the protest rally cheered.
When Rev. Gulumian informed those in attendance “However, Mr. Setrakian got up on the podium and didn’t even utter a word in Armenian. He said in English, “Too much Armenian-ness,” the protesters booed vociferously condemning Setrakian’s displeasure of such a rich display of Armenian identity and spirit by the students.
Rev. Gulumian encourages the students to speak the Truth in spite of possible setbacks. He offered words of wisdom appealing to the misguided leaders of AGBU to reverse their decision to shutter the school. He concluded saying that this school does not serve only the current students numbering 150 but it would serve thousands in service of coming generations.
Reported by Appo Jabarian