REFORM: Picture perfect? Not quite

At Luke Malek’s invitation, I visited http://studentscomefirst.org. The website, created by the Idaho State Department of Education, is a slick presentation. Professionally done, all the people pictured are flawless, smiling with perfect teeth, girls in pink, boys in blue, mom, dad and two children. What’s not to like?

What I could not find in this production was a clear explanation of how our state will pay teachers’ salaries (Luke says no teachers will be harmed) and buy $60 million of computers and online classes at the same time. What I also could not find was an explanation of how a computer program will automatically cause little Johnny to want to learn. The current online education, K-12, reveals no improvement in student test scores.

Teachers’ salaries have been frozen, bonuses promised, but none received as of today. Yet they continue out-of-pocket expenditures for class supplies. I am concerned that parents will be permitted to criticize teachers but not required to be more involved in their children’s learning process.

I am opposed to sending our tax dollars out of state and country when that money could create jobs in Idaho, by paying our teachers more. The $60 million is the beginning, what about future replacements? 86.9 percent of Idaho students have Internet access and could take online classes at home. How about a computer lab at school, open extra hours a day? Vote No on props 1, 2, 3! However, Luke is right, Idaho’s “status quo” is failing, but not just in education.

JANET CALLEN

Coeur d’Alene