With all the focus on educational achievement and all-powerful standardized test scores, our schools are really under a microscope.
What makes matters worse is every parent thinks they know what's best for our school system. I say this as the one and only parent who does know what's best for our school system.
We need two high schools and the school day should start at 8:30 a.m., not 7:45 a.m. Bring back the paddle, take away the cellphones, and make every student exercise for 20 minutes to start each school day.
My great ideas will likely never become reality, but here's a positive change that's not such a daydream. Warren County High School has started a fishing club that's in its second year. Where was this type of club when I was in high school?
Back in my day, you had to skip school and forge a note in your dad's handwriting to go fishing when you should be in class. Now they have a fishing club. That's what I call positive change.
I got to learn a little more about this fishing club Saturday when Bill Holt Chevrolet made a $600 donation so the fishing club could buy snazzy uniforms for its 12 members. My question is this: Why in the world would the high school fishing club have just 12 members? I'd think if WCHS has 1,750 students, any type of fishing club would have 1,750 members.
Consider this -- members of the football team have to skip practice if they want to go fishing after school. For members of the fishing team, going fishing is practice.
At Saturday's $600 check presentation, several high school students weren't there because they were out fishing. This would be a rude and unacceptable excuse for any other students, but for members of the fishing team it's perfectly OK.
Does mom want you to clean your room and do chores around the house? Can't do it mom, I've got  practice. Got to go fishing.
If you think about it, this fishing club is a thing of beauty. You can dodge responsibility and head off to the lake because there's a big fishing tournament coming up and you have to practice. When you consider a college scholarship could hang in the balance, going fishing has never before played such a pivotal part of a high school student's future.
On top of everything else, being a member of the fishing club will probably help these guys become better fishermen, a skill where I could certainly use some help. I've heard people say the only way they're going to eat fish for dinner is if the fish jumps in their boat.
For me, it's one step further. I'm such a bad fisherman, the only way I'm going to eat fish for dinner is if the fish jumps in my mouth.
For all the stories about the big one that got away, this fishing club is one WCHS was able to reel in. I say it's a keeper.
Standard editor James Clark can be reached at 473-2191.