Ambassador Site Could Teach Students History

Re “Coalition Argues for Ambassador Hotel,” April 2: As a history teacher I feel the need to comment on the L.A. Unified School District’s plans to use the Ambassador Hotel as a campus. The overriding priorities seem to be to save money and time on whatever destruction/construction plan is adopted. These priorities, I admit, are pragmatic. The schools in the area are extremely overcrowded, and hundreds are bused each morning to other parts of the city.

But no price tag or timetable can compete with the value of understanding and appreciating history. The LAUSD is considering erasing a little bit more of what was old Los Angeles. The cheaper solution of destroying the hotel would give seats to students faster. Too bad that the school system that provided those seats devalues the more historical perspective. This is the school system that seems to have forgotten that an educated person is more than someone who can get a high score on reading and math tests and that education includes valuing important aspects of culture such as art, architecture and history.

Dan Hennessy

Arcadia