Remedial ed not CSU's job

California's education system needs an enema -- or at least a laxative strong enough to purge itself of the waste and redundancies present in California's schools. A decision by CSU Trustees to end remedial education at four-year universities would be a good start.

A decision like this would send a strong message to the state, to public schools and especially to students, that a college education is serious business, not something one can jump into unprepared.

It's a given that California's public schools should be preparing kids for college. The fact is many are not.

Historically, many of the state's schools have been below par, and there are many areas where drop-out rates are high. There are also a lot of citizens who decide to work for a living after high school, letting sentence structure and mathematic formulas fade from their memories.

What if these unprepared people suddenly get wise and decide that a college education is in order? How will they cope in a lean, mean university geared toward higher learning?

They have options. They can either buy a book and study the basics before entering a four-year institution, or they can -- like two-thirds of all CSU students -- get up to speed at a junior college.

Remedial education's place is in the two-year institution. These schools were designed to prepare students for the demands of universities and they do a very good job. They are proving grounds which weed out those not ready for prime-time. Those motivated enough to transfer to SF State, will be motivated enough to graduate.

There is no doubt that many students at this university have had to work through adversity. Financial limitations, learning disabilities and cultural differences are all examples of obstacles students face. But one thing they should have in common is a desire to get in, learn what they need to know and get out and on with their lives.

The CSU system is not the place to bring students up to par. That responsibility lies with California's high schools and the students themselves. We need to concentrate on higher education here.

[ Golden Gater Online October 31, 1995 ]

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