Letters: TEACHER: TEST-SCORE 'IMPROVEMENTS' MEANINGLESS

THE MODEST increases in standardized test scores mean virtually nothing. They've been overused, and the results have, over time, been interpreted far too provincially by both Arlene [Ackerman] and now Mr. [Elmer] Smith to distract attention from the far more pressing and intractable issues of climate, safety and, not until recently, a morbidly expensive and top-heavy central administration.

A generation ago, these issues weren't part of the discussion. When I was in high school - two-thirds of my life ago - nearly all of us were proficient in reading, math and so much more. To be sure, we didn't get to be so perfectly. The mistakes we made in frequency and magnitude, even back then, far, far exceeded the usual allowance. But we made fixes and not excuses.

So, even in four years, everyone in my high-school class grew in moral and intellectual stature, so that we graduated on time because of these. Our teachers asked everything of us and, though not many of us I suspect knew it at the time, it's what we demanded ourselves. Moral as well as academic development then was the centrality of our presence as students, and is our business as teachers.

Now thirty years later, the simplest things are thought to be miracles. History begins to explain how this happened, through displacement of priorities and through the S.R.C.'s unbridled myopia and support of Dr. Ackerman's morally relativistic operating philosophy and her unwillingness to treat people fairly. Addressing and redressing this history of how these have played out would have made for a stimulating, informative and substantive piece. As ever, I confess myself disappointed.

Jonathan R. Verlin, Teacher,

South Philadelphia High School,

Philadelphia

nolead begins

As a dietitian working to improve school nutrition, I know schools are working hard to serve healthier meals to fight childhood obesity. In a recent School Nutrition Association survey, more than half of schools surveyed are increasing vegetarian options. Currently, Congress is reauthorizing child-nutrition legislation and raising nutrition standards for school meals. Soon, schools will be asked to serve more fruits, vegetables, and other healthful plant foods, and less sodium and saturated fat.

Schools should have access to vegetarian center-of-the-plate commodity foods, in addition to fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes. Studies show that low-fat vegetarian foods can help lower the risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes and other health problems plaguing children. Children who are introduced to healthful foods early on have a greater chance of developing lifelong good eating habits - and lifelong good health.

Kathryn Strong, M.S., R.D.

Staff Dietitian,

Physicians Committee for

Responsible Medicine, Washington, DC