To the editor: In this article (“Hundreds of thousands fewer students, but few closed schools. Can LAUSD make the math work?” Aug. 28), L.A. schools Supt. Alberto Carvalho is cited as saying that the district could “save money by closing underused buildings.” Carvalho says that would be a last resort, but the article doesn’t offer much in the way of finding uses for unused classrooms.
I would like to present an option that was in place when my children were youngsters in the Redondo Beach Unified School District in the early 1970s. At the time, Redondo Beach schools were experiencing unused classroom space as the 1950s population boom grew up. Some forward-thinking folks designed and implemented a before- and after-school care program where working/student parents (mostly single mothers) could drop off their children. My children were participants at Tulita School, open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. The day-care staff saw them to and from their classrooms. Additional programs during day care included walks to the beach, ballet classes, boat building, caring for animals, etc. The day care was available full-time when school was not in session.
I’ve wondered for decades why that program went away, but now seems like a good time to revisit it L.A.-area wide. Even more than what to do with excess real estate, it would help solve the bigger dilemma: lack of affordable child care.
Chris Beckmeyer, Lake Stevens, Wash.