Do We Get Our Money Back?

To the Editor:

So let me get this straight — students are dropping out of school because it is not “fun” or they find it “boring” — and who was it that changed the system for them in the first place?

I applaud the actions of state commissioner of education and the deputy — but let’s look at this from a different angle.

Where do we taxpayers go to get our money back? If we bought a car that was a lemon, we can file for repayment of our monies. If we buy an appliance that didn’t do the job, we can go back to the store and either get a new appliance or have them replace the monies we spent.

Education is an industry — the end product is an educated group of individuals that can make decisions based on their past experience — school. Are we telling ourselves that we did not do the right thing? Who did we (the taxpayers) hire to educate our children — they told us they needed more money — or Johnnie could not read because there was not enough money in the system to educate him. We threw billions (that is with a B, boys and girls) at the problem and now we understand that Johnnie needs the same classes (history, science, foreign language, and math) that his grandfather took!

I have one question for our present leaders in the education industry: Why is it taking five years for Johnnie to make it through college? Could it be that the first year is remedial since the courses that our leaders told him to take in high school were questionable (at best).

Have a great day — can’t you just wait for these people to manage your health care? They do such a great job of education — health care will be a piece of cake (where do I go for my government cheese?).

John Karlson

167 Great Quarter Road, Sandy Hook                  February 22, 2008