Letters: Teachers hold keys to school reform

Re “Views on schools offer a study in contrasts,” March 3

Add L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and his eventual successor to the list of leaders whose impact on education reform is negligible. For the record, the list includes the president and Congress, the governor and Legislature, and the Los Angeles Unified School District, the school board and the teachers union.

We’ll improve our schools only when we rely on those who make a tangible impact on students’ daily lives: teachers and families. Fact is, teachers know better than politicians. We know that real learning happens when class sizes are small and we have the time and resources to give meaningful feedback, to get to know students personally and to differentiate constantly.

All this talk of test scores, teacher evaluations, charter schools and “parent triggers”? Meaningless. Former school board member David Tokofsky is right: It’s all politics. Cut our class sizes in half and rescind our pink slips. Then we’ll show you reform.

John Slavin

Venice

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