The Debate Over Proposition 8

* Voters have an unprecedented opportunity to make a difference in the way students are educated. The November ballot contains an initiative that offers real public accountability and parental involvement. It offers change.

Proposition 8 is the Permanent Class Size Reduction and Educational Accountability Act of 1998 and has been called everything from innovative and promising to redundant and costly. This initiative protects funding for kindergarten through third grade class-size reduction; prescribes that students who possess illegal drugs on campus be immediately suspended and recommended for expulsion; and requires that teachers pass subject matter competency exams.

By establishing the chief inspector of the public schools, Proposition 8 creates a framework of accountability by providing an annual report outlining the quality of California schools. As a parent, I am particularly interested in the component of the measure that establishes governing councils at each school. Today, when a parent has a question or concern regarding curriculum or instruction, they first go to the teacher. Wouldn’t it be nice if that was as far as they had to go? Unfortunately, that is not the case. They are referred to the principal, then on to the district; they can address the school board, but ultimately, Sacramento is blamed.

Let’s stop pointing fingers and laying blame. Parents are looking for some accountability; they can find it in Proposition 8.

SUSAN HENRY

Fountain Valley

* Re “Ballot Decisions Pivotal to School Reform,” Oct. 19.

I object to the implication throughout the article that the campaign against Proposition 8 is polarized around party lines. Though it is true that the majority of supporters for Proposition 8 are Republicans, it is not true that the majority of opponents are Democrats. In fact, a partial listing of organizations that oppose Proposition 8 includes the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Assn., California Republican Assembly Board of Directors, Young Republican Federation of California, League of Women Voters, California State Firefighters Assn., California Organization of Police & Sheriffs, and numerous chambers of commerce.

That all these organizations and others should oppose Proposition 8 is a clear indication that passage of this poorly written initiative would be bad for California. Proposition 8 will not do anything to make schools better or safer. It will divert millions of dollars from existing education funding. It will create a huge, new bureaucracy, unaccountable to anyone except the governor.

Proposition 8 is bad for public education, taxpayers and kids.

EILEEN FETTERS, president

Assn. of Placentia-Linda Educators

Yorba Linda