Dear Editor:
I need to be enlightened, and perhaps some of your readers can do that for me.
Let me preface the following missive with the facts that no one in my family has children in school, and that I have no political affiliation with any party, nor have I voted in the last several elections, for reasons not relevant to this issue.
With that out of the way, would you and your readers agree that public education, especially K-12 is essential? Is it essential that young people at a minimum graduate from high school to become productive tax payers? Basic education even goes beyond that.
For example, the U.S. military brass certainly thinks so. In recent reports, U.S. generals have noted that it is increasingly difficult to find suitable recruits because many applicants lack the necessary literacy skills. They contend that this endangers their national security.
So far, I have not heard of similar concerns from our military leaders. But you get the point.
Therefore, my argument is, if in fact education is essential, should not those professions who provide that service be classified as essential? Would a seamless education, without disruptions not be a benefit for students to attain this essential education?
I am curious to see what others think about this.
Ted Grigoleit, Burnaby
