Letters: A ‘parent trigger’ misfire

Re “Principal’s ouster roils Watts campus,” May 25

It’s shocking that a group of parents, apparently with no knowledge of anything related to effective leadership in turning around underachieving schools, has the nerve to fire a principal who has reached the children in so many different ways.

I am not a teacher, but as a child I attended a school in a low-income neighborhood in Brooklyn, and it was because of people like Principal Irma Cobian of Weigand Elementary School in Watts that I was able to earn undergraduate and graduate degrees. I am a retired university counselor who worked with young people from the inner city. We did what wasn’t done for them in their neighborhood schools because they were not fortunate enough to have a principal like Cobian.

The idea of a “parent trigger” law under which parents can force out staff is lunacy. Cobian is a shining light, and needy students elsewhere will be well served by her. All the best to her.

Lydia Eagle-Kaplan

Oxnard

The idea of the parent trigger is a good one. But, as with all good ideas, it can be distorted and can operate against the best interests of the parents and their children.

At Weigand, the parent trigger was not used appropriately. When a talented and dedicated principal is removed from a needy school because a majority of parents voted for it, we need to know how the parents have been influenced.

In low-income neighborhoods, parents often work long hours. They want the best for their children, but getting to school to observe operations on the campus is often impossible. We wonder how the parents came to this decision and who influenced them.

Teachers often complain about the administration, but in this case, the teachers backed the principal by a huge majority and many asked to be transferred in protest.

The parent trigger must not be abused by “outside” interests that have their own agenda.

Laurie Sale

Pacific Palisades

ALSO:

Letters: Race and presidential talk

Letters: The IRS -- what’s not to like?

Letters: Getting everyone to buy insurance