Mouths of Babes

In response to Sunday's NYT's front page story - Schools Cut Back Subjects to Push Reading and Math, one high school student has an idea:

To the Editor:

As a high school student, I'm completely opposed to "narrowing the curriculum." It is bad for the students.

What happens to these students after they have been deprived of government, history, science and so much more?

This is what I think will happen.

Those students will not learn the lessons of history and how to avoid the mistakes of those who came before them. Scientific innovation will no longer happen in the United States because children will not be exposed to it.

Hundreds of teachers will be out of work because their departments will be dropped from schools. Kids will be denied classes that might lead to a lifelong interest like music.

This practice is bad for everyone. If the new tests are what's forcing school districts to take this drastic step, why not just get rid of the tests?

Samantha PlotnerGreat Falls, Va., March 26, 2006

More NYT Letters to Editor on Reading, Rehashing, 'Rithmetic