THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, March 31, 1995 TAG: 9503310005
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A14 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Short : 31 lines
Don Vtipil's proposed solution (letter, March 28) for improving SAT scores and reallocating educational resources by encouraging students to drop out unfortunately reflects the Allen administration's policy of institutional educational genocide, by cutting programs for at-risk students and using the ensuing profit to build more prisons.
Every child is deserving of a chance to learn. The primary role of the school is to find the learning method and environment best suited to each child's abilities as well as motivational level. To give up on the current generation of at-risk students for the enhancement of college-bound overachievers is irresponsible, uncompassionate and morally corrupt.
Locally, both the Career Development Center and the Center for Effective Learning provide excellent alternatives to the mainstream public schools. With a low public/teacher ratio and available vocational-skills training, CDC and CEL offer the at-risk student a learning environment commensurate with his or her abilities and needs. Programs such as these should not be downsized but, rather, expanded.
WILLIAM HELIN
Virginia Beach, March 29, 1995 by CNB