Some schools are overcrowded

Some schools are

overcrowded

As an individual who taught

five years in overpopulated South Florida, I just had to write in to correct

10-year-old Trevor Johnson's assertion that Al Gore lied about several

things related to the schools.

Political views aside, Trevor,

I know that you might find it impossible to believe that schools are so

overcrowded, based on your experience with the terrific school system

here in Fayette County.

However, there are schools

that do not have enough desks (or room for desks) to seat every student,

and it is sometimes necessary to begin "lunch" in the morning.

I should know as I was teaching

in a middle school that was built for 1,500 students but actually had

2,100. We had 31 trailers and a trailer cafeteria. Even with all of those

trailers, teachers still had 35-40 students in a class.

As the trailers could not hold

that many desks, if all of the students showed up to school, then students

sat on the floor or stood. Also, even with the two cafeterias operating,

four lunches were still necessary. Therefore, first lunch began around

two hours after school began.

Before you call someone a liar,

you should be sure that you have all of the facts correct. Just count

your blessings that you live and go to school in Fayette County, and pray

that development here doesn't get so out of control that you experience

just what I am talking about.

Jennifer Switzer

(Fayette County educator

and former Florida teacher)