Who should run the schools?

Re “Charters get an unsatisfactory grade,” Opinion,

Aug. 11

I have been following with great interest the many issues related to our public schools in Los Angeles and elsewhere, as both a retired teacher and a grandmother. Diane Ravitch, in her thoughtful and well-researched Times Op-Ed article, says it all.

The public school system has served our country well. I believe it should be improved and preserved. I hope our Los Angeles Unified School District Board pays attention to the research Ravitch discusses before it gives away our schools to private enterprise.

Zita Gluskin

Sherman Oaks

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Writing from New York, Ravitch fails to understand the success of the California and Los Angeles charter school movement. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan recently praised the state’s charter schools for leading the nation in embracing real accountability.

In Los Angeles, more than 70% of L.A. Unified charter schools outperform their nearby district schools. Many charter schools in L.A. are consistently generating unprecedented levels of academic success, with parents desperate to get their children into them. The school board is considering a bold proposal that ensures that high-quality programs can expand to meet this demand.

With charter schools opening up doors of opportunity for L.A. students, they should be a part of this solution. How many thousands of students need to languish on charter school waiting lists before Ravitch and the education establishment recognize that parents demand public-school choice?

Jed Wallace

Sacramento

The writer is chief executive of the California Charter Schools Assn.