Playing Games With L.A.’s Students?

Harry Bernstein’s suggestion is just plain wrong. There is an abundance of evidence to support the thesis that the public schools--not just in Los Angeles or California--are not doing well what people expect of them.

A large part of the schools’ failures can be attributed to the fact that attendance is compulsory and learning is voluntary. We might benefit if attendance were voluntary and learning were compulsory.

Another part of the schools’ failures can be seen in the answers to the following questions:

Does anyone believe that all children are ready to learn at the same time? Does anyone believe that all children learn at the same rate?

I know of no one who has answered either of those questions affirmatively. Then why have we organized and operated the schools as if the answers were affirmative?

ROBERT M. GORDON

Los Angeles