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Show OO nionday, 'lo'TO LC. april 16, Youve Never Heard It So Good! 0 Chuck Akerlow The Singers and the public schools STEREO 93 ) V At the outset I want to say this column is not intended to be a criticism of public education in Utah. Our state has enjoyed an enviable reputation nationally for years because Utahns have completed more years of school than people in any other state. And I am well aware of the time and effort Utahs school teachers and principals devote to educating our young. Most Utah school teachers whom I have known are dedicated and sincere individuals who make the best use of time in the classroom. But I was struck by the interesting letter written by Representative Samuel Taylor to Attorney General Robert Hansen on the subject of John Singers refusal to put his children in Coalville public schools. You are acquainted with the case and I am certain you know that Mr. Singer has fought a number of court order to put his children in the public school system on the grounds that he believes they can be better taught at home and therefore wont be exposed to the questionable influences young children sometimes face in public school. I fully understand all of the reasons why the courts have held for years that the state has a right to insist its young people be educated in a public school system or by some suitable alternative which meets state criteria for education. To be certain, society does have an interest in insuring its children are well educated in order to carry forth the nations trades, commerce, culture and business. And we fully understand the limitations imposed upon an individuals earning power when he has not finished high school or has not a trade or some other useful skill he can sell in the marketplace. The welfare rolls in the state are loaded with people who have not completed their education and thus cannot find a useful occupation. But Rep. Taylor observed that perhaps Mr. Singer is telling us something else about public schools that we have long ignored. As Mr. Taylor noted, the setting of a large public school has provided oppor- tunities for drug traffic, pornography distribution, school truancy and drop-outWe have also witnessed a rise in the percentage of costs that go to school administration and special programs and in cases more extreme than Utah, such as Cleveland, Ohio, we have seen school districts on the verge of bankruptcy. So when Mr. Singer says he does not want his children in the public school system because he fears they might be exposed to some of the problems that our children face daily at various schools, perhaps he is pointing a finger at problems we have ignored or hoped would go away. I am not saying schools are the cause of drug problems nor that they promote criminal behavior or other societal problems which seem to result from some of the experiences a child has at school. But it is a fact of institutional life that where large populations of people congregate, some will be uplifted by the noble purposes and endeavors of the institution and some will be lost in its machinations thus falling through the cracks of the institution into a life of drugs, alcohol or illicit behavior. I dont know what the solution is for John Singer, but I believe all parents of school-ag- e children should renew their interest in local school districts to insure their childrens time is well-speand not wasted and that idleness is avoided. We dont have to have drug problems at our high schools if we are prepared to take charge of our own children and insure that changes are made or that they are released to pursue other, more productive activities if they arc not doing so at school. We should always remember a basic principle of our democratic order: The public education system is responsible to the people it serves, and when the people feel the public education system has embarked upon programs or, because of the way it is organized, encourages societal problems, then it is the people, that is, you and I, who must make changes in the public education system so that it serves our needs. Each parent is still responsible for his own child, and if each us renews interest in the education of our children, we may be able to avoid in the future the kinds of problems John Singer points out. s. Now the calculator with the coffee break key. Sharps innovative kev isnt marked Coffee Break. Its marked "MU for utes). And reduce the chances of error. Multiple Use. And it saves you time for other important work. Or for an extra cup of coffee. 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