Stop Slamming Public Schools

* Letter writer John B. Mullins (Nov. 26) would like to place the entire blame for unprepared students on teachers unions, academic tenure and social promotion. His letter is long on opinions but very short on logic and facts.

According to a study published in the fall, a very high percentage of students from Mater Dei and Santa Margarita, two private high schools, require remediation in the state universities.

In fact, the percentage of the schools’ graduates needing remedial college classes is among the highest in the county. Their teachers are not represented by a union. I doubt strongly if they have academic tenure or back social promotion. So what is Mullins’ next explanation?

Students who want a great high school education need look no farther than the nearest public school. If they come with a productive attitude and parents who insist that they attend and study, they will succeed.

I teach at Ocean View High School in Huntington Beach, where the student body is diverse ethnically and economically. Nevertheless, we had eight National Merit Scholars and two National Advanced Placement Scholars. The percentage of our graduates who need remediation at state universities is lower than those of Mater Dei and Santa Margarita.

So Mullins should stop slamming the public schools. Everyone wants to improve education, but attacking and slandering public schools will not help.

BILL BOEHLERT

Huntington Beach