Editor:

This year’s 8th-grade dance is going to be held the Saturday after we are supposed to be taking two TAKS tests in a row: science on Thursday and social studies on Friday.

I watched the phenomenon that is this dance last year and frankly was taken aback and bewildered. The typical 8th-grade student at Moreno will buy either a very nice dress or rent a tux, there may or may not be a limo involved and for an additional fee to the dance the student may become an honor member and show off what they have accomplished in their two- to three-year career at the junior high.

I was told by one of the teachers that the extravagance is due to the fact that some of these students will not be around in high school for prom, either because they have dropped out, or simply have not earned the right to go.

In a recent election, the citizens of Beeville spoke out that the teachers did not earn the right for a pay increase because the test scores of our schools have been mediocre at best. I believe in the right of citizens to hold their public officials accountable. However, by continually supporting these diversions which the students have not earned, and possibly may not earn in the future, the parents of Beeville have done a disservice to their children.

You see, on the Friday they are supposed to be taking their TAKS test for social studies, many of these parents who were concerned about test scores will be taking their children out of school to get their hair done, be fitted for a tux or to make sure their nails are done just right. Perhaps it’s the school’s fault for not having enough activities like this for the students, or maybe it was just poor planning and coordinating on the parents’ side.

Maybe an alternative for the dance could be to wait until summer, only allowing those students who can produce a report card verifying that they have passed all classes to participate in the dance. I don’t know what the solution should be to get the parents of this town and the school district to see eye to eye on extracurricular events and activities.

What I do know is this, by allowing the students to view this dance as their prom since they may not earn a prom in the future, the parents and other members of the community have put Beeville ISD on an island in the advancement of the education of our community’s youth.

Tre Coras