Ethics Newsline®

Re: “When Poor Kids Fail, so Does Ethics,” Sep. 16.

Nice commentary. Just a side bar: While I believe subject matter knowledge is critical, I think more emphasis needs to be given to the importance of teacher/pupil relationships, especially in the lower grades. (”If you want to teach math to Mary, it’s more important to know Mary than to know math.”) Caring for and respecting Mary is also a determining factor in Mary’s willingness to learn.

– Luke Austenfeld
Augusta, Michigan