Students need financial training

To the editor:

After looking at my daughter's school curriculum, I have come to the conclusion there are no classes that offer any real financial-responsibility studies. I brought this up to a principal, and he gave me the feeling he wasn't interested in having another class to deal with. I can't really blame him because he has a lot on his hands already.

Now children are getting credit-card applications at age 16 and have no idea how easy it is to let your credit get out of hand. Most parents do not teach their children how to use their resources properly.

There should be mandatory classes to teach students how the Social Security system works -- why and how they need to save and invest for retirement, health care, estates and taxes. Let them know what those taxes that come out of their checks are used for instead of just looking at the take-home pay. This needs to be taught all the way through school and should be as critical as math or spelling.

We have to break this cycle of not knowing how to manage money or understanding the Social Security system. We have taken the cream off of the top and have given it away for votes. Our children will have to pay for it. We need to teach them how to be responsible and not let the credit-card companies and government own another generation because we just don't have time to teach them.

MARK FAUSETT

Jackson