Dear Editor,

On Thursday night at the Appling County Board of Education, Linda Zechmann, the 1st District State Board Of Education Representative came to Baxley for public input. The following is what I spoke to.

Thank you for coming here to listen to what the people have to say. Unless you put into action some very basic principles that have been confirmed by multiple studies it will be just more lip service. Like the kind of rhetoric I have heard every election that I have voted in since 1972. Without action the problems of public education will continue.

1) Class room size should be limited to no more than 12 students; smaller classes will allow students to get the attention they deserve and allow education to prosper. In addition problems that require discipline will almost disappear.

2) Students must be reconnected with the natural world, where we recognize that we are living beings dependent on the natural processes of our planet every minute of every day. We need clean air, water and soil to survive. Computers are great, but spell check does not promote the ability to spell and calculators do not promote the skills of mathematics. Save the computers and virtual world for high school and beyond. Organized sports are also great, but every student needs physical exercise on a daily basis.

3) Students must be fed proper food. The current way of feeding students the lowest bid, chemical laden, high fructose containing food is showing up in test scores, discipline problems and health problems such as obesity and diabetes. Our students need fresh food that is chemical and poison free, food grown by local farmers. Most every school fund raiser is from a product that promotes unhealthy eating.

4) Art in school is a very important component of a young person’s education. Art was removed from our county; can you explain how the state would let this happen?

Each of these points have been proven to raise the level of education students receive, we just need the courage to commit to these basic ideas if we TRULY want to have an educated nation. Some of these things cost more that we currently spend; there is no reason to raise taxes. As long as we continue to spend more on the military than the rest of the world combined, (yes I am a veteran) something’s will have to suffer, like education and healthcare, that is basic math. We can only cut so many corners before our children and nation suffers. If we don’t want to commit to these basics ideas, then at least have the courage to admit you want a dumbed down country.

On our very local level something is terribly wrong when the President of The United States speaks to the students of our country about working hard and the importance of a good education and our school administration denies students the chance to hear the President.

In closing, we are setting a terrible example when the school superintendent has been convicted of misuse of public funds and or property by the PSC and he is still in his position, with the Board of Education knowing all of this. The money that was misappropriated is 3 times the amount that would classify it as a felony, which is a direction this case needs to go with the district attorney. If the superintendent stays in office it will cost the citizens of Appling County additional tens of thousands of dollars every year for the superintendents increased pension. Having said that what can your office do, to at the very minimum to immediately suspend the superintendent until all appeals are heard?

Raven Waters