If parents studied history, they might think differently

In response to Matt and Sylvia McKnight's letter in the March 13 T.O. Acorn ("Stephens shouldn't vote because of conflict of interest"), as long as the First Amendment is operative, I wish to rebut their comments.

Of Glenwood Elementary School, they said, "It's unfortunate that so many feel that our school should close because it's a 'low testing school.'" From the book "The End of Racism," Dinesh D'Souza states, "The liberal paradigm holds that since racial and ethnic generalizations are irrational, none of them can accurately reflect group differences. On one point the theory is sound: people's perceptions of others are always filtered through the lens of their own prior experience."

Tuesday night's board meeting demonstrated many people filtering the spoken word through the lens of their own experience.

The McKnights said, "Those students struggling with test scores are learning a second language and their test scores shouldn't reflect on teachers." Posit: In America the word "merit" is sacrosanct; we are compensated based on what we earn or produce. Aspiring teachers want to be paid for the quality of their work and their productivity, just ask them- of course, student performance is a reflection on our teachers.

The McKnights continue, "More than 100 students attending Meadows are 'school choice' students . . . whose parents have now caused our community to segregate."

Do you feel the filter is working? My dictionary defines "choice" as the power or opportunity of choosing, the word "choicest" as: 1. Worthy of being chosen, 2. selected with care and 3. of high quality.

Much of the upheaval in the late 16th century occurred because people wanted to make their own choices.

Finally, the McKnights state, ". . . and Tim Stephens shouldn't be allowed to voice his opinion." King George III would second this motion, and the great parliamentarian Edmund Burke would say, "Great empires and little minds go ill together."

What we've learned here is a failure to learn history and a condemnation that produces the essence of the French Revolution over and over with the ultimate fate of our country left to the spoils of the Napoleon Bonapartes of the world.

Our Founding Fathers are rolling in their graves lamenting- - We gave our lives and our fortunes for this outcome? God save us! Geoff Tasker Thousand Oaks