To the Editor:

I am a parent of five children who have completed their public school education and a grandmother of children now starting the system. My family moved here from California because of the educational system we were in.

There were far too many kids in a classroom. Music, art and aides were cut from the budget yet they were able to hire ESL (English Second Language) aides.

When I read the articles on Sen. Chris Buttars’ suggestion of removing 12th grade from the public school system in order to save the state money, I was appalled. Why should our children pay the price for what is happening today?

The 12th grade, along with every other student, is our future government, leadership, community members and workforce. I am willing to suggest that the majority of these 12th graders will not be going to college nor would they be fully prepared to compete at a college level.

Instead of removing the 12th grade, why don’t we require additional math, science, history and English classes?

Will these kids be able to find jobs with unemployment already at an alarming high figure? Are they to become a burden on society because we can’t afford to keep them in school and educate them?

Utah now suggests having 40 kids in a classroom – that is just craziness to me! Kids have such a wide degree in concentration, learning styles and abilities; how does one teacher teach 40 kids at a time and give them all a fair education? The United States is behind every other country when it comes to education and technology.

Our children will be competing global wide for jobs and they not prepared for that. As a young parent I would not have known that I could do anything about it. I am here today, begging each one of you to get involved and to let you know that you can make a difference!

Go to your PTA and request them to take action by taking your concerns to council meetings, requesting those thoughts go to the district meeting, then on to the state level and finally up to the national PTA. PTA has a huge voice and they are strong advocates for our students.

As parents, grandparents and concerned members of society we need to fight to defend and protect our children, demanding a fair and valuable education.

I am a small business owner here in Southern Utah and our business has been drastically affected by this economic crisis due to our local, state and national leadership. Our survival depends on the U.S. to be raising strong, smart, well-educated people that will be capable of leading us in the right direction. We cannot afford anything less.

Please take a few minutes; voice your opinion, go to your PTA president, attend a school board meeting, write letters to your senators and governors; get as much attention as you can to defend the right to fair education for our future; it will be well worth your investment!

Remember, one voice does make a difference, others will join and one voice will become a choir and the size of a choir is endless!

Visit http://nces.ed.gov (this site has a lot of information and statistics), www.iron.k12.ut.us/parents/pta.html (PTA information for Iron County Schools), www.utahsenate.org/contactus.html (state senate), and http://governor.utah.gov/goca/form_comment.html (governor).

Cindy Rose, Cedar City