Letter: Forum complements high school education

Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2007 | 7:12 a.m.

The Sun is to be congratulated for its ongoing youth forum and the publication of columns by teen participants. High school students are not quite adults and not quite children who tend to live up to our expectations for them.

Instead of lowering expectations by asking such questions as "What do you think about fashion?" the Sun Youth Forum offers students the opportunity to consider adult problems, using evidence and reasoning skills. Finally, some participants are empowered by the Sun's publication of their thoughts, including summaries of what others said, in their columns. It is worth noting that summarizing is a key to effective listening.

I hope that the students in the forum will be challenged by their teachers to do further research on the subjects discussed and come up with possible resolution plans. Merely because a majority opinion supports one side of an issue does not mean that opinion is supported by complete information. If the student resolution plans have faults, they can be revised. This is the kind of responsible education needed for our democratic republic.

The so-called "objective" testing of humanities is a poor substitute for education. The only difference between an A or a C student is efficient study and test-taking skills, including rote memory. Further, state-sponsored testing for "correct answers" leaves too many children behind, and even punishes schools that need help the most.

Finding the "correct answer" is a skill better fit for a dictatorship than a democracy. The Sun Youth Forum is showing a better way.

Jerry Bitts, Las Vegas