Dear Berkeley Daily Planet,

As a parent of two children in the Berkeley public school system, I was confused when I read
what Michelle Lawrence , superintendent wrote in regards to class size reduction, Measure B
and the teachers action of work to rule. (see Daily Planet, 3/1/05). For, according to the Berkeley
Federation of Teachers, one of the issues of contention as laid forth in a flyer distributed to
parents within the last few weeks, is also one of class size reduction. According to this flyer,
“The Board intends to: refuse to commit to reasonable class size limits, despite the
BSEP/Measure B parcel taxes.”

At first glance, I wondered what the problem could be. It seemed like both sides are in
agreement, for Michele Lawrence, speaking for the District says, “ … the district is committed
to the class size ratios we promised in Measure B. The class size averages will be 20:1 in grades
K-3, 26:1 in grades 4-5, and 28:1 in grades 6-12”.

Now, after speaking with those more knowledgeable than I, and reading between the lines, I
have come to learn that the sticking point on this issue might be that the District is speaking
about averages (and they mean throughout the District) and the teachers are speaking about fixed
class sizes numbers for each and every class. For example,what the District is currently
proposing would allow them to have a 5th grade of 30 students in one school, as long as there
were less children in another 5th grade anywhere in the district, as long as it averaged out to 26
children.

As a parent who has watched my child suffer in classes of 30 children, I have to say that this idea
of using averages across the district would be laughable if it were not so sad. What good does it
do the child trapped in a class of 30, to know that across town, another 4th grader only as 25
other classmates? How can we reduce any child’s life to an average, a statistic? This makes
absolutely no sense to me and as someone who voted for, and donated time working for the
passage of Measure B, I am beginning to wonder if I have been duped. I understand that Measure
B is up for renewal in 2 years; do you think the voters of Berkeley will approve it again, if this
time, the District makes a mockery of its intent?

I support the BFT in this issue and hope that they succeed in requiring that Berkeley Unified
honor the intent of measure B, that class size maximums should be written into the teachers’
contracts.
What is a matter of working conditions for Berkeley’s teachers is , for Berkeley’s children, a
matter of learning conditions. I urge other parents who have experienced large class sizes to
voice their concern.

Sincerely,

Diana Rossi