Comment from a parent and former teacher
I would like to express my concern regard the changes which our school board has implemented without a thorough researching. Our previous science requisite was 1 year of life science (i.e., Biology) and 1 year of physical science (i.e., Chemistry). Many college-bound students take Physics and additional high school science. Any student who would be pursuing a college degree would be prepared as these meet the prerequisite requirements.
In an effort to meet the No Child Left Behind mandates, these collegiate-preparatory courses have been replaced with 1 semester of Biology, 1 semester of Earth Science, 1 semester of Chemistry, and 1 semester of Physics. Two questions immediately come to mind: 1.Why Earth Science as a requirement? No universities require Earth Science for entrance. 2. What kinds of courses will be provided encompassing a year's worth of Biology and Chemistry in a semester? Survey courses?
I am a certified High School Biology and Chemistry teacher. When I taught, the year-long courses in Biology and Chemistry would be considered to be on Pre-College Track (students serious about attending college). These new requirements would be in the Non-College Track (students not planning on attending college).
In today's technology-based society, when we really want to prepare our children for all the potentials (since most of the time they don't know where they will be in the future), doesn't it make sense to shoot for the moon (the best) so they are well-prepared and have many options open to them?
Do not short change the students of our community! In this day and age, students need to be as well-prepared as they can. Our administrators (for whom our tax dollars are paying wages) need to do the best benchmarking they can as they make these decisions. To not do so is to give all our kids the short end of the stick!
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