Dear Editor:
I have two responses to Steve Jennings long letter citing a litany of reasons why people should vote against the bond issue to improve SW Open School facilities.
One, it was once said that the best education would be Socrates on one end of a log and a student on the other end. One-on-one education is only available through home-schooling and lets be frank - most parents arent Socrates, though they do try to fulfill his dictum, Education is the kindling of a flame, not the filling of a vessel. SWOS kindles flames in students whose zest for inquiry has been snuffed out!
Two, the writers generalized arguments without facts to support them are best rebutted by a visit to SWOS. See the existing facility, look at the plans, listen to the students and staff and THEN decide, based on facts (not philosophical biases), whether you have $4.15 per $100,000 property evaluation per year to spare to make this a better learning experience for kids who, in many cases, would otherwise fall through the cracks and not graduate.
As to the need for a reformed school system, run for the school board, attend their meetings and participate in the process. Be part of the solution. In the meantime, support the SWOS bond!
Tom Vaughan
Silver City, NM
Via CortezJournal.com