I was so totally disgusted by the special report “Making the Grade,” which aired on WHO-TV, that I had to write a response.

This topic is especially significant in an election year where one of the hot topics is education.

All Iowa taxpayers should now be asking themselves one question, “What in the heck are Iowa kids learning in what are supposed to be some of the best public schools in the country?”

Have standards at Iowa’s public schools slipped so drastically that a majority of teenagers cannot give the correct answer to, “What is 37 percent of 100?”

The answer seems to be a disappointing “yes.” This would be sickening enough if it was only a small fraction of the student population unable to give the correct answer.

If mine is the only letter expressing outrage at the results of WHO’s special report, then this state and this country are in dire straights.

This report is the most potent and convincing evidence in support of school choice and school vouchers that I’ve ever seen.

If Iowa’s public schools are this incompetent and are turning out students with this alarming level of ignorance, just imagine what states and cities without “great” public schools could find by conducting a similar survey.

I would like to encourage all parents of school-age children to conduct a similar test on your own children. It’s obvious that if your children attend one of Iowa’s “great” public school, you may be surprised by what you’ll find.

Dan McLeran

Senior

Chemical Engineering