Locke on Modern Education

Edwin Locke’s Column Right (“Flying Without the Safety Net of Knowledge,” on July 20) is outrageous and uniformed. To begin with, Locke’s area of specialization, as published, is in the area of management, not in education. He neither has the knowledge base nor the expertise to write this inadequate and ignorant portrayal of public education.

In other words, he should follow his own advice in terms of acquiring the necessary knowledge prior to traveling in unknown territories. Accordingly, The Times should do the same.

MAGALY LAVADENZ PhD

Professor of Education

Loyola Marymount University

Los Angeles

Locke’s predictions seem even more believable given the middling performance of American schools relative to other countries’ systems. New math and other supposedly superior teaching methods have yet to show any real benefits. The old, proven system was not broken, nor did it need tampering. Locke’s upownnents ken just stuff et.

FRANZ CHENG

Los Angeles

Locke has uncovered a perversion in American education. Perhaps he will develop a CD-ROM locater disk to find all the “modern educators” in our communities. Any glitches in doing that?

JOHN LOPEZ JR.

South Pasadena