Onus on parents

I would like to thank the writer of the Feb. 4 letter "Family factors." She put the responsibility of raising a child where it belongs. With the parents.

Some have come to believe it is the responsibility of our school system and teachers to raise our children and are happy to allow them to try to do so. This is erroneous thinking. Yes, teachers have a great responsibility and I applaud them for their efforts and dedication. However, the responsibility for how a child is grounded and nurtured is not that of a teachers, but of the parents.

It has long been known that home life can increase a child's chances to succeed in school and in life. Sadly, as our society becomes more socialistic, it is becoming more common for people to rely on government programs to provide from the cradle to the grave. As a country, we are rapidly losing our competitive edge because of this thinking.

We need to change how we look at education. For too long we have made the mistaken assumption we need to spend more to get better results. Fix what we have before spending more. Teachers have enough responsibility already without asking them to take on the responsibilities of the parents.

Edward Batten

Selma