Reporter Editor Craig Groshart asks, “Are school failing?” Yes they are. They are failing to get the parents involved in their children’s education. According to Randy Dorn’s latest pronouncement we have about 64 percent of our ninth graders completing what we refer to as a “high school diploma.” Since there is no specific definition of what is required to achieve this moniker, one can suggest that the number of “graduates” that either have reached college admissions standards or have the skills to enter a living wage job might be significantly lower than 65 percent.

Why? Unfortunately either through ignorance or unwillingness, the home life of many of our children does not include a very high priority for learning. Learning isn’t fun is often heard and I have heard school board members suggest that it has to be “fun.” The threshold for “boring’ and “no fun” has descended to levels where ringed worms may not find difficulties overcoming the thresholds.

Until we enlist – conscript might be a better term – the adults in our children’s life in this venture I don’t look for much better results. Our international competitors seem to have come to understand the importance of a quality education. Meanwhile we are watching our flatscreens and expecting our schools to be centers of gladiator training and to be fun without being boring.

Quadratic equations? Boring and no fun. Fractions? The same.

Charles Hoff, Kent