The school year starts when?
Re “Schools will start closer to Labor Day,” Sept 21
Once again the LAUSD Board has made what I believe to be an irrational decision based on misinformed input from a small group of parents.
This is Los Angeles: it’s hot in August, it’s hot in
September, it’s hot in June.
Starting school earlier allowed students to finish final exams before winter break and gave high school students more academic time before Advanced Placement exams.
It also allowed for a few more vacation days during the busy Thanksgiving and winter holidays.
And now, in a misguided attempt to compromise between the best interest of students and the demands of parents who don’t want to change their vacation plans, school will still start before Labor Day, will end further into June, and there will be fewer vacation days throughout the year. Jason Harley
Los Angeles
For more than 35 years, I’ve taught in Los Angeles Unified School District. Before then, I was a student here.
I’m frustrated and disappointed with LAUSD’s decision to again change the school calendar to start closer to Labor Day.
For some, this change seems minor, but it speaks to a larger trend in education that keeps me up at night.
This decision places high school students at a disadvantage because they will have less time to prepare to get into the college of their choice.
Also, just last year LAUSD surveyed teachers like me regarding the school calendar — and those results showed that teachers preferred an earlier start date.
Our voices were not heard. Linda Hoffman
Los Angeles
The quality of LAUSD students’ education critically depends on when the school year begins: delaying the school year to begin later in September avoids the duration of school days spent in excessively high temperatures, thus providing a more comfortable environment for students for learning.
As a former LAUSD student who suffered hot temperatures during physical education, I believe LAUSD should avoid subjecting children to dangerous heat. Dominique Durso
Porter Ranch