Letter: Students are failing schools by not studying

Wednesday, Oct. 13, 2004 | 9:22 a.m.

As a retired teacher who is now tutoring students at the Community College of Southern Nevada, I was struck by the closing remarks of writer Jonathan Rauch in his article headlined, "Now, for tonight's assignment," in the current edition of The Atlantic Monthly."

Rauch wrote, "... Americans like to view their children as passive recipients of education -- as products of the schools. If the product is defective, fix the factory. You will know that Americans are finally serious about education reform when they begin to talk not just about how the schools are failing our children but also about how our children are failing the schools."

Rauch observes that many high school students fail their schools by not doing enough homework, with two-thirds doing less than an hour a night and 40 percent doing none. I agree, but would add that many are not even taught how to study.

Changing students' study habits should appeal to the many Nevada residents who seem so against any kind of tax that they'd be hard-pressed to vote for more factory fees.

LUCY SAROYAN