A Letter to the Editor: Necessary Credits

Regarding the May 1 City & State article, “Building a better curriculum”:

As a senior at Southeast Raleigh High, I understand the importance of the CTE classes. Our school was founded to be a CTE school, designed to prepare students for the work force. The Career Focused Learning Communities (CFLCs) in our school, of which I am a member of the IT CFLC, help put students on track for a career. As such, the new CTE course requirements are a little disturbing. The article states that for the CTE requirements “Students can now also get a four-credit endorsement in foreign language, AP/IB or some other area.” This severely downplays the role of the CTE courses, allowing you to count your AP US History, French 3 and other such classes as CTE courses when they are not. This is unacceptable because it allows students to bypass the CTE credits, narrowing their mind instead of expanding it. Students should be required to dabble in CTE classes so that they can come away with the knowledge to do more than just math and writing. And who knows, maybe a few students will find that they like computers or construction or agriculture more than they first thought.

Sent 5/1/2007 to The News & Observer
Published 5/4/2007 http://www.newsobserver.com/580/story/570435.html