A recent opinion piece written by Jody Mull (published in the March 10 issue) inspires me to respond. She celebrates the McCleary court decision that mandates more school spending. Many of us are deeply troubled by the court overstepping their bounds and usurping legislative authority. Jody laments the 20 percent high-school drop out rate. I agree, that is regrettably high.

But kids drop out of school for a variety of reasons. Those usually have to do with home life and personal issues. She provides no evidence that spending more for schools will change that. And the real purpose of schools is to educate, not confer diplomas. Let’s concentrate on those who are there to learn.

She implies that the 31 percent of high school grads who go on to attain college degrees is inadequate. How many baristas with a degree in women’s studies and unemployed history majors is enough? People need job skills. Trade school and starter jobs are appropriate for a sizable portion of our young people. And again, where is the connection to spending?

But my main issue is her idea of fairness. She asserts that new money should be focused on the children of the homeless, poor and illegal aliens. By omission that means that the children of responsible, law abiding parents get nothing. Wouldn’t equal spending for all students be fair?

Yes, I agree that special needs students will require a bigger share. But concentrating ever more funding on the bottom end of the spectrum at the expense of the rest must be balanced. To ask responsible parents and taxpayers to pay higher and higher taxes for schools that serve their children no better is not only unfair but foolish. There is a lesson to be learned from last November.

Gary Winn