Best for the children

Re “Closed doors, closed minds,” Editorial, Aug. 14

Your editorial regarding the school-choice measure that will be before the LAUSD board in late August missed the mark.

While you offer a sentence of support for the refreshing, pathbreaking proposal aimed at raising student achievement and offering families public school choices in the LAUSD, you curiously chose to spend ink and vitriol casting aspersions on the mayor’s participation in a single community meeting.

It is a good sign that the transformation of public education is a topic of thoughtful community conversation among so many who have been voiceless over the decades.

But if process is to be your focus, you ought to have cited what happened at several town halls in which opponents of this proposal were disruptive and where civic and civil dialogue could therefore not ensue.

“Same old politics” -- the stuffy phrase in your headline -- would be turning our backs on creating excellence and accountability in our schools and shutting out innovative school operators, not holding civilized discussions about what’s best for the future of our children.

Robin Kramer

Los Angeles

The writer is the chief of staff for Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.