THE BIG THREE

IN DANTE'S POEM, THE INFERNO, THERE WERE 9 RINGS IN HELL SPIRALING DOWNWARD INTO THE PIT. OUR EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM REPLICATES THIS SITUATION TODAY. NO LONGER DO WE HAVE THE 3 R'S OF PARAMOUNT IMPORTANCE - READING, WRITING AND 'RITHMATIC. NO LONGER ARE THE 3 D'S UPHELD - DECORUM, DECENCY AND DILIGENCE. NOW 9 LEVELS OF CORRUPTION AND COMPROMISE ARE NEEDED TO RULE A PUBLIC SCHOOL - PRINCIPAL, TEACHER, SPEECH THERAPIST, SOCIAL WORKER, PSYCHOLOGIST, READING SPECIALIST, RESOURCE-ROOM TEACHER, TEACHER AIDE AND LUNCH MONITOR. COUNT THEM AGAIN, NINE. HOW MANY ARE SUPERNUMERARIES WHEN THREE WOULD DO - PRINCIPAL, TEACHER, DISCIPLINARIAN?

LET'S RETURN TO THE DAYS OF YESTERYEAR WHEN SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS DID NOT DEFEND THE LOW RATINGS OF THEIR MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS WITH A PRIDE OF OWNERSHIP BASED ON GOVERNMENT FUNDING. WHEN ONE RESTAURANT - THE HOME - WAS AVAILABLE FOR PATRONAGE AND NOT ONE FOR EVERY 664 AMERICANS (AS OF 2003). WHEN SATISFACTION WAS DERIVED MORE FROM FEEDING OUR MINDS THAN OUR FACES.

I KNOW, I KNOW, THE LONE RANGER WAS A PRODUCT OF FICTION.