What is going on in education? We seem to have adopted the Arby's slogan of "different is good." As a parent, I am concerned about a new wave of proposals of marginal or even questionable merit. They seem to be coming from strategic planning committees and Centennial School concepts and are taking up large amounts of everyone's time and energy.
Last year, Salt Lake's East High adopted a tri-semester schedule, a concept as difficult to explain as its name. While addressing some concerns, it also raises new ones. With each passing year, we are promised that it will be "refined" while hundreds of students leave with an education that is in "transition."My elementary school began discussing an alternative schedule that calls for a four-day week with every Monday off. This would solve inconsistencies in the school year, but who knows what new problems it will create?
Another result of tinkering with schedules is the divisiveness they have created in the community. Instead of bringing people together, teacher groups are divided and neighborhoods are divided on the relative merits of these ideas.
I am not against change in education, but only the attitude of "let's try it and see." Isn't there enough common ground that we can work together for educational improvement? Issues like class size, more physical education, restoration of music programs and especially computer literacy have a broad base of support.
I realize that money is an issue, but don't be misled into thinking that "alternative schedules" can be implemented at no cost. "Different" is not good and can be folly.
Paula Morris
Salt Lake City