The Editor
The Southern Standard
105 College Street
McMinnville, TN 37110
Dear Editor:
"Nothing in all the world is more dangerous rhan sincere ignorance," remarked Dr. Martin Lurher King. Misunderstanding often leads to distrust, dislike, and even antagonism. Unfortunately, there seems to be a certain amount of misunderstanding in the minds of many in regard to the subject of education. I would like to correct and clarify some popular misconceptions concerning the differences between public and private schools, accredited and non-accredited schools, and home schools.
(1) State law does not require schools to be accredited.
(2) State law does not require students to attend an accredited school.
(3) Not all public schools are accredited; many private schools (including church-related schools) are accredited.
(4) All schools, including private schools, must meet state regulations in regard to matters of safety and health, length of school day and year, age of compulsory attendance, number and type of subjects taught and number and type of subjects needed for graduation. State law prohibits the state from regulating the selection of faculty or texrbooks or the establishment of a curriculum in church-related schools.
(5) Students from private schools (including non-accredited schools) tend to do as well, or better, on all standardized tests, including achievement tests, college entrance exams, and assessment tests, as students from public schools. In fact, home schooled students tend to score the highest overall.
(6) State law requires public schools to admit students from private schools (including non-accredited schools) on the same basis as any other transfer student. Only one placement test may be given to such transfer students and this must be the same test routinely administered to transfer students from public schools.
(7) Some public colleges in Tennessee will not accept diplomas issued by non-approved private schools and require graduates of such schools to obtain a GED. However, this practire has been prohibited in a number of states and several Tennessee legislators are working on legislation a hich will also ban this practice in Tennessee.
(8) All students in Tennessee would be better served if advocates of both public and private education would pursue a policy of creative cooperation rather than opposition and antagonism. In a counuy of this size and diversity. many types of schools are needed. Diversity of population requires diversity of approach and such diversity increases opportunities for participation, growth, and fulfillment. However, uniformity and monopolization decrease such opportunities.
Yours most sincerely,
Walter J. Clark