I am writing in response to the column by Aaron Woell in the Feb. 4 edition of the Daily.

Educational reform is a hot topic, especially when facts are taken out of context and not presented with the whole truth.

It is true that “40 percent of American 10-year-olds can’t pass a basic reading test.” (The Economist, Jan. 16, 1999), but what you failed to mention is this figure is based on comparisons with children from Asia and Europe.

Unlike our public school system, in which “close to half the $6,500 spent on each child is eaten up by ‘non-instructional services’ — mostly administration” (The Economist, Jan. 16, 1999), their school systems don’t have large amounts of administrative spending.

What it comes down to, after administration takes their cut, is American children actually get less spent on them than the public is led to believe.

So, yes, it is possible that the states with the top five per-pupil expenditures fared worse on the SAT than students in the bottom five states (National Review, Sept, 14 ’98) simply because there’s more bureaucracy there.

Private schools do accept problem students, if the parents have enough money to pay for the education.

School vouchers can act as a “brain drain” by funneling public dollars into private schools.

Do you wonder why parents want vouchers to be able to send their child to private school?

Often money is spent on more instructional services vs. public schools.

As for computers being a tool for those “too lazy to teach,” I think you’re wrong.

Some teachers are lazy, but the large majority simply haven’t been shown what technology can do for their classrooms.

When computers first came on the scene, their purpose was drill and practice.

Currently, more teachers are using computers to do what wasn’t possible without technology.

To learn more about opportunities for technology in education take Elementary Education 201.

Make material more demanding.

What I learned in 9th grade, my sister is currently learning in 6th grade.

What I learned in 3rd/4th grade, my daughter is learning in 1st grade.

Where are the schools that begin at 7 a.m.? Last I knew, schools began around 8:45 a.m.

Starting the school day later will only add to problems.

In Central Florida recess is being eliminated or cut back.

Atlanta has banned it entirely (Orlando Sentinel, Oct. 12, ’98).

Recess is being eliminated because the school day is already too short to get everything accomplished, but when it’s taken away, children lose time to socialize, imagine and relieve stress.

I agree that incompetent teachers should be fired, but tenure and unions shouldn’t be done away with.

There should be better established provisions for dealing with incompetence in the school system. I found it interesting that you didn’t address parental roles in education.

Parental involvement increases interest in school and test scores.

Just reading to a child 20 minutes a day goes a long way in their outlook towards school.

Teachers aren’t the only ones at fault — there are other things to consider.

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Jenna Shenton

Junior

Early childhood education and elementary education