California Students Near Bottom in Math

As a fourth-grade teacher I read “State Ranks Near Bottom on Math Skills Test” (Feb. 28) with interest. This article appeared on the last day of a week in which I taught a student how to wash out his clothes in the sink because he lives in a cheap hotel and his parents rarely do laundry. I fed three students bananas for breakfast. Otherwise, their breakfasts would have consisted of the potato chips their parents had given them. I cleaned out the desk of a 10-year-old girl who hoards food. She’s afraid of being hungry again. I purchased shoes and socks at the thrift store for a child whose shoes are uncomfortably small. I begged a local organization to provide coats for some of my students. I did nothing more than most teachers do for their students.

Is it any wonder that math scores are low? I say that there is not a math problem, but deep in the fabric of our society there is a parenting problem. I suggest the state stop putting money in the feel-good cause of education. Put it into child protective services. Counties have doubled or tripled the caseloads of these workers, given the golden handshake to the experienced, and have mandatory furlough days because they don’t want to pay the workers. It’s time to get this dirty little secret out of the closet. Too many of our state’s children are in danger.

MICHELLE KING

Yucca Valley

* The last 20 years have spelled disaster for educational funding. Prop. 13 (1978), the Gann limit (1979), the lottery initiative (1984) and its inability to generate significant revenue for schools and two recessions all have added up, with devastating results for California’s children. As a teacher I see three steps that would place California children in a wonderful position to succeed:

* Increase school budgets. Nationally, California ranks 40th in per pupil expenditure, 48th in students per computer, 50th in students per teacher, 50th in students per principal, and 50th in students per guidance counselor.

* Reevaluate the teacher tenure system that does not encourage effort, results or innovation.

* Ground education in real-life experience. Teach math and science using examples based on our technologically driven society.

When will we start putting our efforts and money where our hearts and headlines are?

DANIEL STEPENOSKY

Santa Monica

* There were two interesting articles on Feb. 28. One was on piano lessons boosting youths’ reasoning, thereby increasing their skills needed for science and math. Schools have phased out music programs since the early ‘90s, when Gov. Pete Wilson froze the education budget. The other article stated that California schools ranked near the bottom of the nation’s schools on math skills. Wilson said the results were “deplorable and intolerable.” Does anyone else see a connection?

MARY BETH BANGERT

Santa Ana