Decision on learning center upsets some

I am writing about the superintendent's recent decision to not renew the contract of Heart In Education, the groundbreaking team that has changed the face of progressive education with the opening of the Las Virgenes Community Learning Center.

The school board was seemingly bamboozled by Superintendent Don Zimring's selfacknowledged "unpopular" decision to eliminate the visionaries from the position of leadership at CLC.

This brand-new infant of a school has barely been given a chance to breathe, much less thrive. This was a vision that by nature was going to require a different approach in logistics, something the district knew a year ago when the board unanimously approved it's implementation.

Without the leadership of the Hararis (the school founders) during this crucial, formative stage of development, the school will not succeed. We understand that the district and board intend to keep the school open. What they don't understand is that the majority of us will not be returning without Heart in Education at the helm for another year.

Why on earth would you let us begin to build this promising, much-needed program, giving hope to so many innocent children and active parents and then proceed to extinguish it after only five months? And yes, by removing the Hararis you are extinguishing it.

We are well aware of the impending budget cuts. However, the district stands only to gain from the Hararis' continuing. These outofdistrict and privateschool familes have come to the CLC specifically for the Hararis' vision. The cost of their contract over the next two years is equal to approximately 50 students. Fifty students will leave the school without them there, and 50 more will not come to the school without the leadership and clear vision that they have established. So I don't understand where the "budget efficiency" lies here.

The Hararis' vision is what got this school up and running. It is the Hararis' vision that will continue to inspire and recruit more enrollment. Without the Harari's vision, there is no product to be sold here. Julie Thomason LVCLC parent, Topanga