Second in a series. 

Re: “Why El Marino Stands Alone at the Top”  

The Culver City mother of three students who wondered yesterday why there isn’t a rush to emulate El Marino Language School’s status as the academic powerhouse of the community, remarked about other unchanging data in the state test scores.

Black and Latino students continue to trail their white and Asian classmates by huge margins. There is not even the smallest sign of movement in this distressing category.

There is no indication that educators have a clue about how to narrow the vast space separating blacks and browns from Asians and white students.

Critics blame the difference on lack of motivation by brown and black students, which they trace to inadequate home lives.

The mother of three pointed out that Sacramento is providing funding for closing the gap.

“Does the money ever reach its intended destination?” she asked, rhetorically.

“No, because I will tell you what we are doing with that money? Giving it to the teachers in salaries,” she bluntly charged.

“In recent years, when I walk past the campuses of my children, I see more BMWs and Audis that belong to teachers than ever before. It looks as if the era of the poorly paid teacher in Culver City is over.”