Legal challenge to schools plan is a shame

Re “Heated Court Fight Seen on Schools,” Sept. 25

This article about the expected legal battle between Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and the board of the Los Angeles Unified School District leaves out one important fact. Contrary to what many believe, mayoral control of school districts in California is not unprecedented. From 1897 to 1971, the mayor of San Francisco appointed the members of the school board and held de facto control over the education policy in that city. Mayoral control ended in 1971 when voters approved a referendum that was a protest against efforts by the appointed board to desegregate the city’s schools.

While I had hoped that the legislation recently signed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger would have provided stronger mayoral control in L.A., it would be a travesty to have the mayor’s efforts stalled or undermined by a legal challenge.

Despite our differences over the degree of control the mayor should have over our city’s schools, I am hopeful that Villaraigosa will succeed in achieving a goal upon which many of us in Los Angeles can agree: an improved public school system that successfully educates every child for college, work and productive citizenship. Our city and our students deserve no less.

ELI BROAD

Los Angeles