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7/31/2019 Letters&Email--Beverly Hills Weekly, Issue #669
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/lettersemail-beverly-hills-weekly-issue-669 1/2
“What’s Next for Hawthorne?” [Issue
#668]
Hawthorne’s looming destruction involves
more than gutting beautiful, irreplaceable
buildings. It swings the wrecking ball atcommon sense, educational achievement,
and at the School Board’s integrity.
This is a project in search of a justifica-
tion. You’d think that safety issues would
be front and center. But unfortunately for
the knock ‘em sock ‘em building com-
mittee, Hawthorne is structurally sound.
Earlier, lack of storage space was floated
as trial balloon A in the why-are-we-doing-
this derby. Evidently, that cubby didn’t fly.
Flattening an entire school to add storage
space isn’t very sexy.
I can only imagine the brainstorming
sessions raging at district offices and at
architectural firms eager for a share of
the loot. The Weekly’s article listed the
following reasons: modifying classroomsto accommodate “21st century learning
communities,” moving bathrooms from the
wrong places to the right places, removing
an auditorium balcony inaccessible to non-
stair climbers, adding a gymnasium, relo-
cating the library to a more central spot, and
underground parking. To be helpful, I’ve
done a little brainstorming myself. How
about a movie theater? Giant video game
playrooms? A Viking theme park with Leif
Ericson boat rides?
The Board should be congratulated for
taking steps to fulfill its mission. According
to BHUSD’s new mission statement, each
student should be, “empowered to achieveacademic excellence.” How any elemen-
tary school student can achieve academic
excellence without underground parking is
beyond me.
BHUSD.org proclaims, “Nothing will
take precedence over the elementary through
secondary instructional program.” Well, one
school razing reason actually relates to aca-
demic excellence and instruction. But, it’s
detrimental to both. Learning communities
is code for a failed education reform for-
merly called student-centered learning. Like
Marxism and all edu-fads, student-centered
learning sounds great in theory, especially
to progressive teaching types. The trouble
is that it hasn’t worked anywhere in real-
ity. Hence the nuanced and brilliant name
change, kind of like canning global warm-
ing in favor of “climate change”. You
even say, “21st century learning comm
ties” in anything but hushed tones o
and respect.
At the risk of being sent to the princ
office, I’m going to chuck the pomp
and call student-centered learning b
real name. For one thing, it’s more acc
and descriptive. Student-centered lea
means that students learn primarily
each other; the teacher being relegat
the role of facilitator, or perhaps c
ing up on spider solitaire during
Student-centered philosophy also emb“discovery learning.” That is, students
sit around a circle taking turns readin
of a textbook and doing exercises. N
To learn about Boyle’s Law, they ne
discover Boyle’s Law from scratch
you might imagine, actual learning in
dent-centered learning is quite slow
happens at all. On the other hand, eve
involved ends up feeling really good
themselves. That, by the way, explains
student-centered learning is such a
lived edu-fad. The only thing that educ
find more amazing than feeling good
themselves is thinking that kids mig
feeling good about themselves.
So, in a nutshell (or a nut house, I’m
sure which), Hawthorne’s destruction
a) accomplish a series of follies like
venting able bodied people from sitti
the balcony because physically challe
people need to sit on ground level, b
likely send Hawthorne’s API scores i
kamikaze tailspin, c) breaks a prom
the taxpayers not to raise tax rates ahe
Page 2 • Beverly Hills Weekly
WHAT’S ON YOUR MIND?You can write us at:
140 South Beverly Drive #201
Beverly Hills, CA 90212
You can fax us at:
310.887.0789
email us at:
WeeklyBeverly Hills ALSO ONTHE WEB
www.bhweekly.com
SERVINGBEVERLYHILLS • BEVERLYWOOD • LOS ANGELES
Issue 668 • July 19 -July 25,2012
rudy cole •
Reality checks Page 6
briefs • New office buildingand parking
structure approvedat Spaldingand Wilshire Page 3
briefs • Boardof Educationpostpones
vote onhome lease withWoods Page 3
cover story • pages 8-9
What’s
Next for
Hawthorne?Board of Education to
consider the merits of historic preservationversus new construction
SNAPSHOT
letters
Inside Beverly Hills—BHTV10
Inside Beverly Hills, moderated by columnist Rudy Cole, will next air on July 26 at
3:30 p.m. and July 27 at 10 p.m. about the Rodeo Drive Committee; July 27 at 6:30
p.m. about Theatre 40; and July 30 at 8 p.m., July 31 at 6 p.m. and Aug. 1 at 5 p.m.
about Beverly Hills Theatre Guild.
