PUBLIC FORUM : FIREFIGHTERS WHO BATTLED CASTAIC BLAZE PRAISED.

To all the firefighters who helped put out that terrifying inferno just north of the small town of Castaic: Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

I moved my family here two years ago, trying to get out of the hustle and bustle of city life, but I guess when you move to a remote area you still have dangers and last week really made me a believer in fire prevention.

The firefighters not only had to fight the raging flames and the sweltering heat, but the gusty, swirling winds - the west sea breeze, the desert wind from the east and the southern canyon wind, all ending up in Castaic. Last but not least were upset bees. They can really be a problem for someone allergic to the stings.

There were outbuildings, vehicles and some animals lost in the fire, but no human lives or major structures were reported lost, thanks to the heroics of the firefighters.

- Norman Floyd

Castaic

Charen gets it right

Hooray for Mona Charen.

I never thought I'd say that. But her column on Dr. Laurence Steinberg's study of high-schooler attitudes (Opinions, Aug. 22) indicates that she is capable of second thoughts when confronted with facts that confound her cherished beliefs: that lazy, greedy teachers are responsible for the poor state of American education.

Steinberg found that students are far more concerned with partying than learning, and that one in five deliberately did not apply themselves to schoolwork, in order to be popular with their friends. More shocking to Charen, but not to teachers who have known these facts for years, was the revelation that half the students in the study said that their parents were unconcerned about the grades they brought home.

She is totally correct when she agrees with Steinberg's conclusion that ``school reformers who focus on curriculum changes, extending the length of the school year or other education reforms, may be barking up the wrong tree.''

Of course, we can't expect Charen to be converted all at once. She still touts her panacea of school vouchers, which would enable private schools to raise prices while still culling the profitable high achievers from students who may have potential but suffer from other problems; these they would allow to rot in public schools, stripped of any meaningful support.

And her condemnation of ``the dead hand of the teachers' unions,'' still fails to distinguish between the National Education Association, dominated by administrators and school of education wonks, and the American Federation of Teachers, which represents the ``grunt'' in the classroom.

Private schools have always turned out a generally better product because they start with better material - students whose parents care so passionately about education that they are willing to make a significant financial sacrifice, to help their children learn.

The answer to our educational woes lies in creating standards of achievement that can be approved by all areas of the political spectrum, from Pat Robertson to Jesse Jackson.

-Bernard Feuerman

Canoga Park

Unpaid parking tickets

If it were anyone else, other than a political appointee or a politician, there is no likelihood any enforcement would be put on hold regarding parking tickets (``City department reviewing tickets to car lot,'' Daily News, Aug. 28).

This is typical of one politician covering the back side of another. The question here is were the tickets issued for illegal violations or not? I have some doubt the tickets were all issued by the same parking enforcement officer, over the period of five years.

Unless a case can be established that Parking Systems Coordinator Jay S. Carsman was indirectly involved with the issuance of those tickets, then the collection of the fees should be turned over to the city attorney.

If Parking Administrator Michael Inouye has an internal problem with his enforcement coordinator following established procedures by contacting Commissioner Bert Boeckmann that is one thing, but to write off the parking fines for illegal violations - that's ludicrous.

Pony up, Bert, so you can be treated like the rest of us violators.

- Robert Gilbert 

Van Nuys

Duke denounced

I support the California Civil Rights Initiative and I'm appalled at the CSUN Student Senate's selection of David Duke to represent my side of this issue.

I also resent this initiative being referred to as ``anti-affirmative action'' when it is actually ``pro-civil rights.''

Duke will forever remain a symbol of the extreme racial hatred of the '60s. He is not an appropriate spokesperson for the California Civil Rights Initiative.

This initiative seeks to remove the discrimination, which was created by ``affirmative action,'' and create equal opportunities and equal requirements for everyone. What could be wrong with that? Why shouldn't we all, regardless of race or sex, have the same opportunities and be required to meet the same standards?

Affirmative action was needed once. Civil rights for everyone is what we need now. It's time to end the discrimination created by affirmative action.

-Carol Keeler 

Sylmar

Affirmative action

Despite support from politicians and clergy alike, the idea of affirmative action could never be justified, and now someone randomly must pay. The randomness will cause these leaders to be looked upon with shame by their successors.

When I joined the Army in 1969, as dozens from my family had done before me, I had no idea that this same country would create laws that give racial or gender preference to the children of almost every one of my co-workers, and about 94 percent of the schoolmates of my sons in the giant Los Angeles Unified School District. Pure racism begins at the magnet-school level.

Hopefully, my sons will be wiser than I was, and use their energy to redress this treachery against them.

- Anthony Koss

Encino

Competing for students

Two articles in the Daily News Sept. 3 caught my attention - ``Campuses compete for students'' and ``Teamwork attracts at popular magnet.''

This shows that parents actually want their children to attend schools that offer challenging, educational opportunities in a safe, secure and violence-free environment. Can it be that the Los Angeles Unified School District is, at long last, waking up to the concerns of parents and students? Can it be that the right kind of education, provided in a safe environment, conducive to learning, should be the goals of all our educational facilities? Surely, it is about time.

-Catherine Pallad

Chatsworth

Democrats provoke backlash

Re the Boland Bill:

Once again, the Democrats have shot themselves in the foot. In a presidential election year, in a state which is crucial to their candidate's re-election, they choose to alienate the residents of the San Fernando Valley by denying them the right of self-determination.

I wonder if it ever occurred to state Sen. Bill Lockyer and his fellow Democrats that come election day, the residents of the Valley will remember who defeated the Boland bill.

- Lawrence A. Calabro

Northridge

Tips on how to get city services 

About the portions of Pacoima, Sylmar and Sun Valley that no longer want to be part of the city of Los Angeles:

Are residents in these communities unhappy with or not receiving services, such as rubbish collection, street sweeping, animal control, etc.? Or have they had trouble obtaining improvements; such as street lights, street paving, sidewalks, etc.?

If these people explored and followed all procedures recommended by the city of Los Angeles and were unable to satisfy their needs, then I can fully relate to their frustration and anger. In 1991, I did everything that the city of Los Angeles said to do to get street lights ad sidewalks for my residential block in Sylmar, including a petition with the signatures of 95 percent of my property-owning neighbors. Lights and walks in nine months, I was told.

After three years of excuses, I decided to appeal to my City Council. Fortunately, Richard Alarcon is my councilman. He proved to be a man of action and open ears. Due to Alarcon, we got street lights, sidewalks, trees and new gutters - all in less than a year.

Since the system is not working as it should, maybe dissatisfied residents should seek the help of their council member. Hopefully, this will get them what you need, as well as causing the city to see the need to become more responsive and efficient.

We certainly deserve, and should demand, the services that we have been taxed to pay for.

-Fred Williams

Sylmar

CAPTION(S):

2 Photos

Photo: (1) Wall of flames: firefighter at the Castaic fi re.

Daily News

(2) Richard Alarcon