No Shortage of Role Models at Garfield High

Re “Garfield High Teachers Say They Can Deliver Again,” July 18: The use of role models to emulate and be inspired by is vital to anyone seeking success, whether in music and the arts, sports, the sciences, business or education. The present brain trust at Garfield High would do well to emulate the man who was principal of Garfield during its glory years in the ‘80s and was even more responsible, in my opinion, for the overall success and positive climate at the school at that time than the more famous Jaime Escalante: Principal Henry Gradillas.

In my 20 years with LAUSD, Gradillas was the finest principal I ever saw. He was a bit of a maverick. To the current Garfield administration: Imitate Gradillas and you can’t go wrong.

Don Lockman

North Hollywood