Compton Schools and Vouchers

* Alan Bonsteel and Carlos A. Bonilla’s case for vouchers based on the lawsuits filed against the Compton Unified School District (Commentary, Nov. 29) is unfair and counterproductive to the efforts of the administrators, teachers, staff, parents and students in this district who are working together to provide a comprehensive quality education for all students.

We assure you that the Compton Unified School District has turned the corner in its recovery from years of fiscal and academic mismanagement. Student scores on standardized tests are on the rise, thanks to the dedication and innovation of teachers like Jonathan Klein, a Yale graduate and one of the 300 Teach for America instructors in the district. Klein’s fifth-grade class at Tibby Elementary recently involved the entire school in a mock election using computers to research the qualifications of candidates for office.

Next month, Compton High School’s newly refurbished administration building will open, adding 18 classrooms and 30,000 square feet of future classroom space, giving students an 1,800-seat auditorium and a library with state-of-the-art computers. The $3.5-million project is a major advancement in a long-range facilities modernization program. The Compton district is committed to providing every child and adult in the community with access to a quality education with or without vouchers.

RANDOLPH E. WARD

State Administrator

Compton Unified School District

TOM HOLLISTER, Exec. Dir.

Compton Education Assn.

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Larry Cuban’s major criticism is that vouchers make education a “commodity” (Opinion, Dec. 6). Vouchers are doing the exact opposite: creating a rich mosaic of alternative choices for parents. Some schools emphasize computers, others the classics, others fundamentals, etc. That is what a free market looks like.

It was only through historical accident that we got stuck with a single public school monopoly (in 1850, the Protestant majority feared the huge influx of Catholic immigrants). Schooling is a competitive service and is consumed on an individual basis. Eventually the real market will return and we will be the better for it.

RICHARD TRADEWELL

Costa Mesa