This week my child completed the Durango Healthy Kids Survey. This survey asked many very personal questions around subjects such as sexual activity, drug and alcohol use, safety at home and, my personal favorite, access to firearms at home. Ironically, there were very few questions about their education quality!
While there was an opt-out option for parents and students, the invasive nature of this survey should have mandated a parental consent form be sent home. I would have never allowed my child to complete this survey (regardless of its level of anonymity). State government and educators need to focus more on the substandard schooling they provide rather than how easily students can get a gun or how often they ride in a vehicle with someone intoxicated.
The U.S. spends more on education than every other developed country yet ranks 38th in math and 24th in science. Surveys like this only exist to provide legislators the data they need to propose further tax increases and bloated government programs that accomplish nothing.
Every piece of information they get no matter how seemingly innocent or well-meaning feeds someone’s agenda. Look forward to ballot opportunities to give up some more of your hard earned money for the government to “fix” problems that most parents are working on 24/7 for free at home already. You can see the survey questions at www.healthykidscolo.org.
Rick Gardner
Bayfield
