To the Editor:
“Every year I wonder why there are so many days my grandchildren come home saying all they did in school was watch movies because of “unused hurricane days.” What? And starting school on a Thursday only to be off again two days later! Or returning back to school after a holiday on a Monday then to be off on Tuesday for a teacher workday? What the heck is going on? I suppose the teachers when I went to school were highly taken advantage of because they actually did their workday during the work day. The same workday the kids were working! I realize that there needs to be planning done but come on! Aren’t there already plans? Don’t we have a basic set of things a kid needs to learn? These grades do not reflect that they are learning them. So, it makes me what the heck are these teachers planning? Not unlike many service industries, I feel like the teaching profession has become so hands-tied that they have become complacent and the higher you get, political. Unfortunately, the children suffer, therefore our future suffers. Shouldn’t education think ‘outside the box?’ How about looking at how the Japanese approach education so holistically. Seems like a win-win to me! And absenteeism is a poor excuse and cop-out Madam. If one is engaged, they wouldn’t want to be absent!” – Barbara Luider, Anthony
“I agree with Ms. Thrower about absenteeism being a large factor in the overall outcome of the ratings that the Marion County School system keeps getting. It was mentioned that the parents and students need to be more attentive to their attendance. I agree with that also. Doesn’t Marion County have truancy laws? Are they enforced? I believe that if these laws existed and were enforced we would see an improvement, not only in our school systems academic achievements, but, perhaps, an improvement in the quality of some of our neighborhoods.” – Linda McClure, Silver Springs