Mat-Su traditional schools serve students, parents well

Given the negative image of our young people often featured in the media, I found it refreshing to read of a young person’s obvious appreciation of her high school and of her motivation for getting down to the business of pursuing her education. (Published on the April 22 Schools page in the Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman under the headline “Mat-Su Central offers self-directed opportunities.”) At the same time, although probably not her intention, some might infer a false dichotomy from her enthusiasm.

In a false dichotomy, an arguer posits that his conclusion is one of only two options. He then argues that the “only other option” is clearly inferior, and so his preferred conclusion must be embraced.

It is completely incorrect to assume that only Mat-Su Central and the like can meet the needs of Mat-Su students, while Mat-Su traditional schools cannot meet those needs.

For instance, to say that a benefit of her school is that it is more technologically advanced, doesn’t mean one can conclude that traditional schools are not technologically advanced. They are. In this writer’s context, “more” refers to courses offered through technology, i.e. on computers — not necessarily a characteristic all students, their parents, or even some college admission directors find desirable.

As one young person recently said to me, “Who wants to sit in front of a computer all day.” Such a program may lack considerable classroom discourse, an important component in the development of critical thinking skills on which college admissions directors place high value.

The reference to “graduated college friends” who did not feel prepared by their traditional high school program to meet the demands of college doesn’t account for the many more traditional high school graduates like my son and his classmates who had the opposite experience and thrived in the college setting, going on to win multiple college awards, masters degrees and doctorates.

The argument for a program where students are free to pick and choose the classes they want when they want them is the kind of scenario that could keep some parents awake at night. The writer may have gone out of her way to take a pre-calculus class, but I can see other self-directed students going out of their way to avoid math altogether.

I suspect Mat-Su Central would not allow that, which rather qualifies the argument that one is free to pick one’s own program.

A recent news story about another alternative high school where over 20 graduating seniors found themselves without the college-required credits for American history suggests parental angst in this regard is not misplaced. In this case, a phony online course was added to students’ transcripts, and it wasn’t until a student objected to the phony grade that went with the phony online course because it lowered her GPA, that the problem was discovered.

Such a possibility was never a concern for me in my son’s traditional high school because highly committed guidance counselors were making certain his course of study provided everything he needed to meet those college entry requirements. In addition they also arranged, at his request, independent study courses for his personal interests, which he was able to take on his own time at Mat-Su Central without transferring out of Wasilla High.

Finally, while we should all share this young lady’s concern that not all traditional high school students are properly prepared for college, we shouldn’t lose sight of those who clearly are.

Consider this. In 2013, the graduating class of Wasilla High School earned offers of more than $1.5 million in college scholarships: some offers were for sports but most were for academic achievement. Assuming a similar amount for the other traditional high schools, that’s well more than $5 million. Wasilla High graduates have been steadily attracting offers of this kind of financial awards at least back to the 2002 graduating class.

College admission directors don’t offer this kind of money to lure applicants from programs they don’t believe adequately prepare students. They are looking for students who will make them look good by enhancing their statistics for successful college performance. They’re willing to pay to get those students from Mat-Su traditional high schools.

Marian Elliott lives in Wasilla.