KATY KREBS, Prosser

Thank you, Celeste Stroup for taking the time to write about disruptive students in the classroom and the disrespect they show to all who are in their company (Your Letter Best, Dec. 2). After an accumulative 36 years as a parent of children in the public school system (add another 14 years in public school team sports programs), I find your comments very valid and worthy of repeating in hopes of encouraging a shift in the balance of "power" in all public school programs.

Educational "value" is not as easily defined as how new or big the building is, how large the budget that is allocated or the salaries of the teachers. When a teacher friend of my son's light heartedly asked him on graduation day, "So, what have you learned in 12 years of school?" His answer was unexpected. He said "I learned that rowdies rule."