What is the problem? I am not

exactly sure, but most likely it is the fact that government is in charge

of the education system. Any time the government gets involved, it tends

to complicate things. If schools were privatized and run more like businesses,

they would probably function much better.

A voucher system would be a

step in the right direction. This would cause competition between schools,

and create an improved education system. Each school would be working

diligently at getting customers. They would do that by having a superior

product, and great customer service.

We need to get government out

of our schools. We cannot have Washington, D.C., telling us how to educate

our young people. We need to do it ourselves. It is up to us.

Another problem, and I know

this will upset quite a few people, is that many of our dollars are spent

on high school sports. What does that have to do with education? These

dollars could go toward science, math, and other true educational programs.

The money could be used toward higher pay for teachers.

I do not know the numbers,

but it must be staggering to think how much money is spent just to build

a football field and stadium, to purchase equipment, uniforms, etc. This

large amount of "sports money" goes only to a small percentage

of the student body.

I am not against sports. I

am all for young people in Fayette County to have the right to play football

or soccer, or any other sport, but they need to get together and form

their own teams. It should not be the responsibility of the education

system to promote the sporting industry. The education system needs to

promote education.

People will say that sports

promote discipline. Maybe it does. That is irrelevant. If we desire to

promote discipline, maybe we should require all of the students to go

through R.O.T.C. It would be less expensive, and more effective.

Where is our education system

headed? We cannot continue to allow the government to dumb down the next

generation. They need to be taught the basics, and expected to perform.

We need to require that of our schools and our kids.

Better education, to be or

not to be, that is the question. That's from Hamlet. Did Shakespeare write

that? Yes, among other things.

Carl A. Thompson

Peachtree City