A group of 20 parents whose children were recently accepted into a prestigious new art school in Duarte should be elated. But their students’ acceptance letters to the school set off a fight with the Pasadena Unified School District that might not be resolved for months.

The parents whose children were accepted to the California School of the Arts in the Duarte Unified School District live in neighborhoods zoned for Pasadena Unified, which denied their transfer requests..

The parents are appealing, but the process before a final decision is made may last until after the school year begins.

Malcolm Mumford knows the story all too well. His daughter dreamed of being a fashion designer one day, and she wanted to start pursuing the necessary drawing and photography classes as early as she could. The Mumfords are Pasadena residents, but last year, they found an award-winning arts school in the Los Angeles Unified School District that offered a curriculum splitting the school day into four academic classes and four visual arts classes.

There’s no equivalent in Pasadena Unified, so Mumford assumed getting a transfer permit would be easy. But the school district responded with another proposal: Mumford’s daughter could feasibly attend a full day of academic classes at Pasadena High School, take night courses in drawing and French (another class she wanted that wasn’t offered) at Pasadena City College 10 hours a week, as well as take photography classes at the Art Center for four hours every Saturday.

Mumford called that proposal “absolutely absurd,” adding it would leave no time for his daughter to have any extracurricular activities.

Pasadena Unified denied Mumford’s transfer request.

When he was navigating the transfer process last summer, Mumford said it seemed like a one-man battle. But with the California School of the Arts set to open this fall, dozens of other Pasadena parents found themselves facing the same issue — all received a May 25 letter informing them their transfer requests were denied.

Parents who decided to appeal received a June 16 letter informing them their appeals were denied, as well. If they wish to appeal the second denial, it must be filed by July 3.

Dawn Sepulveda is one of the parents who received those letters, but it wasn’t her first time. She wanted to send her daughter to an arts school in Sherman Oaks last year, but after the district told her that her transfer was denied because Pasadena Unified offered a similar program at the Eliot Arts Magnet School, she figured she would give it a shot.

Sepulveda’s daughter, who had received private voice, dance and acting lessons throughout her childhood, was placed into drama, choir and dance classes at Eliot Arts Magnet for beginners. “She didn’t learn anything,” Sepulveda said.

While she appreciated the efforts of the faculty at Eliot, Sepulveda said her daughter is more advanced than what the school is prepared to teach. Sepulveda’s biggest priority was where her daughter “wants to go, and how she’ll grow as an actor and singer and dancer.”

She said if PUSD denies her request to transfer to the California School of the Arts, she’ll home school her or send her to private school.

Pasadena Unified spokeswoman Hilda Ramirez Horvath said Eliot “offers a really dynamic program for beginning and advanced students.”

Kirstin Davis is another parent whose request was denied on the basis that Eliot offers the programs her daughter wants. But Davis said that even if Eliot’s programs were rigorous enough to serve advanced students, it’s just a middle school. California School of the Arts is a 7th through 12th grade school, and her daughter, who plays the cello, wants to secure a slot in a school where she has a clear pathway for her arts education through graduation.

Sepulveda, Davis and others looking to attend the Duarte arts school hope Pasdena Unified will reverse course, but stories like Mumford’s don’t give them much hope.

Mumford’s daughter was eventually able to enroll in the LA Unified program, but based on a technicality — their family is Seventh-day Adventist and go to church on Saturday. Because PUSD’s plan required Mumford’s daughter to attend class on Saturday, the LA County Office of Education decided to grant his request.

He still needs a transfer renewal for the upcoming school year, and he’s worried that speaking up about the issue might cause the district to retaliate and deny the renewal. But ultimately, he said he’s speaking up for the students.

“These kids need to be in an environment where they’re happy and they can thrive,” he said. “That’s what it’s about. It’s about the kids, and what’s best for them.”