Your Opinion: Grammar and public schools

Dear Editor:

This message is primarily in response to Shirley Bernskoetter's letter of Sept. 11, wherein she takes the JC public schools to task for deficiency in the teaching of proper grammar to their students. Bernskoetter, I definitely agree with your observation that poor grammar is currently replete in today's culture but I find it difficult to blame it on the teachers within the JC Public School District.

Many TV celebrities, including Bill O'Reilly, frequently "butcher the king's English." Especially by the improper use of pronoun cases. Most people don't even know what is a gerund.

I'm sure patrons and the Board of Education are pleased by your chagrin about not giving much attention to public education while your youngest from K-12, was attending Christian schools. According to their website, Helias Catholic High School charges $4,550 for contributing Catholics, $5,950 for non-contributing Catholics and non-Catholics, each year. It makes sense that these tuition costs affect families of various means and other factors such as size of family, etc. Apparently it is unknown how many Catholic high schoolers attend JC High School; but I'm sure it is significant.

Also, federal law requires public schools to accept any potential student that shows up at their doors. Religious schools, more less, have a selection process. The very demographics of this should alert of the consequences. If you voted against the proposed new high school in 2013, I hope you reconsider if a multiple academy new public high school is again placed on a ballot. It seems that the LRFPC is determined to split our high school in half which in my opinion would be a big mistake for multiple reasons, academically, financially and also rating wise.

Jefferson City is a football town and the future of the present high school field should not be sold along with the Union street buildings to another entity, other than the city, itself. The relationship between Helias and the JCPS has worked well, because of common goals (No pun intended) and should continue until a new field is built in the future.

Many problems presently confront the school district; trying to build one school and reconstruct the present high school to achieve two schools, with the students present, could be chaotic, much more than the problems facing now. I wish everyone, especially those who voted against the 2013 proposal, had seen or reviewed the excellent brochure, which thoroughly explained the proposed layout on the land at 179. The main building design shows the seven academies and the structure,"kinda," resembles the Pentagon in Washington D.C., a fitting compliment to the beautiful new St Mary's hospital.