Teaching ‘Virtues’

* Re “In Schools Driven by ‘Standards,’ What Place for Virtues?” Ventura County Perspective, Aug. 27.

Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Every school board member, administrator and principal should be required to read this article by teacher Alicia A. Reynolds.

Thank you, Ms. Reynolds, for the courage as a high school teacher to point out that a quality life is not determined by Stanford 9 test scores. If teachers were allowed and encouraged to make their highest priority the development of character traits in their students, “being the most understanding, the most just and having the courage to act on those qualities,” and if schools were held accountable for their success in these areas, what a splendid future we could all look forward to!

And to think that this could happen if parents truly wanted the same thing.

Want to bet Ms. Reynolds’ students would probably score higher than most if that were the standard?

WILBUR SKEELS

Thousand Oaks