Accountability in Bureaucracies

Your Aug. 26 editorial regarding the Belmont Learning Center refers to people who made decisions that may endanger the safety of students and cost the taxpayers perhaps hundreds of millions of dollars as “former school officials” and “current executives.”

The public does not know the names of the people responsible for the hundreds of millions of dollars in cost overruns of the Metro Rail, which resulted in the ending of the project far short of its original goal. Who decided to build the Century Freeway over an aquifer (and keep the information from the public), requiring spending at least $117 million to repair a new freeway?

Why can’t criminal or civil charges be brought against specific individuals, instead of letting them hide behind euphemisms like “Board of Education” or “Caltrans”? These were not decisions where people of goodwill can differ on policy. They were illegal and immoral. These people must be made personally responsible for their actions. I don’t think these outrageous costs to the taxpayers would continue if individuals knew that they would be fined or jailed for these kinds of decisions.

JERRY FREEDMAN

Los Angeles

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Gee, what a surprise to learn that while the state is giving away $2.9 billion in school construction bond money the leadership of the LAUSD--that would be Ms. Waste and Mr. Mismanagement--has once again been asleep at the wheel. One would think that after they managed to secure for our children a whopping 1% of the bond money available in 1996, they would have learned their lesson. And then, when they do manage to actually get some construction money for our kids, what do they do? The Belmont Learning Center!

After 31 years teaching in this district, the only thing I don’t understand is why a county or federal grand jury hasn’t been convened. Isn’t the misappropriation of public monies a felony anymore?

LOU COHAN

South Gate High School