Teachers Know Best; Let Them Lead Schools

I had to shake my head in disbelief after reading “Teachers Union Wins Back the Power in L.A. Schools” (March 6). It is a real stretch to call the previous school board “reform-minded,” unless you consider that privatizing, creating more high-paid downtown administrators by creating mini-districts and telling the teachers the district has no money for raises is “reform.” The district then bought a white elephant as its new headquarters and had to repair the upper floors because of faulty construction.

Most of us think that teachers and students, at schools, are the key people in education. Just because two billionaires want to control the schools, that’s not reform. As mayor, Richard Riordan didn’t do much for children until his last three months in office, when he fixed up some playgrounds.

Stan Gordon

Canoga Park

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How have the children “been cheated,” as Riordan says, when the people who know the schools best (teachers) are now in control of the school board? Limiting class size so that students can get proper attention and wanting a decent salary for an important and difficult job are valid concerns. Teachers probably care more than anyone about giving children a good education, so why shouldn’t they be making some of the decisions?

Kristen Abraham

Los Angeles