They never learn

Re “A rocky freshman year,” editorial, Nov. 14

The Times discusses the relative lack of success achieved this last year by Los Angeles Unified School District Supt. David L. Brewer. Realistically, this is not unexpected. After all, how much experience with public education does a Navy admiral have? It seems that the Board of Education is more interested in prestigious individuals to head our schools than professional educators. The same can be said of former Supt. Roy Romer, who was a fine governor of Colorado.

It is time we began to select educators to head our school system, as was the practice in the past. But who selects the superintendent? The Board of Education. And who is on the board? Actually, anyone who can get elected; qualifications in the field of education are not a requirement to run. So where is our needed professional leadership?

Sanford Rothman

Los Angeles

Your editorial is right on target. Substantial change did not happen with Romer and will not happen with Brewer. You listed most of the reasons: school board politics, racial politics, entrenched bureaucrats and union intransigence. I would add a ratio of non-teaching to teaching employees much higher than any other developed country’s school system.

The disappointing part of the editorial is that you merely hope for change and wish Brewer more focus. Nobody is listening. LAUSD leaders don’t have to listen because they have a virtual monopoly. General Motors didn’t change until Toyota came along; the U.S. Postal Service didn’t change until FedEx came along. Your feeble hopes will leave another generation of students badly shortchanged.

Real change will happen when parents have choice. Imagine how the school board, bureaucrats and unions would listen if the state offered a refundable, means-tested tax credit for K-12 education. You would see more change in two years than would happen in the rest of my (and perhaps your) lifetime.

Steve Murray

Huntington Beach