As a member of Sen. Chris Buttars' West Jordan voting district, I can no longer listen to his proposals without voicing my opinion. I understand that we have a serious budget shortfall and must make cuts, but to propose eliminating the 12th grade is ludicrous ("Buttars: Ax high school buses, 12th grade," Tribune , Feb. 1.). Why not get rid of kindergarten? It's not mandatory, and most kids just coast through it anyway. Parents can teach their kindergarten children everything they need to learn with online tools.

Eliminating the 12th grade would not only free up $102 million dollars, it would prevent our children from getting into most colleges. It would also rob many young people of productive futures. Have Utahns sunk to the level that providing a quality education for our children is on the short list of things to cut to save a little money?

Buttars also suggests cutting transportation to school. Maybe if we don't bus kids to school they will drop out, and then we won't have to educate them at all, saving more money.

I voted for Buttars before. I will never again be suckered into that mistake.

Lisa Wells

South Jordan