Community College Layoffs

Laying off 157 tenured instructors and closing out many classes in various fields should be reconsidered. This will cause a loss of a lot of students who are now enrolled in fields that will close out next semester.

Students in vocational and occupational programs may have to pay too much money to learn skills to the independent vocational schools or have to leave our school district to enter these programs in colleges outside the district.

And if they are unable to pay that much money or who don’t have transportation, where should they go?

We understand that the board is going to cut expenses, but the majority of the instructors to be laid off are in areas where enrollment is adequate and in programs that are vital to a college’s success. The money saved by laying off teachers may be canceled out by loss of student enrollment.

The board of trustees should take a good look at the problems that will affect the educational programs of the nine district colleges for next year and reconsider the decision.

SONG N. YOON

Los Angeles