Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, March 17, 1991 TAG: 9103150354
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Short
We strongly oppose this schedule because it will compromise both the safety of our children and the quality of their education. Since the safety issue recently has been covered, I will focus on the new schedule's impact on the quality of education.
The 7:40 a.m. start means more classes will be missed on some winter mornings. More importantly, the new school hours will be 15 to 20 minutes shorter. A cut must be made somewhere to accommodate the new schedule. We believe such a cut is inappropriate because the current schedule is already short. Asian and English school children are ahead of ours in both math and science.
It is a reality that many students start a school day with sleepy eyes and are not receiving the full benefit of an education. Those of us in the education business try very hard to generate an environment conducive to learning. The new school hours will make the situation much worse.
The School Board is yet to announce a real schedule (with class periods and the arrival time for buses at the first stop).
We ask the School Board to give more consideration to the purpose of having schools. Our children deserve a better education than what a haphazardly approved schedule can offer.
Jiann-Shin Chen
Blacksburg
by CNB