Here are just a few examples

that dispel the myth that his letter tried to present:

* Fayette County Schools rank

among the highest in the state in SAT scores, criteria that universities

nationwide use to select incoming students based on academic skills.

* The Fayette County High School

academic team, one which encounters many questions much tougher than "What

happened Dec. 7, 1941?", ranks high yearly in regional and national

competition.

* Fayette County High School

has earned the prestigious titles of Georgia School of Excellence and

National Blue Ribbon School, honors bestowed upon only a few schools each

year.

* Nineteen students at Starr's

Mill High School were recognized by the College Board for their exceptional

scores on last year's AP exams, examples of success from college level

courses taught in Fayette County high schools.

In the local school system,

students also learn cognitive and critical thinking skills. For example,

when reading "The Scarlet Letter," they recognize that perhaps

a hidden sin, like that of the Reverend Dimmesdale's, causes more anguish

than a publicly acknowledged one, like Hester Prynne's. They learn that

the unwillingness to forgive, as personified by Roger Chillingsworth,

can be a greater sin than that committed by the Rev. Dimmesdale and Hester.

They learn that humans can often be cruel enough to punish those innocent

of the sin, such as the daughter Pearl.

Fayette County students also

are quite capable of making judgments on their own. For example, in my

ninth grade English classes, many students agree with one possible premise

concerning the story of Romeo and Juliet, that dying for something one

loves is a sign of integrity. But many of these same students point out

that committing suicide for that love, which Romeo and Juliet do, is not

a sign of integrity.

Fayette County students also

learn at least one other important life skill. They learn that one should

do thorough, comprehensive research before jumping ... oops! sorry! wrong

word ... coming to a conclusion.

Harry E. Fitch

English teacher

Fayette County High School