Dear editor, I would appreciate your clearing up some contradictory information the newspapers have reported regarding the changes to classes in the NVUSD based on the new state budget.

On Feb. 21, I read in the Napa Valley Register that K-3 students will be in bigger classes next year because of layoffs required as “a casualty of state budget cuts” (“NVUSD to layoff 82 employees”). The day before, the San Francisco Chronicle reported that “Eight K-12 programs, including special education and K-3 class-size reduction” are “safe from cuts.” So has the Napa district just decided to overlook the state’s decision? Has the school board not heard the latest news?

In a related matter, according to the same article in the Register, the school board plans to lay off “four high school English teachers and two high school math teachers.” Isn’t this the same board that a few months ago expressed its desire to make the Napa high schools’ curriculum “all college preparatory?” Reducing teaching staff of English and math is absolutely the wrong way to do this. It makes no sense at all. If necessary, cut support positions, administrators, etc. but not the teaching staff.

Incidentally, recent information from the UC system (this fall) reported that 80 percent of college freshmen at the UC campuses had to take remedial math and English classes. So there’s an argument against NVUSD’s reducing staff in those departments and against creating an all college-preparatory school. We need more or better teachers, not fewer, though at this time we can’t add staff. Our school board needs to rethink this whole matter before any layoff notices go out.

Winnie Phillips / Napa