Commenting on a current conflict between the ACLU and the Sanford School Department over same-sex classrooms, you argue that there is no need to separate boys from girls because a program like this “shortchanges everyone.”(Our View, “Schools should avoid single-sex classes,” June 11).

This meaningless debate completely misses the point. Rather, what the ACLU, you and the Sanford School Department are demonstrating are the systematic problems with our public school systems.

Our schools marginalize and harm students when political decisions are made over how to educate our children. Children and their parents are subjected to these educational experiments by political do-gooders in our school systems.

When these administrators decide on a curriculum or set of values, inevitably some will be left behind or be forced to conform to a set of values they disagree with. Those who are marginalized are left to suffer under the will of the politically powerful.

Then, because students do not have educational choices, children are stuck with no better options. Sanford’s policy demonstrates this perfectly. It is a tragedy that the ACLU has to be recruited to defend the rights of students in our schools.

What truly shortchanges everyone is the immorality inherent in our public school system.

Leaving educational choices up to politicians and administrators only harms the quality of our children’s education and subjects the few to the values of the many.

Students and society would be better off if they could choose the school that best reflects their learning style and values.

Kyle Pomerleau is a resident of Gorham.

 

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