Writers misleading on school survey

To the editor:Recently you published an op-ed column from the Show-Me Institute regarding a recent poll supposedly supporting school choice. If you read the study, you will find the authors are being misleading. I did not see anywhere in the study where people identified themselves as teachers who support school choice.

The writers also stated that "roughly two-thirds" had agreed that public schools had a serious problem. Again, going back to their study, we find that 26 percent of those surveyed stated the schools were "in crisis." However, the majority found that the critics of public schools were exaggerating the claims of a crisis and were supportive of public schools.

The writers also failed to note that in their study 76 percent of the parents and 68 percent of the people statewide had a favorable opinion of their local public schools. Only 18 percent had an unfavorable opinion.

If I may paraphrase, a person once said that there were "lies, damn lies and statistics." I suppose the article by these gentlemen would fit into one of those categories.

DENNIS PARHAM, Jackson