A lesson in reality

Re “Slow progress on college prep goal,” Aug. 13

The A-G program, instituted by the Los Angeles school board to make university prep classes standard by 2012, came about because of political, not educational, pressure. Thus, it has never taken into account the less politically correct realities of student motivation.

Yes, there are many minority students who want to succeed in academic classes and go to college, but there are also many who don’t. Mandatory A-G classes will be filled with hundreds of students who come late to class, lose their books and don’t study.

Senior Deputy Supt. Ramon Cortines gives us a much-needed reality check when he says that “the goal is not to have 9th-grade students programmed in college prep courses. Success is the goal for students.” The A-G program needs more than anything else a focus on the students.

Doug Lasken

Woodland Hills

The writer is a teacher at Taft High School.