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trigonometry, if they plan to take engineering. And for the college bound, we must ensure that we have teachers competent to lead them to home plate, Calculus is completely a non-priority subject in Rappahannock for only about six or seven students and should be abandoned, leaving it for the precalculus courses offered at colleges for our engineering students, if any.
I reject in toto your accusation that for four years on the school board I attacked art and music as worthless. I am an amateur painter myself (in watercolors) and classicial music has been my personal companion for 55 years. I advocate two cultural courses to be offered as electives: a good music appreciation course and a good art appreciation course. Those students who are interested will take over from there on their own.
In summary:
I would recommend that we have two distinctly defined curricula for our high school students — academic and vocational; that we set our expectations of the high school students and our standards higher for both groups; that in math and science we provide required courses of differing complexity for the two groups; that we provide every possible opportunity for any boy or girl to pursue a useful vocation and that we offer the opportunity for all to enrich their lives with art and music, if they wish.
In short, I urge the present school board and the school administrators to attack the curriculum problem with a rifle to hit specific targets for specific constructive results and to abandon the present shotgun approach which can only ensure a continuation of a public education in this county on a level of “the lowest common denominator.”
ROBERT W. EASTHAM
Flint Hill
97.1%