School Closing Leaves a Void

UCLA Chancellor Charles E. Young is a man of his word. He told me and other representatives of the Friends of Fernald, in response to our entreaties to him to reverse his February, 1986, decision to close the Fernald School, that if he did not go forward with his decision to close the Fernald School, he could not at a later time close the Corinne E. Seeds University Elementary School.

Chancellor Young is also a good student. He has learned from his Fernald battle. The Friends of Fernald asked him to move the Fernald School to another location, rather than to close it; but he insisted on sticking to his decision to close the Fernald School. However, even though he won the war, the scars he bears from the battles have led him to adopt a different strategy with respect to UES.

Rather than follow his original plan of closing UES, he proposes to move it, an alternative he denied to the Fernald School. The demise of the Fernald School has left an unfilled void in the community’s ability to service the needs of children with learning disabilities. If UES is to be moved, UCLA should revive the Fernald School and move it also.

HAROLD FRIEDMAN

Los Angeles