Beverly Hills High

Your article on the Beverly Hills Board of Education’s real estate proposal (Metro, March 10) was a sad illustration of carefully worked hype and media subordination of the real issue, the quality of academic education at our high school. I’m a student at Beverly and I’ve begun reading, in detail, into the proposal. I must say, your lack of attention to significant facts and disregard for background has served to make this whole thing a “political football” in our district.

The proposal was drawn up by a committee to provide several options to lease (not to sell, as your article implied) portions of school property to increase school funds. Proposition 13 did much to hurt our school district’s monetary base, and the process of achieving consensus on necessary funding reform has been a difficult one.

I have watched the quality of high school education in this state deteriorate. I don’t want to see that happen here. People need to get their values straight. The proposal provides ideas, genuine innovations drawn up by a concerned and voluntary committee, to counter financial wavering and to improve the quality of education in this district.

Mayor Robert Tannenbaum and others would do well to open their eyes and to examine the reality of Proposition 13 and the reality of the cuts facing our district. I am a senior here and I’ll be leaving soon. However, I’ve gained valuable insights attending high school here and in the final analysis, I write this letter because education is an issue of “this nation’s future” and it’s worth writing a letter to The Times about it.

PETER L. THOTTAM

Associated Student Body President

Beverly Hills High School