March 03, 2008
Monday AM

I am writing to offer positive criticism again; I would like to see it as positive criticism. In my experience though this is virtually a non existent concept with all I have criticized. Whether it is the city council, borough assembly, KIC board, or now the Ketchikan school board.

After each opinionated letter I write to any of these boards I get many comments mostly positive, indicating I am saying what many people think. I suppose the reason for not hearing or reading more negative or "constructive criticism" publicly is that no one wants to offend anyone with their real opinions. My "opinion" on this attitude is that I find that much more" offensive" that most people take this position.

Any way here goes, I was reading the school budget process in the Ketchikan Daily News and everyone in attendance seemed to be in favor of student activities but chose to put them on the bottom of the priority list anyway. This is always the precise point in politics that makes me want to puke .People say one thing and then vote the other way and than they justify it by reasons that do make sense in a way, but are not what is best for the big picture.

I have rarely heard a kid say I can hardly wait until this darn stupid basketball, softball, volleyball, pep band, etc. extra student activities are over so I can get back to my math class or science class, or history class. In fact I have often wondered if rolls were reversed and math science and history were "extra student activities" and the aforementioned activities were required how many kids would participate in the "extra student activities. I am not knocking education IN ANY WAY. I am just saying for the most part the math, science and history classes are not the majority of students' favorite subjects.

My point is that this district is very out of touch as well as the school board, and administration. They are not looking at the big picture. If you take out student activities there will be less student participation overall in our little school system. The dropout rate will increase and the programs you are so worried about will be scratched anyway because there are not enough students to fill these vital programs. There will be too many teachers for the amount of students now anyway with the inevitable drop in students.

My point is take away the activities and you can count on less student participation here in Ketchikan.

With higher than normal property taxes, very high cost of living, long dark winters that "basketball USED TO ALLEVIATE" even this is becoming a joke, and a very seasonal economy, and now again apparently nothing for our kids to do in these struggling schools, what is the point? I may as well do what many other people are starting to do, look at other options for my kids and myself.

Student activities always seems to be a bargaining chip, it should in my opinion be top on the priority list not taken off, and should be treated not as a bargaining chip but as an essential part of the overall budget. (By the way I have had a varsity player on the Lady Kings for going on seven consecutive years, so my shot at the program is not made completely in the dark)

Just a thought.

Keep it up Ketchikan. Soon we will find it hard to have enough people to keep the lights on in the winter when the boats leave.

Charles Edwardson
Ketchikan, AK

Received March 01, 2008 - Published March 03, 2008

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