This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
In her feel-good column in The Tribune (Nov. 27), Christine Cooke invites "a more informed and elevated debate" regarding funding for Utah schools. Perhaps she missed the irony that her column appeared in the same edition as Benjamin Wood's piece "Working two jobs is simple math for teachers." That article alluded to "the state's teacher shortage," which has reached crisis proportions (we can't hire enough teachers). Utah spends less money per pupil than any state in the nation — although, good news, we are ahead of Guam!
As evidence for her position that additional funding is not needed, Cooke cites the recent NAEP data in which Utah's students are improving their performance. She conveniently cites comparisons of Utah's performance with the educationally backward United States. Had she chosen to look at our competitors abroad, she would have found in the PISA results very inconvenient comparisons.
American ranking has slipped consistently since the first results from 2000, and we now rank number 36, below our important international competitors and even previous laggards. For example, Poland ranks number 14, and they are now telling American jokes in Warsaw!
It is time for Utah to wake up and get serious about education!
Ronald White
Holladay