Throwing Money at Schools’ Problems

Re “Stinky Toilets, and, Maybe Worse, Stinky Grammar,” Commentary, June 7: Money will not bring clean bathrooms, correct grammar usage and a safe learning environment. It is not money these teachers and kids are lacking; it is values. We must change the attitudes and behavior, which unfortunately no amount of funding is capable of doing, in order to see parents, teachers and children who care how their schools look, who take pride in learning and have the willingness to work hard and strive toward these goals by taking on these tasks themselves.

The Mother Teresas of this world do not have an abundance of money, but it is the “wealth” of their values that have brought and continue to bring about incredible changes. We must change hearts and minds before we change the size of the bank account.

Timmy Chandler

Yorba Linda

*

I have been a special education teacher of hearing-impaired children with the L.A. Unified School District for 18 years. These children need intensive remediation to help them reach grade-level standards. Because of budget cuts, my class this summer will be made up of seven preschoolers (three of whom are in diapers) and eight elementary students (second through fifth grade). Think I’ll be helping them reach their academic goals? God knows, I’ll try.

Maribeth Doherty

Redondo Beach