The Los Angeles Unified School District’s Beyond the Bell Branch said it was pulling a charity golf tournament from the Trump National Golf Club in Rancho Palos Verdes over Donald Trump’s comments disparaging Mexican immigrants. Kim Baldonado reports for the NBC4 News at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, July 8, 2015.
The Los Angeles Unified School District's Beyond the Bell Branch announced Wednesday it is pulling a charity golf tournament from the Trump National Golf Club in Rancho Palos Verdes over Donald Trump's comments disparaging Mexican immigrants.
District officials said they've notified the golf club of the decision, but it has refused to return a $7,500 deposit.
"There was absolutely no reason to host our largest fundraiser at a Trump facility after Donald Trump shared negative immigration comments," said Alvaro Cortes, executive director of Beyond the Bell. "Beyond the Bell is dedicated to serve the under-represented and uplift underprivileged communities of Los Angeles."
The event, scheduled for Nov. 23, was expected to raise up to $72,000 for music and entertainment education programs and Camp Skyhook, a collaboration with former Laker Kareem Abdul-Jabbar aimed at inspiring fourth-and fifth-graders to pursue science, technology, engineering and math education.
Trump officials could not be reached for immediate comment on the district's action. District officials said they are searching for another location for the eighth annual tournament.
The district's announcement came one day after the Professional Golfers Association announced it was pulling the annual Grand Slam of Golf away from the Rancho Palos Verdes course over Trump's comments. ESPN has also relocated a tournament away from the course.
Trump has been under fire from various groups for comments he made last month while announcing his bid for the presidency. Trump said in relation to immigrants, "When Mexico sends its people, they're not sending their best. They're sending people that have lots of problems, and they're bringing those problems with (them). They're bringing drugs. They're bringing crime. They're rapists. And some, I assume, are good people."
Univision responded by cutting business ties with Trump, and NBC and Macy's later followed suit.
Beyond the Bell's Music and Entertainment Program serves more than 4,500 students in programs including the All City Honor Marching Band, the All City Jazz Big Band and the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz.
