Petition to Preserve Eliot Middle School and Halt Demolition Plans

(Call to Action at Bottom of Petition - Please Read)

   We, the residents, families, alumni, and supporters of Altadena, call on the Pasadena Unified School District (PUSD) to immediately pause any plans to demolish portions of Eliot Middle School, including its historic tower, and to pursue a transparent, community-centered path forward.

Eliot Middle School has been a defining feature of Altadena for generations. Its architecture and presence contribute to the character of the community and serve as a lasting connection between past and future. Even after the devastation of the Eaton Fire, Eliot remains a powerful symbol of continuity and resilience.

    At the May 5th, 2026 Altadena Town Council Land Use Committee meeting, the District shared its intent to remove buildings A, C, and D, including the tower after consulting engineering firms that raised concerns about structural safety. While safety must be taken seriously, the community has not been provided with sufficient information to understand the full range of options considered, including whether stabilization, reinforcement, or partial preservation could be viable alternatives.

   Equally troubling is the process by which this decision has been advanced. Local zoning rules and Regional Planning documents recognize Eliot as a site of historic significance.  And yet, it is unclear if this was taken into meaningful account. The site's significance underscores the need for robust, careful, and inclusive decision-making. In addition, the District has not provided clear assurances about what will follow demolition. There has been no commitment to reconstruct a comparable architectural feature, nor clarity on whether the campus will ultimately be restored as a functioning school serving the community. These unanswered questions raise serious concerns about the long-term future of the site.

   The proposed demolition also raises urgent concerns for the families living directly around the Eliot campus. Many residents have only recently completed extensive cleanup efforts on their homes and properties following the Eaton Fire. A large-scale demolition and debris removal operation in the middle of a residential neighborhood threatens to reintroduce dust, contaminants, and environmental hazards into an area where people are actively trying to recover and return home safely.

   The surrounding community deserves clear information about how demolition activity could impact air quality, public health, cleanup timelines, and neighborhood safety. Residents should not be forced to endure additional uncertainty or risk after already experiencing so much disruption and loss. Without a careful and transparent mitigation plan, this process could undermine months of recovery work completed by nearby families and further delay the ability of displaced residents to safely return home.

   We are not asking the District to ignore safety. We are asking for a process that is thorough, transparent, and inclusive, one that demonstrates all reasonable efforts have been made to preserve what can be saved and to honor the role Eliot plays in Altadena.

   We call on PUSD to:

• Pause all demolition plans related to Eliot Middle School
• Publicly release all engineering assessments and alternatives considered
• Comply fully with local standards governing historically significant properties
• Engage preservation experts and community stakeholders in evaluating restoration options
• Provide clear commitments regarding the future of the campus, including whether it will remain a public school site
• Explore designs that retain or thoughtfully reinterpret defining architectural elements, including the tower

Altadena has already experienced profound loss. Decisions made now will shape the community for decades. Eliot Middle School is not just a structure, it is part of the identity of this town.

We urge PUSD to choose a path that reflects care, accountability, and partnership with the community it serves.

CALL TO ACTION - Contact Elected Officials Directly

   Signing this petition matters, but direct outreach to elected officials is equally important. Public agencies can ignore signatures far more easily than they can ignore large numbers of calls, emails, and constituent messages demanding accountability and transparency. If every supporter takes a few minutes to contact local representatives, it will dramatically increase pressure for a pause in demolition and a real public process around the future of Eliot Middle School.

We urge all supporters to:

• Call and email elected officials immediately
• Ask them to intervene and demand a halt to demolition plans
• Request full public transparency regarding environmental, historical, and safety impacts
• Demand meaningful community engagement before irreversible decisions are made

Please contact:

• Kathryn Barger
• Sasha Renée Pérez
• John Harabedian
• Judy Chu

Suggested message points:

• Pause demolition until all alternatives are publicly reviewed
• Protect residents from additional environmental and health impacts
• Preserve historically significant community landmarks whenever possible
• Require transparent community engagement before irreversible actions are taken