As a native of Los Angeles, I happen to like the way Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa is dealing with community relations, especially with schools.
His thorough and steadfast education program, called Student Recovery Day, has put 1,955 students back into public schools as students who formerly decided not to attend.
Athens Mayor Paul Wiehl should take a lesson from Mayor Villaraigosa — who serves as head of the U.S. Conference of Mayors — and reach out to the neighborhood schools in our city.
On Sept. 21, Villaraigosa welcomed Mexican President Felipe Calderón and the first lady of Mexico to L.A., where he announced the third annual Student Recovery Day two days later.
While visiting the mayor, President Calderón saw Los Angeles’ use of a $13 million Community Development Department Workforce Investment Act grant extended the recovery program year-round. Now, students who previously evaded or left school have been rewarded to attend again.
“I was one of the students who fell through the cracks,” said Villaraigosa. “I know every student deserves to have a second chance.”
With community relations at the forefront of his administration’s agenda, the mayor of L.A. has done a good job for the public-school students in that city. Wiehl should reach out to local schools in the city of Athens to encourage better community relations.
A number of issues, such as busing, quality of education and retention rates should be at the forefront of his outreach.
How can our mayor make education a priority for our city?
Ed Walker is a Athens resident.
