Hoax or Reality: Letter to the Newpaper Stirs Comment and Concern

Hoax? Reality? Either way, children are being "Left Behind"

It has been noted, in this space and elsewhere, that Florida schools do not rank well by standard criteria. All during the past year, Governor Charlie Crist, who lives for the chance on being Senator Crist, has been telling every audience that will listen that Florida's rank has gone from 31^st in the nation to tenth. There has been much criticism on the former level, the organization that examines the data changed its methodology but, in any event, it is universally accepted that Florida schools are underfunded and understaffed. While there is an abundance of relatively high priced administrators, staff in the trenches, teachers, aides, special education specialists, and others who actually interact with students are underpaid and underappreciated.

Traditionally, schools are administrated on the local level with state funding and some establishment of state standards. The Florida Legislature is totally incapable of addressing educational needs in a responsible manner. Part of that inability is a consequence of lower than anticipated tax revenues, a utter fear of suggesting additional taxes upon a population which has been taught to expect governmental services without sacrifice or payment and a dominant political party that believes in governing without government.

A while ago, President Obama made a suggestion. Why not extend the school year to have a shorter summer vacation and have longer school days? After all, the days when little Johnny had to help in the fields and that took precedence over school are over. Now Johnny spends his time at the mall, playing tunes into earphones.

In any event, according to the St. Petersburg Times' TBT newspaper, its editors received the following email, with the subject, ""why dose nobody ask the students'' from someone whose name is being withheld by the publication:

Dear "tbt" editor of which it may concern I'm a student of pasco county a junior to be precise and pleas do not mistake this for a Dear Abby segment I am not a 40 year old women concerned about her felines. I am just appalled as a member of the student body that in every in other words the only article I could find of president Obahmas plan to extend the school year, school days, and even rumored around school of making us work weekends that they have not a single students opinion on the subject.

more so that they believe that the school boards "research" should stand as good evidence of the improvement in our "higher achievement". a very intelligent man once said if you observe you have therefor changed the out come (now notice I didn't abbreviate that phrase as I did the other stated phrases that's because it's not exact not as an insult to any of the readers but some would use this against the students to further there pointless war against other country's grade average).

at any rate not only do I believe it to be unreliable research but I also believe it dose not properly address to how our mind will adjust to the added stress. now personally I don't get what in heavens name these people they put in these articles have to do with the students spending more time in school it's not like there stuck in the classroom ding the extra work the teachers prepare to compensate for the extra time. are they siting first row in this teenage bomb they're building.

the plan reducing summer well first why don't they come clean that they all ready reduced it we're only on vacation for two months give or take a few days and for years they lied to our faces saying we have three months vaca.

to sum it all up I just wish he public the pollutions the school board the reporters would address us on things that affect US not them now granted there may have been a segment on the news some were that addressed students about it but if there was did you even pay attention. and let me end this by saying the subduction of certain rights in order to maintain the learning enviorment making your usage of the 1st amendment right lesser then you would have in normal society is the same as removing them at the front step!

(I would like to stay anonymous)

There have been many comments by readers following publication of the email. The reactions have been equally divided; about half of the readers consider the letter as satire, written by an older person, perhaps in college, as a prank; about half of those who commented - and many of whom are teachers - believed the message was or could be authentic! The editors of TBT state that they know the identity of the author; they are not disclosing even enough information to allow the public to judge authenticity.

I am not convinced either way. But this I do know, high school teachers state that children are getting through eight or nine years of primary education without having the ability to parse a sentence. Colleges complain that many entering freshmen need remedial courses in English. Employers are frustrated that potential employees, armed with a college degree are unable to read and understand a sales or operational manual and cannot write a coherent and grammatical letter or memorandum.

I confess that, thanks to a strict eighth grade teacher, I am a grammar purist. My children will attest to my reaching to a misuse of "less" and "fewer" is hysterical. I feel strongly about "infer" and "imply", "affect" and "effect". Poor grammar is the "sort of thing up with which I will not put.

I pose this question to those who read this piece: What do you think? Is the email a hoax or frightening reality? And, why do you have that opinion?