LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: The value of adult education

15 March 2012 | Re "L.A. adult education classes are threatened," March 11

LA Times | http://lat.ms/zd2ft6

The adult education programs have been fundamental in educating so many students, from the English as a second language classes as well as those earning a high school diploma after having dropped out of school but finding their way back. Adult education is as much about recommitting to education as it is about academic performance

My late mother taught ESL at the San Pedro Adult Learning Center. Some of her best students were immigrants working toward becoming citizens, enrolled because they chose to be, sacrificing much as they worked by day and attended classes at night.

Education is our

best hope to promote a constructive and aware society, and to inspire individuals.

A common language unites us all and is vital to progress. To abolish the adult education programs would be a blow to our American values.

Stephanie Mardesich
San Pedro

Can it be true that L.A. Unified is planning to "eliminate thousands of jobs, close all district adult schools and cut some after-school and arts programs"? I like to pay taxes for these programs, but I guess others don't.

Could it be that the rich really don't want others to be educated so they'll have a cheap and ignorant workforce?

Cheryl Clark
Long Beach

L.A. Unified proposes closing its adult education schools, which have a budget of a few million dollars but that have

measurable benefits in

all areas.

At the same time, the district has no problem spending millions to replace all the staff at Miramonte Elementary School — for no demonstrable benefit other than to divert attention from the sex-abuse scandal.

The L.A. community should be outraged that adult ed funds and all the thousands of lives they benefit are being sacrificed by district officials who value public relations over education.

Robin Hill
Mar Vista

Could the needed millions of dollars be made up by disbanding the L.A. Unified School District?

What's worse — the loss of hundreds of jobs for bureaucrats or the loss to several hundred thousand students who need the adult education programs they are receiving to become functioning members of society?

If the district and, for that matter, the City Council cannot come up with the money to continue these programs, then they no longer are qualified to run our education system.

Jerry Beigel
Los Angeles