A School Teacher Writes In to NewsNM

- These are a few excerpts of exceptional feedback from a professional educator:

I almost went off the road listening to you this morning, because you both hit the nail right on the head. Last year, on a standardized reading test, our freshmen averaged a 5th grade reading level. That is not a typo. I have seniors who can't write a coherent sentence, and can't pass a history test because they don't understand the words in the questions. A significant portion of the community is on welfare or free/reduced lunch, yet almost all the kids have ipods and cell phones, wear expensive shoes, and drive nicer vehicles than I do.

Parents (if they are around) do not necessarily get upset when their freshman daughters get pregnant, because it will mean another welfare check. I think we should require welfare recipients to pass a drug test in order to collect their money. Judging by their conversations, these kids have ready access to drugs and alcohol, and in many cases they get drunk or high with their parents. I have the impression that they believe that welfare check is their right, and as long as it is there, why should they go work for a living?

I used to farm in Colorado, near another multiple-generation welfare community, and regularly had job applicants tell me that they would need to be paid under the table so they wouldn't lose their welfare benefits. We have succeeded in making welfare into a career choice, instead of the stop-gap measure it was intended to be..............Enjoy listening to you on the drive down the hill from the Gila National Forest........

A School Teacher Writes In to NewsNM