LAUSD Response to Quake

* George Ramos’ comments in “Maligned School District’s Muscle Comes in Handy in Crisis” (Jan. 31) couldn’t have been further off the mark. He and Marshall Diaz argue that the bureaucratic blob of an LAUSD is better able to deal with emergencies than smaller districts would be. They still don’t get it. In times of emergencies, where people are often isolated, it is community-based groups and facilities that come to the rescue. Bureaucracies lack the ability to do much other than throw bales of money out of helicopters.

Money alone does not solve the problem. How do Ramos and Diaz explain the fact that Vaughn Street Elementary School, an independent charter in one of the poorest and hardest hit areas, was able to open sooner than its nearby cousins in the Los Angeles Unified School District? It was thanks to independent leadership, community-based efforts, and the flexibility to get back on-line.

The United Chambers of Commerce and other private volunteer organizations from the Valley have been working directly with FEMA, the SBA, and other government agencies to help direct assistance to critical areas of the commercial and public infrastructure. Valley groups have a long history of taking on issues that would normally be handled by local government.

There have been a number of public officials who have used the quake to rekindle the Valley vs. Basin debate. Some have had the incredibly bad taste to suggest that the Valley is getting too much attention. This kind of attention we don’t need. To be deprived of local control of our schools is one thing--but to point to the bureaucratic chaos and tell us how fortunate we are is insulting.

ROBERT L. SCOTT, President

United Chambers of Commerce

of the San Fernando Valley

* I read with great interest “Closings No Vacation for Youths, Teachers” (Jan. 31). I am the producer of the 10-year-old award-winning Homework Hotline television series. While our live show is geared to answering homework questions, we are adapting the show to the post-earthquake situation. Our teachers are offering more structured lessons, and suggesting many tips and strategies for self-directed learning. In fact, tuning in on any day can provide a dose of instruction to students of virtually any age or grade level.

While Homework Hotline won’t garner student viewers a grade, or settle the score regarding high school sports standings, we’re confident that making the effort to watch the program will impress college admittance offices--at least to indicate that the students who watch the show in lieu of attending their regular (and now unavailable) classes are trying their best to complete their studies.

Homework Hotline is seen live on KLCS, Channel 58 (as well as 110 local cable systems in Ventura, Orange, Los Angeles, San Bernardino and Riverside counties) every Monday through Thursday from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m.

JON C. MERRITT

Los Angeles

* We are all stunned by the amount of damages, disruption and costs to repair Los Angeles schools. Fortunately, there is a lot that the citizens of Los Angeles and the Los Angeles Unified School District can do to overcome the damages and begin building and modernizing schools for the future.

With an assessed value of over $200 billion, LAUSD has the largest property tax base in the state. At a tax rate, for example, of 3 cents per $100 of assessed value (that’s just $30 per year for a $100,000 property), LAUSD could conservatively generate more than $750 million in school construction bonds. With any appreciable matching funds from the federal or state level, LAUSD could be well on the road to earthquake recovery as well as relieving overcrowding and deterioration.

JOHN HUGHES

Cathedral City