Editor, Manteca Bulletin,

I would like to challenge your readers to take back the editorial page from Mr. Baca and Mr. Aquila for the next several weeks to discuss issues that are affecting Californians  I always feel after reading a Baca/Aquila letter I’m listening to an argument over who has the uglier dog).

Issue one for me this week is education.

I wonder how many of your readers are aware that 80% of students applying to California Community colleges, 40 % at California State Colleges, and somewhere less than 10% at California State Universities can not do college entry level math/English (according to Public Policy Institute of California). Actually, I don’t know which number shocks me more but I would think the University number should be zero.

I wonder how many of your readers know that the Community and State Colleges have begun to implement a program where students will no longer be required to take remedial courses before being allowed to take Freshman courses at said schools. I call this the “sink or swim” method and I find it to be, well, insane because I went through this myself. The removal of mandatory remedial classes is an attempt to cut down on the drop out rate and reduce the time it takes to obtain a degree (according to the SAC Bee). Unless you reduce the academic standards to accommodate students, I don’t see how this policy helps those who can’t do the academic work and if you want to speed up the time it takes to get a degree why don’t they adopt the policy that Santa Clara use to have; A. Here’s your courses, B. Here’s the time they are held, C. Show up like you are suppose to and you’ll graduate in four years.

I truly hope that someone, somewhere can explain why such a large number of High School graduates apparently can’t do college entry work. 

After this discussion plays out, I’d like to talk about “Medicare for All” (Does anyone really know what is being proposed here in California?).

Jon Lautenschlager

Manteca