Culver City Observer -

Are your readers aware how swimming is taught in our schools in Culver City? Students are required to lay flat on a medicine ball in the gym and are supposed to simulate a breast stroke through the air.

Sound ridiculous? Especially when nearby, we have a 20,000 sq ft. Natatorium swimming pool that has been left to deteriorate to a horrid state.

Closing the Culver City School Natatorium swimming pool meant closing the door to those students, teachers, and even the community who need to have a better lifestyle. Learning how to swim saves lives, but also teaches discipline and gets people involved in the great community that is Culver City.

I find it ridiculous and am outraged that the school district currently plans to spend over $10.7 million to demolish the school pool and replace it with a multi-purpose room for 60-80 students whereas the cost of fixing the pool would be around $3 million and could be used by 6,700 students in the district.

There is talk about "Health and Safety" being the main issue for allocating funds for capital projects in the district. What do you think Water Safety is?

Each day 10 people drown in the United States, The number one cause of death of children from ages 1-4 is by drowning. For children ages 1-14 drowning is the second major cause of death next to automobile crashes.

According to USA SWIMMING, 70% of African American children cannot swim, 60% of Latino children cannot swim and 40% of Caucasian children cannot swim.

There is one candidate for school board that wants to fix the Culver City School Natatorium Swimming Pool. He calls himself the "common sense" candidate.

I will be voting for Robert Zirgulis for school board because it's not rocket science, it's common sense.

Nestor Dordoni

Culver City Water Polo Coach