Tuesday, May 6, 2008

Letters May 6th, 2008

Times and Transcript

Public expects better results


To The Editor:

Education Minister Lamrock has been making disparaging comments about the literacy of New Brunswickers.

According to Lamrock's figure, 87 per cent of our workers can't read well enough to "learn a new skill". He is projecting a bleak image of New Brunswick. Similarly, fellow cabinet minister Mary Schryer stood in the legislature and stated that 88-98 per cent of fifth graders cannot write a sentence in French. Once again, this has no basis in reality.

Minister Lamrock is trying to "legitimize" his new strategy for education. This is not surprising considering that Lamrock's elimination of all early French instruction hinges upon the recommendations of a flawed and biased report. He wasted $180,000 of public money on a forgone conclusion, while he disregarded previous reports written by actual experts. Now, Lamrock is scrambling to justify his changes.

There is not one single teaching expert, or French Second Language expert, who endorses Lamrock's plan. The plan is piecemeal, untested, and based on dodgy research. Why would anyone endorse such a scheme?

We do not want our children to be the lab rats in Lamrock's and Doug Willms' social science experiment. Change for the sake of change is not acceptable.

New Brunswickers are embarrassed by the dysfunction of the government. We expect better results. That is mandatory.

Jennifer Atkinson, Douglas

No comments: