Ethnic Balance on Scholar Teams

Competition is the strength of American society. The Los Angeles Unified School District violates its public trust when it prevents scholastic teams from having the most qualified members of the student body irrespective of grades, gender, race, color or national origin.

Many children do not have the athletic ability to compete in high school sports. Academic competition is the only extracurricular activity in which they can excel. Members of the Los Angeles Unified School District send a pernicious message to these students, some of whom will be excluded from their school’s team in favor of a less qualified applicant.

It is understandable that parents who can afford to do so will remove their children from the public schools to seek an environment where academic excellence is rewarded rather than punished. In order to avoid that tragic result I urge the formation of an alternative academic competition without restrictions where any member of the student body is entitled to participate.

KENNETH N. KLEE

Los Angeles