Principals Trained to Be Visible

In response to your Sept. 1 editorial, “Principals’ New Principles,” I must say that this is not new. As a former LAUSD principal, my colleagues and I were trained to be visible--not only in the classrooms, but on the yard, at the dismissal gate, in the community, etc. We knew the importance of the principal’s presence and influence. It took hard work and creativity to make it happen, but those of us who were successful managed to get it done.

Many principals in many districts are still making themselves visible and available--I’d stake my reputation on it.

Melba F. Coleman

Culver City

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Los Angeles Unified School District Supt. Roy Romer has recognized that most school principals have little instructional experience. It is apparent that most of them are too busy to supervise instruction and don’t consider it part of their job to do so even if they are competent to do so.

Yet experienced teachers in the district are consistently treated as if they have no expertise and are generally disrespected and disregarded by an “ivory tower” administrative bureaucracy. Unrealistic and even idiotic remedies are periodically unveiled by well-meaning administrators who haven’t taught a class in years and who consider any suggestion that they do so below their status.

Romer should require that principals not only visit the classrooms but that they also teach a class once in a while. This would get rid of many of the absurd policies and programs foisted upon teachers by office-bound administrators.

Dan Hennessy

Teacher

Virgil Middle School

Arcadia

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I heartily agree with your editorial on the real job of principals. But I am shocked by the million-dollar contract with a Pittsburgh outfit to teach Los Angeles principals what to do.

There are dozens of experienced and successful retired principals here and now who can help new ones. And we would work for much less. I was a principal who hardly ever did any paperwork while school was in session. There was always plenty happening on the campus and in the classrooms for the principal’s attention.

Nathan Kravetz

Sherman Oaks