By Send letters to editor Bruce Barton at the Town Crier, 138 Main St., Los Altos 94022, or e-mail:
Israel has nothing
to do with Iraq war
I write in response to Ray Kielhamer’s letter in last week’s Town Crier, wherein he remarks on “Israel cheering on” the United States in its war on Iraq. He should know that Israel has nothing to do with this war. In fact, the populace of Israel has had to prepare protection for its citizens against possible missiles, both chemical and biological, falling on its cities, as happened during the Gulf War in 1991. There never has been peace in the Middle East, and there may well never be, with or without Israel. Let’s not bring them into this one.
Shirley Twersky
Los Altos Hills
Charter school doesn’t
make financial sense
I have just read your latest article on the Bullis Charter School effort, and I believe that it presents the charter in a light that does not accurately portray the impact to the district.
The charter petition was clearly initiated because of the Los Altos School District’s decision to close Bullis-Purissima School.
The charter organizers would have us believe that the charter would not cause any harm to the educational programs at the remaining eight district schools.
The charter would not create any new income for operating these eight schools. Any grants available for the charter would not help to support the remaining eight district schools, but the dollars provided for each of the 155 children proposed for next year and the 310 after that would come out of the district budget. The cost to operate the eight district facilities is fixed, and reduction in the number of teachers would not net 100 percent of the loss.
The district would be required to close yet another elementary school, increasing the schools to an average of 600 children and requiring extensive redrawing of boundaries. Which elementary school would the charter organizers propose closing?
This charter does not support the goals of the Charter Schools Act to serve academically low achieving children and improve pupil learning. The Los Altos School District provides an exceptional education for 4,000 children and is the top-performing district in the state. The charter documents indicate that preference would be given first to the children of “founding” families, second to children of employees, third to children within the former Bullis boundaries, fourth to children in the city of Los Altos Hills, including those from outside of LASD.
Effectively, the charter would serve an elite group of children to the detriment of the other children in the district. Even if the full attendance goal is achieved, the charter will serve only about 300 children.
Tamara Logan
Los Altos
To those involved
in charter issue
I attended last week’s school board meeting, where the Bullis Charter School group publicly presented its petition.
To the Bullis Charter Group: Your goal is to create a social nexus and a community- public school partnership that enriches both. While perhaps conceived when the Board decided to close Bullis, the concept has grown and the vision is now both quaint and noble. You are operating within the law, conducting yourself gracefully and responsibly. Whether or not people support with your vision, they should support the positive civic role models you present.
To the LASD Parents: You clearly have great energy and passion for your school district. You have adequately expressed your displeasure with the charter group, albeit by beseeching the board to disregard the law. Now is the time to turn your energy to some positive uses. If you are concerned about funding cuts, start researching and writing grants for your schools. Develop new fund-raisers that reach beyond the school community into new pockets. In short, turn your attention to building your community, not destroying someone else’s.
To the Teachers Union: Thank you for your concern about the welfare of the children who might attend the charter school. We recognize that you are career educators. You are not, however, the parents of these children. It is not your place to decide what type of school will best suit their needs.
To the School Board: It is time to put your house in order. I have spoken with scores of people over the last week, and every single one has expressed unmitigated disgust with your behavior. It is time to put your political savvy to use serving each of your constituents, not by setting fiefdom against fiefdom and not by defining “every” constituent as an average. Stop looking to blame and start looking to solve.
To All: The Bullis Charter School movement is not going away. Stop trying to control it and learn to productively coexist with it.
Anne Marie Gallagher
(No address given)
Masonic Lodge also
offers scholarship
You featured an article on the scholarships offered by the Rotary Club of Los Altos (March 19). These scholarships are available to local students who plan to continue their education. As stated, they are designed to “… encourage student participation in community service, reward intellectual excellence and provide needed financial assistance for further education.” I applaud you for giving this program your support.
I wonder, however, why you are not willing to give another similar scholarship program equal coverage in your paper. The Los Altos Masonic Lodge offers a scholarship of $1,000 to a student of Los Altos High School who is interested in public education. Students are encouraged to write a short essay on the subject, and the recipient is selected by the administration of the high school.
Is there some reason that you think the Rotary Club program is more important than the Masonic Lodge program?
Please look through your files and find the information already given to you. If you have discarded it, I am sure that the lodge (which is your next-door neighbor) will be happy to provide another copy.
W. Bruce Pruitt
Los Altos Hills
