I find it troubling that a Boston Latin alumni organization has challenged a school department study group exploring changes to entrance requirements to the city’s prestigious exam schools (“Alumni denounce ‘secret process,’ ’’ Metro, July 4).

There are clearly racial tensions at Boston Latin, where black and Hispanic students together constitute only 20 percent of the student population, while making up nearly 75 percent of the district population as a whole. While the courts have stopped Boston Latin from using race as an admission factor, no effort to explore ways to bring more minority students to the school should be discouraged.

One possible solution is to give substantial weight in the admission process to students who apply directly from the Boston Public Schools. The playing field is not even for kids coming from the public schools who have to compete against those who test in after enjoying the advantages of parochial or private elementary or middle-school education. Seats should be reserved in this elite public institution for those who have shown commitment to Boston public schools, either by choice or by circumstance.

Barry Berman

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