Letter to the Editor: WHAT’S WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE?

Letter to the LA Times

Re "Principal replaced at arts school," July 13

July 19, 2010 - I am stunned by the news of Central Los Angeles High School #9 principal Suzanne Blake's firing. It shows why this arts school, and the arts in general, will fail in the Los Angeles Unified School District.

 < principal Suzanne Blake/photo SaveBlake.com

The students at the school have already garnered numerous awards and achievements and put on extraordinary feats of artistic merit. They love the school and the superior education they are receiving. But all Supt. Ramon C. Cortines and school board president Monica Garcia care about is a "disastrous" accreditation visit — one the school aced with flying colors on the second visit.

Shame on Cortines for "supporting" Blake and then hiring someone to come in and do his dirty work. Shame on Garcia for mugging for the cameras when the school opened, then stabbing Blake in the back when the cameras stopped rolling. Shame on a few teachers and the union president for sabotaging a school where a large majority of the faculty loved their jobs and worked hard for their leader.

Blake deserved better, and the school is worse off without her.

Scott Burstein

Los Angeles

The writer, a music teacher, has volunteered at Central Los Angeles High School #9.