Letters: Good parents, good students

Re “Report: Gaps in learning start early,” Feb. 26

What prevents children from becoming “throwaway kids”? Wait for it: “Responsible parents” from conception. Period. End of story.

No studies necessary.

Joel Anderson
Studio City

Isn’t it possible that a large part of this burden belongs to the parents of these lagging children?

Is calling for strong intervention from Los Angeles County schools the answer?

It has been shown that the single most important element in children’s educational success is the amount of time and effort their parents are willing to put in.

Parents who believe the entire responsibility for their children’s education belongs in the hands of the schools are parents whose children, no matter which school they attend, will not do as well. Rand Corp.’s finding that books are not commonplace in the homes is telling. This is where intervention must begin.

Bonnie Sanders
Malibu

Parents of children in underachieving schools should be required to attend school sessions in which they are taught that reading and homework are more important than watching TV and playing video games.

Parents, not schools, are primarily responsible for their children’s education.

Robert H. Dahl
Los Angeles

I am firmly in the camp that believes early childhood education must be thought of as nothing less than compulsory education.

But high-quality early childhood education services are not cheap. Just ask any parent desperately searching for a preschool that has excellent, highly trained and caring teachers, and good facilities.

Quality programs enable parents to go to work and know that their child will be taught well and cared for.

We cannot allow high-quality programs to be accessible only to those families wealthy enough to afford them.

There can’t be a more pressing issue for me and my colleagues in the

California Legislative Black Caucus than closing the achievement gap experienced by African American children.

They are a crucial component to the future of this great state.

Holly J. Mitchell
Los Angeles
The writer is a member of the Assembly and the California Legislative Black Caucus.

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