School Repairs

Regarding Bill Boyarsky’s Jan. 19 column: It seems that once again the emphasis is somewhat misplaced. So long as high school-age students and their parents do nothing to take responsibility for removing graffiti, accept the filthy restrooms, repair the grass on the football field, etc., etc., conditions are not likely to change.

Wouldn’t it be worth trying to organize these students into groups (even helped by their parents) to remedy these things, indicating that they care about the facilities in which they study? Perhaps bureaucrats would respond by providing funds to do the fundamental repairs such as the roof, ceiling tiles, paint for walls, etc. if such repairs would not be defaced or destroyed as soon as they are made.

Of course, assigning the students to do any of these jobs would be in violation of their civil rights; there would be objections by various union leaders and who knows how many other obstacles!

J. BROOKS McNEILL

Los Angeles