Our School System: Why can't Johnny rede

Dear Principal Tarin,

My how things changed since 1984. Last time I was there, there were only three grades. Seems like someone put in four. But after visiting your website, I may be wrong, but apparently, civics or government is not being taught. I find this disturbing as most of my basic government education experience was brought forth by government. I also find it disturbing, no fault of your own, that in this time of "change", topics like: taxes, health and the Constitution is not being taught.

Taxes are the lifeline of public institutions. Schools like Reseda High relies on taxes to keep afloat. According to liberal talk show host Thom Hartmann:

http://www.thomhartmann.com/2007/08/06/roll-back-the-reagan-tax-cuts/

Hartmann explains that taxes are used to protect our public infrastructure and maintaining these public infrastructure allows people to work. Taxes are not to be used for corporations, but lately, since Reagan, corporations are given tax breaks and We the People need to pay for it. We pay in the way of: corporations destroying our roads like Wal-Mart, using our police and fire department, and employees of Wal-Mart are given forms for welfare because employees are not allowed to work full time, thus receiving benefits because they are under the poverty level.

Health care is another form of saving money. More money is spent on people without insurance because there is no single payer plan. George Bush did say: "After all, you just go to an emergency room

" That is sickening. And did you know that health care is a Constitutional right?

--Article 1, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution states: --Article 1, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution states: "The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and GENERAL WELFARE OF THE UNITED STATES; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States". Congress is therefore constitutionally authorized to enact health care legislation that ensures the GENERAL WELFARE, and is authorized to levy taxes to fund it. That's how you're getting paid and how Reseda High is still a high school and not razed to be a Wal-Mart

Yes I know I'm preaching to the choir, but the people we need to preach to, are watching and hearing adults say: I HATE TAXES! TAXES IS SOCIALISM! (They got that right) and GOVERNMENT IS EVIL! But suffice to say, schools are the servant to We the People and educating the commons is a vital part of the learning process? Not how test scores are from No Child Left Behind: http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/06_42/b4005059.htm

We failed our students arguably since 1981, but should we continue down that path of least resistance or should we educate the students of the truth and prepare them for the future...be they: A.P. or Continuation students?


Tim,

Know that those subjects are required, but the titles have changed. Government is a 12th grade class. Civics as you knew it is no longer covered alone, but incorporated within the curriculum in two Social Studies courses.

As for the three vs four grades, we picked up the ninth grade that actually helps students in the long run since 9th grade classes are part of the graduation requirements. Before those were at the Jr. high level and quality control was not with the high school.

Tim know that even with the high stakes testing Reseda HS works to educate our students for the real world, now that the state testing is closer aligned to our curriculum(standards) it’s easier to do. Now don’t get me wrong I do not agree with all of NCLB, but look at how well we’ve been doing on the API the state measure.

Nice communicating with you.

Alfredo Tarin, Principal