SCHOOLS: Be strong, trustees

I taught middle grades math (40 years) in Syracuse, San Diego, Los Angeles (mostly inner-city). Key: The best (and good) principals (all levels) are worth more than their weight in gold. They should lead K-12 education.

My math text, 6th-9th grade: basically Prentice-Hall (as in CDA). Then I found Eisenhower-funded College Prep math (CPM) while teaching in LA. Not for everyone? What a difference! Won’t you reconsider it, Mr. Handelman?

Ms. Hazel? After she “finagled” her way to replace the last (outgoing) board president; and then had to be removed.

Core Standards? Mr. Handeen wrote that they originated in Washington, D.C. Not so. They’re in Prentice Hall and CPM. They’re goals — not mandates — all across the country. Our trustees should support them both for college and/or credential in another part of the country and vice-versa.

Most reports indicate what amounts to limited math literacy. Keep learning local is not the best policy for our board members to promote.

Strong trustees recognize bullying as a big (not policy-making) issue. Again: Principals can and should bear (with parents) responsibility for establishing and maintaining a school climate that demands/expects civility when any student comes to school with less.

Last: Get the pollsters, vote-counters, media to hold off on reporting partial or any “votes counted” until after the polls close at the end of election day, including the absentee votes.

STAN LITZ

Coeur d’Alene