Differing on diversity

Re “Diversity 90210,” editorial, April 7

Beverly Hills High School’s ethnic makeup reflects the residents of the surrounding neighborhood. The same is true of schools in East L.A., South L.A. and Monterey Park, yet I have never heard of a need to diversify any of those schools.

Forced diversity seems like a great idea, but it doesn’t work. Most children and adults alike tend to form cliques with those of the same culture.

Just as wonderful neighborhood enclaves of certain ethnic groups naturally form and exist in almost every major American city, so they will within the microcosm of a school campus. It’s great to live and learn in a diverse environment, but it’s futile to force the issue at Beverly Hills High or any other school. There are more important things every school district could be concentrating effort and money on, such as teaching students life skills, improving campus safety and lowering dropout rates, to name a few.

JESSICA SACKMAN

Los Angeles

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I always applaud good public policy, to which your editorial seems to contribute. But The Times’ editors need to bone up on the Constitution, because it prohibits public policy that takes race into account, even when beneficial, like this Beverly Hills school integration program. The 14th Amendment clearly states: “[N]or shall any state ... deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.”

Apparently The Times wants to take a shortcut and hurry up the natural process of desegregation and integration in our schools and in society, which is a laudable goal. But our Constitution prohibits Beverly Hills High School’s program that favors some people, because of their race, over others.

OR-LI WALLACE

Canyon Country

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Your curious complaints about the disproportionate number of Asians earning diversity permits to Beverly Hills High School are not only deliciously ironic, but also proof positive that liberals are incapable of being truly colorblind.

Truly colorblind Americans, regardless of race, fail to see any need for your call to ensure racial balance in our schools. The majority of Americans would love to live in a society that isn’t racially polarized but, sadly, The Times and its liberal brethren won’t let us.

LEONARD PENZO

Chino Hills