Re: Class size cue: Graduate early, story, July 27.
Could Gov. Jeb Bush screw up public education any more? Is it possible to harm Florida's students any further while remaining under the guise that he is improving the quality of learning and education? FCAT, vouchers and now the three-year graduation option so students can leave high school unprepared, with baseless diplomas.
Take it from a high school student's point of view: Every year I spend countless hours in classes preparing to take a standardized test, learning how to pass it. The time that I actually get to spend on the real subject is so sparse that I already feel that I have been cheated out of a decent coverage of the course.
So we should all be coerced into doing it in three years, to possibly give up social sciences completely, and graduate with a diploma empty of any variety? Might as well put a bar code and a price tag on my head and push me down the assembly line of secondary education faster, rushing the process, forcing students out to "make room."
Bush uses this as a vengeance solution to the class size amendment, but what more does it accomplish? Maybe from his point of view, it frees up high school teachers, which frees up funds, which makes it more possible to expand primary education.
Would it hurt him to use some money that he already contributes toward private schools and useless standardized tests monitored by corporations? Heaven forbid he should look out for the students and not for his prized budget. He already cheats public schools out of money they deserve, causing a lack of funds, causing a lack of teachers and schools, causing overcrowding. According to Mr. Bush, he'd rather technically encourage dropping out with a useless diploma so he can have your money.
Don't get me wrong, I am not against working hard and studying ahead. My grade point average is a 4.83 and I have three extra credits. What I am against is being forced out of electives and social sciences and tumbled into an environment where the greatest concern for my success is making sure that I graduate in enough time that I don't inconvenience their percentages too much.
Student achievement is already failing on a wider level. Bureaucrats' numbers improve, but they are based on statistics that measure how well you know the test.
Getting into college is hard enough as it is. Colleges demand a well-rounded, high-achieving student with a variety of courses and activities. So aiming this program at college-bound students gives them false hopes that a college would actually want a student who skimped on social sciences, arts and a high school experience. Students can go apply and basically find out that their diploma is worth the equivalent of dropping out.
If he is that eager to get students into college, then let them be qualified. Let's expand student achievement, not student bereavement. Under Mr. Bush's system of political life-destruction, I can "graduate high school in three years, work ahead, and become well versed in a course of study that prepares me for the world," while I can really be coerced into early graduation, ending my maturation process, exposing me to the rigors of the world before I am even legal, keeping me out of upper-level colleges, dooming me to minimum wage jobs, forcing me to backtrack in my life to gain a higher standing.
Save us, please, from the tyranny of the unknowing politicians. Let them walk a week in my shoes and then go back to their leather armchairs. They can write legislation to make me leave more quickly and ruin my quality of life. Or they can start at the root of the problem and improve public education with teachers, not with business administrators.
-- Kyle McLaughlin, Clearwater High School junior, Clearwater
Beach residents need Clearwater library branch
I join in the rally to keep the Clearwater Beach branch of the Clearwater library system open. With the building of the new high-rises, there will be more people than ever who will need the services of the library, especially retirees who rely on books for their entertainment.
The new bridge will make it extremely hard for patrons to get from the beach area to the main library.
Also, the friendliness and helpfulness of the branch staff are very much appreciated. They make it a true pleasure to visit the beach branch.
Please join in the rally.
-- Jeanne Bukovich, Clearwater
County also worked hard to notify public about spill
Re: Government provides little information to residents, letter, Aug. 1.
The letter writer was correct to thank the media for their help in disseminating news of the McKay Creek sewage spill. However, effective delivery of information is an effort that also involves the county.
Even though the McKay sewage spill did likely occur earlier, Pinellas County Utilities received the first call about the spill on July 26 and responded with a crew within hours. Utilities employees worked overtime and on-call to get information to the media and respond to questions. The notices left on the doors of approximately 500 homes were delivered by county employees, even though this is not required by any state guideline or regulation.
Pinellas County Utilities is very appreciative of the role played by local media in these emergency situations. They have been excellent partners in helping get the message out. We are always looking for ways to improve the delivery of advisories and notices to citizens and we're currently investigating phone notification systems that can target specific areas.
As permanent repairs are made to the affected area, it is appropriate to recognize the over 600 employees who go largely unnoticed until there's an emergency.
-- David Baker, manager, Communications Solutions, Pinellas County Utilities
[Last modified August 4, 2003, 01:32:43]
