Dear Editor,

When Barb Laidlaw referred to back to the basics, she was referring to teaching the children to read, write and do math. There are too many children graduating that cannot do any of those things.

Ferrel Atkins, count your blessings you had the basics in your wonderful one-room school. Back in the days you are referring to, eighth grade was a good education.

Barb Laidlaw is also quite right that children should learn the basics (reading and writing) before attempting to operate a computer with a keyboard. Gibberish on the keyboard gets you nowhere.

Jan Walker was very aware of the fact that there are numerous houses being built in New Castle, Silt and Rifle. Logically, more houses with homeowners paying property taxes equals a lot more revenue. Wouldn’t that seem logical even to Dr. Atkins with his two doctorate degrees?

Jan is not a lazy person, and she volunteers her time at school as a teacher’s aide. She enjoys children and encourages them to excel to be the very best they can be. Dr. Atkins’ lack of common sense in this whole thing is quite amazing.

It would really be nice to see him apologize to these two community-minded ladies.

Natalie Smith

Rifle