;''*#9+54#'.
$FWFSMZ*JHIHSBEVBUF6JGGBOZ/BKEJQPVSSJHIUBOE5BNJOB#CHJOMFGUSFTUBGUFSBDBNFMSJEFUIFZUPPLEVSJOHUIFJS 6BHMJU$JSUISJHIUUSJQJO+TSBFM
Issue 669 • July 26 - August 1, 2012Beverly Hills Weekly Inc.
Founded: October 7, 1999 Published Thursdays
Delivered in Beverly HilIs, Beverlywood, Los Ange
ISSN#1528-851X
www.bhweekly.com
Publisher & CEOJosh E. Gross
ReporterMelanie Anderson
Sports EditorSteven Herbert
Contributing EditorRudy Cole
Advertising RepresentativesTiffany MajdipourSaba AyinehsazianNita Anavim
Legal AdvertisingMike SaghianEiman Matian
140 South Beverly Drive #201Beverly Hills, CA 90212310.887.0788 phone310.887.0789 faxCNPA Member
[email protected] All staff can be reached at:first name @bhweekly.comUnsolicited materials will not be returned.©2012 Beverly Hills Weekly Inc.
1 year
subscriptio
are availabSent via US M$75 payable
advance
Adjudicated anewspaper of g
eral circulation foCounty of Los An
Case # BS065841Los Angeles Sup
Court, on Novemb2000.
WeeklyBeverly Hills
letters cont. on p
7/31/2019 Letters&Email--Beverly Hills Weekly, Issue #669
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The book group, which will take place at
a private home, will include a conversation
for parents and teachers about technology
specific to BHUSD led by Chief Academic
Officer Jennifer Tedford and Beverly
High teacher Steven Rubenstein, who is
BHUSD’s technology TOSA (teacher on
special assignment).
“The response from my students and
parents and also my private book group to
this book has been overwhelming,” said
Goler, who facilitates book groups. “I really
had to sell the book because of its length,
but everyone says they can’t put it down
[because Jobs’] life was so compelling, hor-
rifying and inspiring.”
Goler said leadership will also be a topic
of the book group discussion.
Sarah Gallop, PTSA executive board
member in charge of programs, is coordi-
nating the event.
“What I enjoy
most about it is
bringing together
the parents with
the teachers to
talk about some-
thing other than
academics or their
children’s grades,”
Gallop said. “It’s
something that
everyone can have
a discussion aboutand have it not be about their particular
child.”
Steve Jobs will also be the first featured
title for the BHUSD staff book club, Goler
said.
Look for more specifics about the pro-
gram in the PTSA’s September newsletter.
E-mail [email protected] with any ques-
tions.
Concerts on Canon seriescontinues tonight, Cluelessscreens Sunday
The City of Beverly Hills will continue its
free Concerts on Canon series tonight with
two performances by gypsy jazz combo IcyHot Club at Beverly Canon Gardens at 6
p.m. and 7:15 p.m.
The City’s new series of free Sunday-
night movie screenings continues Sunday
with an outdoor showing of Clueless at
Beverly Canon Gardens at 8 p.m. Later
in the summer, film selections include
Casablanca and Mirror, Mirror .
Free parking is available to patro
the shows: Get a coupon at the c
or movie and redeem it for parking
Beverly Gardens parking structure
gardens feature plentiful seating and a
grassy area for picnic blankets. Table
chairs will be available on a first-
first-served basis. Patrons are encou
to enjoy outdoor dining at Bouchon o
Montage, enjoy special pre- and post
discounts at Beverly Hills restaurant
bars and pick up custom “to-go” boxe
a selection of local restaurants offerinnic options in connection with this ser
For more information, call (310)
6830.
