Bilingual Pay, LAUSD Reforms

Los Angeles school board member Victoria Castro stated that “if you call upon a bilingual person to do added work, they should be compensated for it.” For her information, I don’t know of any teacher, bilingual or not, who doesn’t do added work. I have been teaching for the Los Angeles Unified School District for 12 years, and during that time I have been a student council advisor, worked on parent education classes, been a part of the LEARN council at our school, before that was a member of the leadership council, library chairperson, science chairperson, environmental chairperson, just to name a few. I am not unique. All teachers participate in schoolwide programs without additional compensation. We each bring our special interests and talents to our job and use them to enhance our teaching and improve our school.

Clearly I am against the differential for bilingual teachers. Proposition 227 has eliminated the need for teaching any class in any language other than English. Let’s take this money and use it in the classrooms to supplement classroom libraries, update science equipment, buy computers and printers for every classroom, maybe even use the money to install telephones in classrooms so that teachers can communicate with parents during school time.

KARIN CROFT

Fifth-Grade Teacher

Vinedale Elementary, Sun Valley

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Bilingual education is alive and well in LAUSD. As long as we continue to teach in the students’ primary language under waivers, Model A and Model B programs, any call to end bonus pay is premature.

DIANE FLYNN

Burbank

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Re “Six Quick Reforms for LAUSD,” Voices, Dec. 11: Dan Hart’s reform plan is great and would not cost millions of dollars. However, it would be easier to implement if we were a homogeneous group. It would also be easier if LAUSD were broken up into five or six districts. I hope the government will cooperate with him.

JO MICHEL

Pacific Palisades

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Re “Widen Belmont Probe,” editorial, Dec. 15: Thanks for finally using the words “grand jury.” If this situation doesn’t call for a county grand jury investigation, what does?

The greater Cleveland, Ohio, region is about the size and population of the San Fernando Valley and has at least 30 school districts, all better than LAUSD. In education, bigger is never better. Small districts are closer to the families and therefore better supported.

MICHAEL GERSON

Encino