LAUSD Parents Must Demand Smaller Classes

I teach in the L.A. Unified School District and have for 20 years. This year the school board and Supt. Roy Romer raised class size by two students per academic class. That increase in class size--along with all the other district guidelines and foibles--has resulted in the following at my school: All academic classes will have 40 to 41 students. This is the number that the board and Romer can live with. How can any teacher teach 41 students effectively?

The LAUSD saved $70 million by raising class size, then found $228 million and called that good management. Here is the point: The only way that class size will be lowered is by parents demanding it. If parents are not calling and e-mailing their elected officials every day, then class size will never change.

Jay Gussin

Valencia