On June 18, Ms. Patrick’s article “Ed. Reform Must Look At Poverty” is yet another way of creating excuses for Coeur d’Alene and America’s public school performance. Every year, “poverty” is established by a growing percentage of parents as they claim eligibility for “free lunch” at the Coeur d’Alene district. They are deemed eligible for free lunch (poverty) with little effort to check qualification for such status — thus creating a “red herring” for student (and district) performance.

Endless studies point out that high teacher academic expectations solve the poverty issue, and Ms. Patrick should certainly know that fact. Please reference Mr. Heime Escalante’s results in inner city Los Angeles as but one example of overcoming poverty with quality education efforts on the part of teacher and student. The teacher proves to be “the” ingredient that improves or destroys your child’s education experience. True “poverty” is surmounted with quality teaching. Parent involvement, teacher pay and district budgets, are inconsequential as compared to the lifelong effects of a quality teacher.

Given the lethargic public education record of Coeur d’Alene schools, additional excuses (poverty) does great disservice to our community and its kids. The performance of the district prompts parents to send their kids to award-winning local alternative education environments. Since the Coeur d’Alene district fails to promote the need for vast improvements under the concept of “Local Control,” Common Core is desperately needed. The Coeur d’Alene public school district refuses to hold teachers accountable for student performance, especially in junior and senior high schools. Thankfully, Common Core, when fully implemented, will solve the teacher unaccountability issue.

Presently, gross Coeur d’Alene district exaggerations claim acceptable academic performance within our schools. Therefore, after decades of answering teacher needs, a union, dedicated to our students, and a voucher program (every student given some funding to go to the school of their parents choice) are desperately needed in Idaho and at the Coeur d’Alene public schools.

RON DEADY

Retired Air Force

five-year public education teacher