Southwest letters

The state has spent $7 million busing Minneapolis students to suburban schools as part of the Choice Is Yours program, but students who stayed in the Minneapolis public schools did as well or better than those who attended the suburban schools on average.

The one positive for the Choice Is Yours is 96 percent of parents would recommend the program to others, and yet the Department of Education is planning to extend it through 2013. Since when have the Department of Education and our governor shown any interest in pleasing parents of public school children?

If the Legislature and governor were willing to spend as much money on even marginally successful education programs as they have on this program which has shown no meaningful results, all of our state's education problems would have been solved long ago.

RANDY NIEMIEC

MINNEAPOLIS

At age 21, how many U.S. citizens are truly prepared to respond intelligently to the deadly challenges before them? The Star Tribune has wisely noted that the legal drinking age is significantly higher than the legal minimum age of soldier recruits. The critical thinking skills that may or may not protect the 21-year-old drinker are certainly less developed in the target-market of the military: the recent or soon-to-be high school graduate.

To that end, the state and federal governments, beyond promoting heroic patriotism, need to educate citizens about the true nature of military service. Informed decision-making -- a critical understanding of benefits and risks, whether on the highway, in the bar or on the battlefield -- ultimately can make our society stronger.

STEVE WATSON

MINNEAPOLIS