State Board and Honig

In response to “State Board President Uses Hands-On (Gloves-Off) Style” (March 10) and “Honig Sees Conspiracy to Hurt Him Politically” (March 13):

Hats off to the majority of the State Board of Education for their vigorous attempts to hold state Supt. of Public Instruction Bill Honig accountable for his wasteful and ineffective policies. As is sometimes typical of entrenched, out-of-touch bureaucrats, Honig cries smear and conspiracy to the press and points to his so-called educational reform movement.

At least some evidence points to Honig’s “reform movement” resulting in graduation requirements being raised so high that lower achieving and disadvantaged students have much less of a chance today of adapting and succeeding in the work environment. Top corporate executives have indicated to Honig and other superintendents that high school graduates have little idea what it’s like to get and keep a job. The response from the educational Establishment has been the scrapping of work-experience programs in many districts along with the cutting back or outright elimination of valuable shop classes which have served students well for years. This large segment of the student population is being shortchanged and needs more on-campus training and fulfilling employment opportunities, not a shortsighted, college prep curriculum standard.

The State Board of Education should be commended for its ongoing attempts to “reform” the superintendent’s office and bring it back into reality.

KENT S. MOORE

Corona del Mar