Dual-pane windows become a pain

Regarding Will Rogers’ recent column, I’d like some answers from

Chief Facilities and Development Supt. Ali Kiafar and architect John

Thomas about the decision to install single-pane windows at Burbank

High School and John Muir Middle School.

According to Rogers, Thomas says he never uses dual-pane windows

in his designs, and isn’t familiar with them as a product.

Is this man really an architect? Does he have a license? Does

Thomas realize this is 2003? Has he paid attention during the past

two years of energy shortages and skyrocketing utility rates?

Dual-pane windows are as common as ATM cards and barcode scanners.

They are a proven technology. Thomas’ negligence is shocking.

We pay people like Thomas and Kiafar to be knowledgeable about

selecting and utilizing current technologies in their designs. It is

their job. We expect our school board members to do their homework,

to ask questions and make intelligent decisions based on the answers

they receive.

Instead, we get excuses and political platitudes and long

discussions that conclude with Elena Hubbell saying things like,

“What I’m hearing from you right now tells me the plans that we’ve

made are the best plans.” Well, Ms. Hubbell, speaking as someone who

actually knows what a dual-pane window is, I have to say the plans

you have made are incompetent, as are the “experts” you choose to

consult with. In the long run, your reliance on air conditioning is

both costly and environmentally deplorable. You should know better.

I am embarrassed by all of you, and worried about my children’s

future in this school district. You are supposed to be part of our

system of checks and balances, but you continually make bad decisions

without soliciting qualified advice. Who protects the parents of

Burbank from you? How much money has your incompetence sapped from

our classrooms, where it is now needed more desperately than ever?

Trish Burnett exemplified this attitude when she said, “Somebody

told me the city didn’t use dual-glazed windows in the new Buena

Vista Library ... and I was thinking this would make perfect sense if

they didn’t.”

Well they did, Ms. Burnett. And like so many of our school board’s

decisions, this one makes no sense at all.

DERRICK KOLUS

Burbank