By Bob Harris
Like the Times-Ledger there was page after page of stories about the schools, the police department and code enforcement in Los Angeles. We in New York City have the same concerns with safety and the state of the school as the people do in Los Angeles.
One article in the LA Times focused on the difficulty of building schools in the downtown area due to environmental problems with the sites. We have also had the problem of pollution in former industrial sites where we have tried to build schools.
Like New York City, Los Angeles has a new schools leader. He is former Colorado Gov. Roy Romer, and he has been on the job six months. The LA Weekly devoted five pages to Romer's views of his job, then had a panel of teachers evaluate his views. Incidentally, former New York City schools head Raymond Cortines, was the interim superintendent prior to Romer's arrival. Cortines had broken the system down to decrease decentralization.
The article discusses issues such as improving instruction, helping new teachers teach, finding space for new schools, developing new techniques to help failing students learn, overcrowding, improving teacher morale, and the need of supplies. Superintendent Romer talked about a program called Open Court which is a teach-by-the book phonics program in which nearly every minute of instruction is standardized and mandated. This seems like a way of dealing with inexperienced and uncertified teachers. Will this be the way of the future when the current teachers retire?
There was also an article by a uncredentialed third-grade teacher who was hired in 1997. She felt “the kids are great,” but she was overwhelmed. She had the problem of learning what to do, obtaining supplies (sometimes she just buys them herself, retail), fitting into the mold of the school, and helping the children who have problems.
There were, of course, several articles about the Los Angeles Police Department. It seems that there was a scandal in the Rampart Division. Police were found falsifying evidence against people who were then sent to prison. A special study from the Rampart Independent Review Panel criticized the mayor who does say he will carry out the reforms even though it will take money away from services.
Another article deals with low police morale. Some police were just convicted of lying and conspiracy in the Rampart scandal. The LAPD officials was being criticized for not reforming the system. The feds are looking at them, there is a 25 percent increase in murders and violent crime in LA, and some police complain they are being restricted in stopping crimes from happening. Sounds like our problems.
Another article carries the headline, City Revises Code Enforcement but Adds No Staff. It describes a backlog of apartment inspections. It seems that lax enforcement of building violations has led to fire hazards, rodent infestation and trash problems in some neighborhoods. In New York, officials addressed the problem by letting licensed builders do “self certification.” Any comments on this policy?
Good and Bad News of the Week
Over the years I have written about the proposal to use several acres of land on the Rockaway peninsula. This is the largest site of undeveloped land on the Eastern Seaboard. The summer houses there were torn down 30 years ago in a failed development scheme. Borough President Claire Shulman has been negotiating with Canadian developers to build a giant sports complex, Technodome, which would have created jobs and tax revenues. The idea did not work out. There are now plans to build some housing on part of the site. Hopefully, something will be done soon after 30 years of lost revenues.
