LAUSD Readily Excuses Absences

Sad to say, but the experience of the teachers at Pacific Palisades Charter High School in failing to obtain support for an attendance policy (March 12-13) is the rule in the LAUSD, rather than the exception. At my school, we found it impossible to maintain an even more lenient standard (students could miss up to 15 days per semester) in the face of constant bureaucratic assault and administrative appeasement.

While the vast majority of parents and teachers supported the policy, implementation of it was constantly challenged (and ultimately thwarted) by district bureaucrats who, it was made clear, were tired of hearing complaints from the parents of the kids who were forced to retake classes.

The ultimate demise of our minimal standard was the perfect ending to an LAUSD saga: We were told that the reorganization of the district into mini-districts included shutting down the office downtown that was responsible for handling waivers from local school sites--and, in the process of moving, all such waivers were lost. Therefore, we were told that continuing our policy would be illegal and a violation of student rights.

Aaron Bruhnke

Teacher, San Pedro High School

*

Regarding whether teachers may flunk students for too many unexcused absences (“LAUSD Flunks Good Sense,” editorial, March 13): You praise the Accelerated School in South-Central L.A. for not allowing students to return to the school the following year for excessive absences or tardies.

Where will these students wind up? At traditional schools, whose teachers you will call incompetent in your next editorial, when these same chronically absent students contribute to the lowering of these schools’ standardized test scores.

Carol May

Los Angeles