Hip-hop, drop out

I was struck by Paul Mencke’s guest opinion on Sept. 18, comparing the song “Commencement Day” lyrics to the novel “Catcher in the Rye.”

While the off-color language of one can be compared to the other, certainly the exposure to our young people isn’t the same. How many high school students will have read the novel versus those that are that being bombarded by hip-hop through all the media available to them today?

I fail to understand why people like the Shadle Park High School English teacher insist on continuing the moral degradation of our society by endorsing the use of off-color language in any form. Mr. Mencke’s commendation of such to justify reducing high school dropout rates is ludicrous!

Perhaps Professor Mencke can better justify his “high bucks” salary by coming up with better ideas to solve our dropout rate, than to continue the “dumbing down” process that seems to pervade our society.

Tim Dschaak

Loon Lake, Wash.