Why do school officials treat our young adults like children? The Learning Results program from the state of Maine is a major failure. The old tests were never taken seriously by the students because it never had an effect on their future.

Now, school officials are trying a new approach: give students the SAT instead. But those tests are always on Saturdays, so officials offer the students breakfast, a gift and a day off during the week so they will take the test on Saturday. Those are called incentives?

I applaud Auburn schools. Auburn officials are requiring the test in order for the student to graduate. What is wrong with that for all schools?

Rules from the state level and teaching expectations at a local level are really out of control.

Our students need to learn to compete in the world market. Does anyone think China or India are giving days off as incentives to get students to take a test? I bet not.

We are losing the worldwide battle for better educated and better motivated young adults. If young adults are treated like children, they will act like children. A master’s degree in education is not needed to figure that out.

Whatever happened to determination? Whatever happened to self-pride? Why does attending a class or test have to have incentives? Does this all look like immediate gratification?

Roger Knowlton, Poland