Compton Schools

* Re “Compton to Rate Campuses by Letter Grades,” March 20:

Juxtapose “in order to receive an A rating, a school must comply in at least 11 of the 12 categories” against “the grades will be based on 12 nonacademic categories” and you’ve got a pretty good summary of why public education in Compton won’t be righting itself any time soon.

I’m not going to argue against fixing broken windows or painting over graffiti in restrooms--quite the reverse, I’d fire any principal who didn’t have those things taken care of within Week 1 of appointment--but to leave the bottom-line purpose of school out of the mix pretty well says it all. The condition and availability of textbooks will matter, but not their content.

WAYNE BISHOP

Los Angeles