Still need Hagney’s class

I read (June 15) with sadness and dismay the decision to pull the plug on John Hagney’s Practicum In Community Involvement class at Lewis and Clark High School. And to lose this due to a curriculum change to require a civics class?

Both of our children, now young men of 26 and 29, consider their experience in PICI to be one of the most meaningful of their high school years. To be exposed to real world issues, challenged to dig deep and learn about them, and then to have the opportunity to do real work with community organizations was powerful. How can this not be as important as any civics class?

Our complex world needs compassionate, engaged, critical thinkers who know how to problem solve. This class, more than any other, helped our kids to understand the world they were stepping into. If you polled the students who have taken this class over the past 20 years, I am sure you would find many whose futures were influenced by this class in many meaningful ways.

It was a privilege for our boys to be challenged and mentored by Hagney. I am so sorry others will miss out.

Sue Silver

Spokane