Educational Standards

* In “Standards vs. Graduation Rate: A Catch-22,” June 9, Adrienne Mack addresses a situation that many of us who work in high schools find very disturbing. The district campaign to have all students, regardless of ability or desire, meet the requirements for university admission in order to receive a high school diploma is ridiculous. On top of that, to begin imposing this requirement on high school students whose prior schooling has not prepared them to meet this challenge is absolutely cruel.

I am all in favor of raising our educational standards; however, we must start in the elementary schools to prepare students for more demanding graduation requirements.

The Los Angeles Unified School District must also recognize that not all students want, need or are capable of handling a college preparatory curriculum.

As it now stands we are not educating our young people to excel in anything. Those who would go to college find their course content “dumbed down,” while those who seek an education in other directions are being ignored.

A college education is not the only path to a successful, fulfilling and productive life; it should not be the only educational option available to our young people.

JUDY REINSMA

Saugus

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* Adrienne Mack worries that teachers implementing tough standards will force students into dumbed-down classes or force them to drop out. Under the present educational system, she is correct.

However, a real standards-based education system, present in nearly every sophisticated industrialized country, does not depend on teachers to set standards, implement them, then evaluate whether students are achieving them. Our economic competitors understand the best system to motivate students and teachers is one where the state sets the standards and evaluates the results using standardized testing.

As a high school math teacher in the Los Angeles Unified School District, all I ask is that the state of California set real content-based standards backed by rigorous exams with both positive and negative consequences. My students and I will take care of the rest.

DAN HART

La Crescenta