A letter to the Board from Z. Philip Ambrose Lyman-Roberts Professor Emeritus of Classical Languages The University of Vermont Subject: Re: Proposed School Budget Omnibus salutem do! Noralee Cartier, the Latin teacher at BHS, is returning from England late tomorrow. As I understand it (but we need Noralee to confirm), there are currently 2 first-year classes, 1 second-year, and a combined 3r and 4th year course (alternating between Cicero and Vergil), making for a total of 4 courses a year. Im not sure how the AP course works, whether as a regular course or as an extra effort made by the teacher. The Latin tradition at BHS has been wonderful over the years. I have known every one of the teachers at BHS since 1962 and have taught all of them but Mrs. Perrin, among them the late and dearly loved Lainey Dates (who passed away a month ago) and the current teach Noralee Cartier. Both of my daughters enjoyed four years of Latin with Lainey. I plead with you to deal courageously against strict application of number determinants for 1.0 FTE status. Numbers do easily vary, and have varied, from year to year. Enrollment could be increased, for example, by suggesting Latin to dyslexic or mildly dyslexic students, who will find its simple phonetic alphabet much less confusing, and to those (and there are many at BHS) whose native language or home language is not English. Another consequence of the proposed elimination of Latin: whiIe I have always voted for and supported the Burlington School budget, I have not done so unthinkingly but because of my respect for the schools of our city --- the wonderful teachers, for example, of my children at Taft, at Edmunds Elementary and Middle School, and at BHS. In the long run, diminishing the cultural standards and values of our city by this proposed action will adversely affect its very financial health and drive concerned tax-paying parents to the perimeter, where Latin also flourishes at Mt. Mansfield and Champlain Valley Union (both with four-year programs) and has been recently restored at South Burlington HS. There is, in truth, the further consequence that the Latin programs throughout the State of Vermont would be endangered by this action by her largest and most prominent city. With full respect for your work and for the difficult budgetary decisions you must make, Z. Philip Ambrose Lyman-Roberts Professor Emeritus of Classical Languages The University of Vermont 63 Robinson Parkway Burlington, VT 05401 Tel: 862-6818
Posted on: Tue, 30 Dec 2014 21:25:05 +0000
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