Don’t Break Up Communities

I support public education for many reasons. Therefore, I write to protest the interpretation of the Voting Rights Act that would hurt any community of students regardless of whether they live in the San Fernando Valley or not.

Proposition M’s intent was to allow voting access to minority populations. The current recommended map to redistrict the Los Angeles Board of Education representation violates that intent for people living in the San Fernando Valley.

The breakup of communities of people who have become solid advocates for students with the support of two Valley representatives cannot be tolerated.

So many times, aides to City Council members have told me to call my school board members when I have expressed a concern that extended beyond the school into the neighborhood.

Now, City Council members have the challenging task of voting on a map that will create a second Latino seat for the Board of Education. This critical redistricting process was neither explained nor discussed anywhere, even though so-called citywide hearings took place. The confusion far outweighed the participation of any community of parents. To railroad this through for any reason is unethical and unreasonable. The threat of taking us back to segregated areas in unthinkable.

There is a critical need to protect what we have gained over time--whole communities of people who have become sensitive, understanding and respectful of each other’s backgrounds. It would be a crime to blame good people when it is the process requiring additional investigation by a coalition of the very groups public education serves, plus the expertise of all demographers who have so far participated.

The hurried process, like the “hurried child,” will fail. Should the process fail, it will signal the end of public education and a free ride for racists and supporters of the voucher.

I urge a resounding “no” vote on any map that will break up communities and hurt integrated ethnic groups that continue to work and live together. This most certainly must include continued, appropriate representation for the San Fernando Valley.

BARBARA L. PRESTON, Northridge