LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Grading the Schools Coverage

CONGRATULATIONS! I AM SO GLAD TO HEAR you are letting loyal upper-income readers in Highland Park and Piano give themselves a pat on the back for raising their kids in such wonderful high schools. However, 1 thought it crazy that Garland High School did not even make the cut. Do your writers actually do any research?

As a graduate of Garland High School, I will tell you the school has its own motivating educators and hard-working students. What else could you say about a school with the No. 1 International Baccalaureate program in the state of Texas? Not to mention as many, if not more. National Merit Finalists than any other Dallas area school?

Still, I feel deep sorrow for Garland parents who do not get the opportunity to shop Armani or pick out pretty red sports cars with their children. All that quality time….

JANICE TA

Garland High School Class of 1997

via e-mail

I HAVE READ AND REREAD THE SECTION ON the Top 10 Public High Schools. I appreciate your taking time to point out the “good” going on with our high schools. I hope this edition falls into the hands of school board members all across the area. Maybe it will encourage them to work for our children and what “Excellence in Education” really means.

Keep up the good work!

LISA CREED

via e-mail

I RELOCATED TO THIS AREA ABOUT FIVE years ago and chose Coppell mostly because of the excellent schools. The school district as a whole consistently receives “exemplary” ratings, and Coppell High School fully expects exemplary status for the 1997-1998 school year. The academic, athletic, and music programs at Coppell High School have a reputation that is well known throughout the area. The TAAS and SAT scores are among the highest in the area.

Was the ommission an oversight? If not. I am curious as to your reason or reasons why Coppell High School was not included on your Top Ten list.

JOHN SUAREZ

Coppell

EDITOR’S RESPONSE: Coppell High School ranked 13th in our Top 10 coverage.

I’D LIKE TO KNOW WHERE D MAGAZINE GOT such glowing information on Pearce High School. My daughter will graduate from Pearce this year after attending RISD schools, and I just didn’t recognize the Pearce High School you wrote about.

For starters, many people are leaving Pearce because the academics have declined in recent years. For such a highly regarded, “exemplary” school, Pearce certainly is not challenging students nearly as much as it claims to be.

Last year, a national news magazine ranked Pearce as one of the top drinking schools in the country. Certain students have routinely been drinking, but they are never held accountable for their actions.

I ’m very concerned because by printing such a slanted review of Pearce you are misleading the public.

ELIZABETH NADEL

Dallas

Sticking Up For Spano

THE ARTICLE ON JOHN SPANO [“HOW JOHN Spano Almost Conned Me”] absolutely never indicated Mr. Spano had any intention of conning Mary Evans. I can only assume she was upset not to have sold her home and had the fortunate connection to print such an article about an individual!

I know neither person associated with the article; however, several individuals have discussed this with me and are wondering just how this article was allowed to appear in this magazine! There is no reason to print such statements regarding any person who did absolutely nothing to this writer.

We all have the right to not buy a home if we decide against it. Am I missing something?

STEVE AND BILLIE BUCKLEY

via e-mail