June 24, 2025
Dear Founders, Signers and Framers:
Gentlemen:
I know it has been some time since I have written, and I apologize for my negligence. However, a recent decision in San Francisco has made me aware of how I have been shirking my responsibility on keeping you informed on how we are doing, heeding your advice in maintaining this wonderful “experiment” which you established almost 250 years ago on the right track.
I know all of you felt a properly educated populace would be the key in maintaining what you established and how to avoid our democratic republic from slipping into tyranny and rule by a few. I will use the thoughts of the three of you to illustrate the general sentiment of all.
President Jefferson here are your thoughts on a general need for the basics of education:
“The ultimate result of the whole scheme of education would be the teaching all the children of the state reading, writing, and common arithmetic: turning out [several] annually of superior genius, well taught in Greek, Latin, geography, and the higher branches of arithmetic: turning out… …
President Madison your thoughts towards knowledge is power and this power will allow us to continue to govern ourselves and not be led aimlessly:
“Knowledge will forever govern ignorance, and a people who mean to be their own governors must arm themselves with the power which knowledge gives.”
Mr. Franklin you were as usual right in your assessment:
“An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.” “Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.” “The only thing more expensive than education is ignorance.”
With these thoughts in mind, let’s look at Superintendent Maria Su’s plans for San Francisco as reported in Newsweek.
Superintendent Su’s plan was not subject to a public vote by the Board of Education. San Francisco went so far as to hire a consultant Joe Feldman who advocates how traditional grading can reinforce socioeconomic disparities and proposes alternative strategies for more equitable assessments.
Homework and classroom participation will no longer influence a student’s final grade. Students will be assessed primarily on a final exam, which they can retake multiple times. Attendance and punctuality will not affect academic standing. The new system will be modeled in part on the San Leandro Unified School District, where students can earn an A with a score as low as 80 percent and pass with a D at just 21 percent. Under the forthcoming San Francisco policy, a score of 41 percent will qualify as a C.
According to Mr. Feldman, “If our grading practices don’t change, the achievement and opportunity gaps will remain for our most vulnerable students. If we are truly dedicated to equity, we have to stop avoiding the sensitive issue of grading and embrace it,”
Gentlemen, I am sure you would agree with me that the most vulnerable will remain that way and that the only equity this plan supports is that of ignorance, laziness and mediocrity.
Once again, we have not heeded your advice, which as always was and is a true vision for our future even almost 250 years ago. I am sure Mr. Franklin you had these alleged educators in mind when you said:
“He was so learned that he could name a horse in nine languages; so ignorant that he bought a cow to ride on.”
Thank you for your time and I remain,
Sincerely yours,
Andrew DeMarco
Somers, NY
P.S. “The goal of education is to enable individuals to continue their education”
John Dewey
Pen Pals from the Past 