Andover Townsman, Andover, MA

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June 12, 2008

Letter: Tweak current education, don't throw hours at the problem

Editor, Townsman:

Karen Lu misses the point completely in her letter ("Parents understand facts on ELT, should get vote," June 5). She will not be given the opportunity to voice her opinion on whether this is the right decision for her school, children and family! The group behind this effort have a simple policy: Don't ask, as you might hear an answer that doesn't support your agenda.

Let's call extended learning time what it is — Extended Day Care.

Instead of supporting that agenda, let's focus on what we teach the kids when they are in school now. Do we need to tweak the current content a little bit so that our MCAS scores are in the top 10, or are we happy with what we do now in the top 15?

If you want to focus on the global economy, we should ask if our curriculum is efficient and productive and not just throw more hours at it to see if it helps. I was at the Sanborn School third- to fifth-grade concert recently, and all those kids were awesome without Extended Day Care.

In Ireland, elementary school kids start school around 9 a.m. and end between 2:45 and 3 p.m. They learn another language, Gaelic, from first grade, a second language from age 12 and had until recently one of the fastest-growing economies in the world over a 10-year period, with a high standard of living.

Parents will not get a say today and will not get a say when their taxes go up when the funding runs out for Extended Day Care. It will be phased in slowly over the next year or two and then will be a reality. When I was a kid you did not need mandated day care until 4 p.m. We learned to do our own research, projects and homework. Wow, self sufficiency.

If Extended Day Care was in place now I can envision it clearly. A 6-year-old leaving at 7:20 a.m. to catch the bus, getting home around 4 p.m. and going to bed by 6.30 p.m., exhausted and hating school — contrary to everything she feels now.

If you want to force this on us then give us the option to switch schools. Let those who want Extended Day Care send their kids to specific schools. I hope the superintendent's contract and all the School Committee members are up for review the year Extended Day Care is implemented.

Let kids be kids as they have for centuries, focus on what is taught now during the day and let parents run their kids' lives outside the normal end of school.

For all the people in love with the China model, ask yourself how much the average Chinese employee makes and how many hours they need to work each month for the Party.

Nigel Keenan

12 Candlewood Drive

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Letter: Tweak current education, don't throw hours at the problem
by Anonymous , , Thu Jun 12, 2008, 05:05 AM EDT
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