Editor’s Note: The following letter to the editor was written by a Centralia High School student as part of a class assignment.
The current education system is failing our children, and it’s time for a change. We are teaching kids skills that are outdated and not applicable to their lives in the real world. It’s time to start teaching students the life skills they need to succeed.
Today’s students need to be prepared for the jobs of tomorrow. We must teach them skills that are applicable to their future career paths.
This means teaching them the basics of math, history and writing a resume, not learning how to write novels or just unnecessary essays that won't be used. Teach them how to do taxes and help them obtain basic financial literacy. There is no need to teach us how to find a slope or how to find ratios in similar polygons or parallel lines and transversals. Those are just a few things, but I feel like it shouldn't be taught if you’re not going into a field where it is required.
I guarantee the majority of people who you ask probably don't remember how to do it. And let's say you’re in a situation where you need it: You can use the technology of today and it will give you the answer. If students want to do a career where that is required, they will already be going to school for that and will be taught how to do it.
We also need to be teaching students how to be good citizens and how to live a decent or good life with others. We need to teach them basic social skills, such as communication, problem solving and conflict resolution. We need to teach them how to be good stewards of their environment and how to be socially responsible citizens.
A large body of research indicates that educators in the top 25th percentile of experience are less likely to teach in low-income areas where schools are more likely to have higher percentages of students who are Latino or Black. And another article gives a lot of reasons on how the school system is failing us. The article reasons the school system is failing us. It states parents aren't as involved, schools are closing left and right and it highlights lack of involvement of teachers.
It goes on and on.
Pedro Picazo
Centralia
