Saturday letters: Losing stars at Classical High; taxpayers and tuition subsidies; GOP hypocrisy
Classical High School losing its luster
Classical High School in Providence has slipped from a 5 star school to one with only 2 stars. Each year Classical hangs a banner above its entrance touting the school as one of the 500 best high schools in the nation.
All four of our children attended and graduated from Classical and during those years I was constantly fighting with teacher union leaders, arguing that Classical could be one of the 50 best if they tested the teacher applicants and took the best who apply rather than allowing any teacher in the system with seniority to bump a sitting teacher.
Instead the system is entrenched and the school is full of superannuated educators well beyond their productive years. Now the chickens have come home to roost and Classical has lost not only 3 stars, but its luster as well.
Peter S. Allen, Providence
The writer is a former member of the American Federation of Teachers.
Taxpayer will bear burden of tuition subsidies
Does going to college provide “a clear path to increasing income and wealth”? That’s the claim made by Shannon Gilkey, Rhode Island’s commissioner, Council on Postsecondary Education (“Filling out FAFSA opens opportunities,” Commentary, Dec. 31).
But if that’s the case, why are taxpayers being asked to pay the freight for this guaranteed path to riches? Shouldn’t student tycoons-in-training be expected to pay for the cost of their own education?
And, if college promises increased financial rewards, why are the beneficiaries of higher education crying to have their student loans forgiven? If what Mr. Gilkey says is true, why aren’t they able to pay off the loans with their newfound wealth?
Mr. Gilkey acknowledges “the rising cost of higher education.” But he seems oblivious to the effect increased demand for services, which his tuition aid programs generate, has on driving up those costs.
It is the taxpayer-funded government subsidies endorsed by Mr. Gilkey that allow colleges to raise tuition. That is what has happened, and will continue to happen, as long as the government gravy train lasts.
Commissioner Gilkey, who is paid $190,308 annually, is “very grateful” to live in our state. He has certainly found what he would call “a good job” for himself right here in Rhode Island.
But who is looking out for the taxpayers who are forced to come up with the “millions of dollars” to fund his favored programs? To be sure, it’s not Shannon Gilkey.
A. H. Liddle, Warwick
Trump and antisemites
I enjoy watching Republicans in Congress get all excited about supposed antisemitism at college campuses across the country. If they want to see antisemitism, they need to look no further than the head of their party, Donald Trump.
Trump is the man who had dinner with antisemites Kanye West and Nick Fuentes. Trump is the man who supports Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz, a man that invited a Holocaust denier to a State of the Union speech. And Trump is the man who called torch wielding neo-Nazis "fine" people.
The hypocrisy of the GOP is stunning, almost as stunning as the fact that they are going to nominate him again.
Steve Knapp, Pawtucket
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Saturday letters: Losing stars at Classical High; taxpayers and tuition subsidies; GOP hypocrisy
