I have a couple of answers to the achievement gap question ("Different kinds of kids, so how about different definitions?" June 6). Who is responsible for this gap? Parents who do not expect their children to be excited about education are initially responsible. Ultimately, each child is responsible for his or her own life and future.
Who should define the "achievement gap"? Certainly not the federal government. How many of those programs have ever worked? Employers need to tell the educational system what they need from future employees. All work is valuable, but not all of it needs a college education. A basic K-12 public education offers more than enough to create the foundational, well-rounded citizen that our republic requires.
Who should fix it? Business and industry (at the state level) should drive the curriculum and graduation standards, using the expertise of the teachers already in place.
Dawn Hirsch, Coon Rapids
