The Truth About Mass. School Rankings and Lifelong Friendships
Selected letters to the editor of the Globe Magazine offer diverse perspectives on educational progress and challenges.
Educational Progress in the South
A recent article titled “The Northern Nosedive” (October 5) highlights improvements in states like Mississippi and Louisiana, areas traditionally behind in education. Some readers find it difficult to accept this view, but recognize that learning from successful strategies, regardless of their origin, is valuable.
Proficiency Benchmarks and Testing
It is suggested that setting a fourth-grade reading proficiency requirement before advancing grades, although controversial, might be necessary. There is concern about the national focus on testing rather than skill-building. Southern states seem committed to making real improvements, while New England shows resistance to change.
Public vs. Private Education
The Education Issue of the magazine portrays public schools negatively, quickly followed by 38 pages of private school advertisements. This sequence raises the question of whether the magazine encourages families to leave public schools for private alternatives.
My father was a public high school teacher from the 1950s through the 1970s. He saw himself as an “educator,” not “just a teacher,” alongside his peers. Teachers were respected professionals, on par with doctors and lawyers. Public education today has changed all that.
Author's Summary
These reflections reveal tensions between tradition and reform, highlighting efforts to improve education and the shifting societal value placed on public schooling.
Would you like the tone to remain formal or be more conversational?