Board of Education maysubmit “self-qualified”budget to LACOE
Confronted with a list of potentia
that Board of Education Vice Pre
Jake Manaster described as “unpalat
Manaster proposed sending a messa
the Los Angeles County Office of Edu
(LACOE) and the state of California b
proposing budgetary cutbacks and in
considering submitting a “qualified” in
budget to LACOE this fall.According to LACOE, a qualified c
cation means that school districts “m
be able to meet their financial commit
in the current or two subsequent years
Manaster made the proposal a
Thursday’s budget study session,
July 26 - August 1, 2012 • Pa
briefs cont. on p
Conference Calling• Local Numbers Throughout California • Reservation-based or Reservationless • Recording Capability
5 ¢/minute Local Access
10 ¢/minute Toll Free Access
The Telephone Connection310 -789 -7900
San Francisco Los Angeles
San Diego
Dallas
Atlanta
ChicagoNew York
Measure E’s $300-million blank check, and
d) is just about the dumbest idea since the
non-renewal of the oil lease.On the bright side, the new Hawthorne
will be a monument to good feelings,
obscene spending, and local big govern-
ment trying its best to emulate federal big
government. A proper tribute to our age.
Steve Spitz
Beverly Hills
Beverly Hills has a proud past. So much
of that pride is because of our schools. We
simply have a great educational system and
students both past and present are aware of
hat. We also have memories of growing up
n schools that are a part of who we are as
ndividuals and as a city. There has never
been a school system like BH.
To even think of tearing down one of hese historic schools is awful. To actu-
ally do it is shameful. While we are taking
steps to preserve our history, we must also
realize that our schools are a part of that
history. Maybe even more so than Rodeo
Drive because we learned in buildings
named Hawthorne and were taught how to
make the world a better place. We should
hink about changing our history grades to
an F if we allow any of our schools to be
destroyed. After all, if we can’t protect our
past, then what have we learned?
George Vreeland Hill
Beverly Hills
“Fine Art Commission tests sites for
placing public art” [Issue #662]
This is in response to a Letter to the
Editor in the June 14 edition of Beverly
Hills Weekly. The Fine Art Commission
(FAC) did not decline Guy Dill’s sculpture,
Egalmah, The Great Palace. The donation
of the Guy Dill piece was accepted by the
City Council in 2000, bypassing the approv-
al process of the FAC. At the time, the Fine
Art commissioners expressed concern as to
the appropriateness of the work, given its
size with regard to it potentially overpower-
ing any other work that might be installed
on the Burton Way median. Again, please
note, there was never a point at which it was
“turned down.”
Mr. Dill has agreed to reconfigure the
components of the original sculpture to
form two new tableaus that will not over-
power, but enhance the site; he has alsoagreed to allow the City to sell the remain-
ing components to any interested party.
Since the City took possession of this
work in 2000, it has never been installed
anywhere and now must soon be removed
from its storage place to make way for
improvements to the City’s water services
for the residents of Beverly Hills.
The Fine Art Commission believes that
this option is the lease expensive, least
intrusive and most timely solution.
Terri Smooke
Fine Art Commission Chair
Beverly Hills
letters cont. from page 2
BHPD honors Rosenstein, MazoPlanning Commission Vice Chair Brian Rosenstein (center) was honored with the
Lawrence I. Shapiro Memorial Award at Tuesday afternoon’s study session for his
volunteer involvement with the Police Department’s Disaster Communciations System
program. BHPD Chief David Snowden (left) and Mayor Willie Brien (right) presented
Rosenstein with the award, which was created in 2004 to recognize meritorious and
dedicated service by Police Department volunteers. Esther Mazo, who passed away in
2009, was honored with the award posthumously for her 12 years of volunteer work
with the Police Department. Her son Neil Mazo accepted the award.
P h o t o : C i t y o f B e v e r l y H i l l s