Build New Schools on Existing Sites

* Re “District Weighs Evictions to Make Way for Schools,” Jan. 9: Allow me to provide the solution to this problem. Instead of creating even more animosity against the LAUSD (if that is even possible) by “evicting families from homes to create space for schools,” expand the high schools by building new state-of-the-art classroom buildings on the high school athletic fields. Make sure there are oversight committees to see to it that there are no cost overruns or wastes of money. Build them three stories high, plus a basement level to maximize space. When the new buildings are finished, tear down the obsolete buildings and put in a new athletic field.

I realize there are some people who would protest the loss of the athletic program for the two years or so to complete the construction, but that would be a small price to pay, and no one would be evicted, nor would it be necessary to build on toxic waste sites or other marginal land. Some intelligent planning could also extend this idea to the smaller sites at middle schools and elementary schools, since they also have large blacktop areas. Physical education teachers can figure out activities that do not demand large amounts of space (e.g., yoga, calisthenics), as do football, track and baseball fields.

Well, it was just an idea. Too bad the LAUSD won’t go for it, since it’s so much more fun to make students ride buses, to condemn homes and to build on toxic waste sites.

ABRAHAM HOFFMAN

Reseda

* Before we start kicking people out of their homes to make room for new schools, we should consider kicking all the illegal immigrants out of the schools to make room for the children of citizens and legal residents.

JACK BAILEY

Studio City