EDUCATION
Response to "Errors plague school testing" News, Sept. 15
As a high school English teacher, I’ve been appalled by our state-administered exams. Portions that assess grammar proficiency are themselves rife with errors. Reading passages are often poorly written, distracting the reader from the content. This article exposes the unreliability of these assessments, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
The more pressing issue, revealing the inadequacies in education today to prepare students for our changing world, is the invalidity of these assessments. Our 21st century technology has freed us from treating our minds like knowledge storage devices. What exactly does the question about Andrew Lloyd Webber’s vocation assess? A student’s cultural literacy? Today, we should be determining what a student can do with that knowledge.
HOLLY CHESSER, ATLANTA
COMMENTARY
Reader can’t decipher
Supreme Court cartoon
I really do not understand the Sept. 15 cartoon from Mike Luckovich (Opinion). I’ve thought about it and asked more knowledgeable friends about it. The best response was that Luckovich was inferring that the U.S. Supreme Court is owned by corporate America. Now, I do not believe this is the case, but I don’t know what Luckovich was thinking.
He has done several cartoons recently that surprised me. I think he is losing his touch (or insight). He used to bring humor and create those “Oh” moments. No longer, I think. He has just become annoying, and has no insights, and nothing to add.
BOYD HINNANT, MABLETON
FOOTBALL
Falcons organization
should support Nobis
“No. 60 to hit 70, too quietly” (Sports, Sept. 15) was an educational but sad piece on retired Atlanta Falcon football player Tommy Nobis.
No team member has ever played harder or represented the team better than Mr. Nobis did, and he gave it his all for his team and our city. Now, as he turns 70 and is suffering from conditions from his past playing days, it is very unfortunate that Mr. Blank does not have a place for him in the organization.
Mr. Blank should consider hiring Mr. Nobis — and if not, the Falcons organization and Falcons fans everywhere should fully support Nobis Works, a non-profit that helps provide employment training to people with mental and physical challenges.
JEROME JERNIGAN, ATLANTA
GOVERNANCE
Ideology, class drive
public policy decisions
“Failure to grasp market realities may hurt region” (Opinion, Sept. 18) captures so well the lack of imagination and innovation displayed by our governor and state legislators in managing our present issues and planning for our future. Everything they do is driven by ideology, and the overwhelming desire to favor the wealthy and shift the tax burden to the middle and lower classes in our state.
Years of this have devastated our educational system and threaten to dismantle our health care system — which hurts not just our citizens, but our doctors and hospitals as well. The hubris of our insurance commissioner in failing to assist our people in understanding and accessing the Affordable Care Act is appalling. These actions are absolutely embarrassing.
JANE CARR, DACULA
