To the Editor:

While school districts are struggling to balance their budgets for the coming year let’s not forget our agriculture and other non-state mandated programs.

As the belt-tightening continues for yet another year districts are being forced to consider cutting more of these programs such as business and technology.

Business programs give students practical information on balancing a checkbook and figuring out a budget among other things.

Technology programs give our students hands on activities in many diverse areas from Veterinary Science to mechanics.

Because these programs are not state mandated like science, math, English and history courses are, many school districts feel like these programs can be cut with little or no fallout from the voters.

In many instances this has been true. Are our students better off because of it? Home economics has disappeared from our schools.

Where are students supposed to learn to cook, to prepare nutritious meals and to perform other essential life skills when many come from homes where neither Mom nor Dad cook and they always eat fast food?

Business programs have been eliminated from many school districts. Where do students learn how to balance a checkbook…often times Mom and Dad don’t know how to do it either! Is there any wonder credit card use is out of control; many people have never been taught that you can’t spend more than they earn.

Technology programs relating to Agriculture have been eliminated in the recent past from many school districts. We are fortunate in St. Lawrence County to still have active agriculture programs at Canton, Edwards-Knox and Gouverneur for the time being. How much longer will these valuable programs be around?

In 2008 Canton hosted the State FFA (Future Farmers of America) Convention. What a rewarding event that was under the direction of Carol Wright. Close to 500 students from around the state attended. Students may be involved with gardening, forestry, ecology, syrup making, fish farming, bee raising as well as the traditional farm animal activities depending on the school that they attend. Once these programs are cut they will never return.

We need to remember that there are things we need to learn to be successful in this world that are not found in State mandated courses.

Do we wonder why students in high school and college sometimes lack common sense and have no ability to balance a checkbook or to cook a meal?

Do we know where our food comes from? These things are not being taught at home or in school.

We are graduating students with Regents Diplomas who have taken the appropriate course sequences to be all ready for college, but not ready to do anything practical.

Are we doing college and non-college bound students justice by getting rid of practical, prepare you for the “real world” courses only to have them be stuck in a class where the material may not do them any good especially if they don’t plan on going to college after graduation?

A major portion of our school taxes are paid by the agriculture community. It is sad that agriculture related courses are being eliminated with no regard for our region’s history or for one of the major industries in our state.

New York State Farm Bureau as well as the New York State Veterinary Medical Society offer grants to schools that offer “Ag in the Classroom” activities.

It is getting hard to find schools to give these grants to as agriculture programs have been eliminated.

When business and technology courses are on the chopping block, say no to their elimination. Let students continue to have the option to learn practical things at school.

Tony Beane, DVM

Canton