Roy Romer’s Remark

* Re “Crowded Campuses Stress Students,” Sept. 25: You can bet that if the L.A. Unified School District’s offices were as crowded and unpleasant as some of its campuses seem to be, Supt. Roy Romer wouldn’t be as flippant and dismissive as he is about students’ complaints. He seems to forget who the employee is in this situation.

I applaud Shari Jones and her fellow students who are able to rise above this mess and still learn something. Life indeed “doesn’t come at you easy,” and we do have to “buckle down and work harder.” Since this is an emergency situation that can’t wait for the district’s six-year plan, may I suggest that Romer and his associates stop wagging their fingers at students (who are mostly misinterpreted or ignored) and the teachers (overworked and scapegoated) and hunker down to resolve the problem. He can start by living out his own platitudes. Jones seems to be willing to do that.

CHARLES CARNEY

Los Angeles

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It would behoove Romer to spend a week at Van Nuys High School immersing himself in the daily routine of an overcrowded city high school and to participate in waiting in line for bathroom facilities or lunch. While doing so, he can get to know the students for whom he is responsible. The experiences of such a week might just elicit a “whine” from him.

HELENE M. CAMERON

Counselor, LAUSD