letter to the editor

[bill london <london@moscow.com>]

letter to the editor

    Responding to Doug Wilson's letter (May 28) about the reason he uses
the term "government schools" instead of "public schools": I think his
answer is far less than candid or complete.
    He claims the term is used "simply in the interests of precision."
    His answer neglects to include the political agenda behind that
choice of words.  Wilson is a teacher of logic and rhetoric, he
certainly understands the power of words to affect perceptions and
opinions.  I believe he is choosing to use that term because it furthers
his political goals.
    The term "public schools" indicates that the educational system
represents and serves the people.  The public owns the school system,
and through election of local school boards and votes on levies and
taxation, controls the public schools.  The schools are inclusive of all
elements of the public.
    Wilson seems to scoff at that idea.  He wants a privately-funded
school system that is very exclusive, educating only those who share his
specific views and conforming all knowledge to meet his biases.  So he
created such a system.  That's perfectly legal and certainly OK with me.

    What's not OK with me is an effort to attack, denigrate, and
ultimately destroy the school system that educates the vast majority of
Americans.
    One of the tactics in such an effort is to separate the public from
their schools, to teach people to view the schools as controlled by an
external force, like "The Government."  So he calls them government
schools.

Bill London, Moscow