LAUSD Video Controversy

Re “$712,500 Video Fiasco Puts District on Spot,” Nov. 22: The anger, disgust and annoyance I experienced upon reading this article can best be channeled into questions regarding the LAUSD:

How much of LAUSD’s $6.6-billion budget is managed in the same careless, possibly illegal manner, with no planning, no oversight, no line of responsibility and no benefit to any students?

If The Times doesn’t discover and publish such shady district deals, then how in the world is the public going to know what is happening to its tax money?

How many teachers could the district have hired with the squandered $712,500?

Are there more hidden fiascoes that ousted auditor Wajeeh Ersheid had suspicions about before he was fired?

How many district administrators see no problems connected with this video fiasco?

How many fiascoes does it take to perpetuate low test scores in the LAUSD?

ULA PENDLETON

Los Angeles

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In the editorial (Nov. 24) about the money supposedly used for educational videos, you stated, “The family connection of Patricia Marshall, the now-retired head of the LAUSD television station who originally agreed to the video deal, and her brother, Ron Prescott, who at that time handled state government relations, probably has no bearing on this matter.”

I had to read that sentence over several times. Let me get this straight: Marshall was the head of the school station that originally agreed to the deal and her brother had some advisory capacity on the matter, yet no one is investigating Marshall or her brother? Why has this “no bearing”? Wouldn’t Marshall know more about this subject than anyone? I’m not making any accusations, but don’t you think we owe it to our children to at least investigate the obvious?

JERRY W. NOBLE

Santa Monica