Well! It seems that there are some strong opinions on school vouchers out there! It’s comforting to me, anyway, to know that most of the people that spoke to me after reading my last article tend to agree that vouchers are a bad idea. Of those that did object, and support vouchers, the most used rationale was "It’s my money! If I want to send my kids to private school, I should get my school tax money back!"

Sorry folks, that dog won’t hunt! Next April, those same people should try sending a note with their form 1040 saying, "Dear Uncle Sam, I don’t think we should be giving foreign aid to Costa Del Moskovinisk, and I’m going to keep that portion of my taxes and send it instead to East Selfrightious Guanoguay instead. That’s not a problem, is it? Sincerely, Irate Taxpayer, Jr."

Being in public education, I’m getting used to the criticism, and the endless drone for accountability, accountability… (Which to me usually means more paperwork and less teaching), but I would guess every teacher and every administrator would love to shout, "Give us your wholehearted support! Give us the tools and the financing it takes to do the job right! Allow us to discipline without undo fear of lawsuits! Let us get back to teaching, and we will change the world!"

I think I need to change subjects, or I’ll start to shout. Not good to type in all capital letters in the newspaper! Hmmm. Actually something really neat happened last week. Long ago, I used to play a card game called Bridge. Back when I played, for those of you familiar with the game, I accumulated some "points" which were very important to me at the time. Recently, I have considered playing again, and contacted the American Contract Bridge League, via Internet, on the very slim chance they could find my records. After my inquiry, guessing at my old addresses and the dates, unbelievably, two days later, they responded with the information that my membership had indeed expired in 1982, and they had found all the information. All I have to do is re-apply for membership using my old membership number! Kudos to an organization that has their duck in a row! I am impressed!

I need to finish up this week with a little bragging on a product of Georgia’s public education system. My eldest son, Kevin, graduated from a public high school here in northwest Georgia. He went on to graduate with honors from the University of Georgia in accounting (Go Dawgs!), and received his CPA while working in Atlanta. Last June, he graduated 3^rd in his class from the University of Chicago Law School. Already this year he has had personal interviews in Washington D. C. for a position as a law clerk for U.S. Supreme Court Justices Rehnquist and Scalia. This coming Wednesday, he meets with Justice Anthony Kennedy. Public school handicap? Hardly! Not bad for a kid from "rural" Jaw-ja!

Keep smiling! Enjoy the cold turkey sandwiches, and I’ll see ya next week!