More Education Bureaucracy?

* Pete Wilson’s Proposition 8, touted by Kenneth L. Khachigian (“Prop. 8 Will Hold Schools Accountable,” Sept. 13) is bad legislation.

True, Proposition 8 has provisions for permanent class-size reduction and zero tolerance for drugs, but these programs already exist and are really window dressing.

The worst section of Proposition 8 is the establishment of an education czar. Appointed by the governor for a 10-year term without confirmation by the Legislature, the chief inspector can create his/her own bureaucracy with funding that must come from the Department of Education’s budget. (California already ranks near the bottom in per pupil spending for education.)

And get this: The czar and the his/her bureaucracy is accountable only to the governor. A two-thirds majority is required for removal by the Legislature.

Bad idea. Bad legislation.

No wonder Proposition 8 is opposed by the taxpayer groups, law enforcement, the state PTA and the League of Women Voters.

BILL LAKIN

Capistrano Beach

* I read with some amusement Khachigian’s piece on how Proposition 8 will hold schools and teachers accountable.

He writes about how 75% of teenagers know the ZIP Code of Beverly Hills from the show “90210” and how 95 out of 100 teens know the identity of the star of “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” but not the chief justice of the United States. He also writes of the need to have parental involvement in making decisions concerning curriculum and spending.

First of all, I’ve been a teacher for over 21 years and I don’t know of any educator who shows “Beverly Hills 90210” or “The Fresh Prince” in the classroom. This must mean that these teenagers are watching these programs somewhere else.

Second, why didn’t Khachigian mention a study that was done a few years ago that found that by the time a person is 18 years old and out of high school, that person has spent 12,000 hours in school, 18,000 hours in front of the television and has seen 30,000 acts of violence?

Nowhere does Khachigian mention parental accountability, involvement and responsibility in turning off the television and making sure that their child studies and does homework.

California and public education don’t need Proposition 8. Student success cannot be legislated; it has to be earned, and that takes student and parental effort.

It’s much easier to blame teachers and the educational system than it is to turn off the television.

PAUL PRUSS

Lake Forest

* Kenneth Khachigian urges support for Proposition 8. A longtime foe of governmental bureaucracy, he nonetheless supports its provision that would establish yet another layer, the new appointed office of the chief inspector of public schools.

Doubtless, the chief would require deputies, associates, assistants etc., etc. Four entities now control public schools at the state level: the elected state superintendent of public instruction, the appointed State Board of Education, the governor with his office of child development and education and the state Legislature.

Do we really need a fifth expensive bureaucratic layer to bring about school accountability and reform?

What meaningful decisions could possibly remain to be made by locally elected school boards and the new governing councils after the state government gets through with their schools?

We need more not less local control of our public education system.

LAWRENCE KEMPER

Huntington Beach