EDITOR:
As a freshman at Gilroy High, I feel that my peers and I should be some of the main people concerned, along with our administrative staff, about deprivation of freshman and sophomore AP classes. I, and other students, came from Brownell as Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) students. Having attended those classes for six years, falling into the regular classes at Gilroy High was a different experience.
Our principal, Ms. Gudalewicz, asked, “How does someone coming out of the eighth know to choose a college preparatory class?” Advanced Placement classes, except biology, are not offered to freshman and sophomores, only juniors and seniors. I’ve known for a long time that I was going to attend college, and I would have gladly picked a college prep class as an incoming freshman.
Our principal doesn’t believe that some students don’t care about school – but only seem not to due to a lack of prior learning. If that is true, then please give those students the lessons they need in a regular class, without punishing the rest of us who realize that succeeding in learning is the key to a good future for ourselves.
In response to Ms. Callahan, how can she say that I am foolish to think that regular classes will not prepare me for AP classes?
The classes now each have a large percent of students who show that they have little or no desire to be in class either by the standard of their work, their lack of questions, or their amazing talent of not asking for help when they need it most.
I, as well as many of my peers and future students at Gilroy High, deserve classes where we will be challenged to a greater extent if we want it. With these classes we could be easily persuaded to continue onto our junior year, trying hard, before we suffer from the severe boredom of a slow-moving classes.
To be put into classes where the teacher’s “hardest work” is not thought-provoking, is an insult to our competency. I understand they would teach at a higher level if they had the opportunity to advance a class completely. AP freshman and sophomore classes would advance the grades of junior and senior classes, and possibly gain more interested students earlier in education.
The lack of such classes finds me wondering how much the administration cares about the demand for higher level courses in earlier years. Please try to realize that these classes are essential to the school and its students, as well as your interest in the well-being of our future. I am pleading with you to teach me to the extent and beyond of my abilities, starting now.
Carissa Filice, Gilroy
Submitted Monday, April 29
