Remedial Courses Are More Equitable

In his attempt to “level” the playing field for the underrepresented ethnic group, Norman Matloff (Commentary, May 16) proposes to eliminate using the extra grade point from high school advanced placement courses in University of California admission criteria. Unfortunately, he failed to recognize that the ability to handle AP courses is a clear indication that such students are able to face the challenge demanded in a research-oriented institution such as the UC. A more equitable system is to offer remedial courses for those who did not have the opportunity to take such courses in the poorer districts. Such remedial courses can be offered either after school or during summer vacation.

More important, one must realize that the three-tier higher education system we have in California provides equal opportunity for all high school graduates. It is up to the individual to qualify at each level, always on a fair and competitive basis. There is no reason why skin color needs to be included as the primary concern.

Lester H. Lee

San Jose

Matloff wants to penalize high school students who take AP courses by not giving them the extra grade point for C grades and above to make life more fair for students whose schools do not offer AP courses. He states that 20% of California high schools offer only one or no AP courses, that these schools serve mostly non-Asian and nonwhite students and therefore Latino and and black students can’t get into UC schools as easily. In the name of diversity, let us punish the other 80%! Granted, there are AP courses offered that are not taught at college level, and school districts must monitor and correct this. An easy AP course must be an oxymoron or students and the system are cheated. But there is a much simpler solution that the UC is already undertaking: Only give the extra grade point to students who pass the AP exams in May.

Are we to tell a 10th-grader who is taking AP European history, working as hard as he will in his academic career, that his A is equal to another student’s A in a much less demanding history class? Not only is Matloff verging on racism and socialism to level the field, he is ignoring our excellent Cal State University and junior college system. Not everyone is meant to go, or should go, to a UC.

Matloff teaches computer science at UC Davis. Did he earn this position by hard work? So what? According to his own views, he should be paid the same as a junior college teacher who hasn’t had a chance to teach at a UC.

Steven L. Randall

Yucaipa