Not pleased with existing school standards in CVUSD

The letters that appear in these pages as they pertain to the administration of our schools and the conduct of the education of our children raise many emotions within me that are both tragic and comic.

While so very few attempt to provide some clarity, most fall clearly in support of their personal agenda or favorite candidate without consideration of the larger picture: What is the quality of the education that is being delivered in our schools? Put another way, are we given a "product" worthy of its ever-increasing price tag? I think not. Perhaps a real, personal anecdote may help to illustrate.

As the father of a student at Westlake High School who was experiencing difficulties, I became concerned that my student was getting the same high grade regardless of the quality of work that was turned in to the teacher. I asked for and received copies of my student's work and found that the work was below par.

This particular assignment wasn't of sufficient length, wasn't grammatically correct and should not have received a "C" grade much less the "A" that it did earn. I asked for a meeting with the teacher to discuss this and was told by an assistant principal to submit a list of specific questions before the meeting that I wanted to ask this teacher.

I refused and also requested that the teacher be prepared to discuss in broad terms, with all other identifiable student information removed, how many students receive A, B, C or D grades and why this teacher would assign an A grade to a paper that was barely literate.

For those who think that Westlake is this paradigm of excellence, hold on tight. The teacher said that he didn't care about grammar or content, that the paper was "okay" and he just wanted to get the students writing. And as for my simple question about grade distribution, the assistant principal wouldn't let this teacher even answer the question.

Horrified, I sent a letter to the school board.

And that august body we elect to oversee the schools, represent us and our children and be certain that all is right and just within the CVUSD? That's right. Not a word or even a peep.

I hope this brief anecdote was informative, because whatever your perspective or view there's clearly something terribly wrong with our educational system. A recent report showed a large increase in the numbers of students enrolled in remedial math and English classes in our state's colleges and universities.

The national media constantly report on school failures to properly educate our children and how, in the last few years, economic perspective, we have lagged behind the world in basic scientific research.

While change at the national level will come at a glacial pace, we can effect change locally more quickly.

The only question left is when will we, the body politic, demand that the status quo be eliminated and replaced with responsive, true professionals? Paul Kessler Thousand Oaks