Although Pat Temple is right to point out that economic inequities between children from rich and poor neighborhoods are partly responsible for differences in test scores, the sweeping assumptions she seems to be making about parents from rich and poor neighborhoods are unfair (“Arbitrary education standards,” Voice of the people, Feb. 18) .
She seems to assume that all parents who can afford “enriching toys” also sing, talk and read to their children, while those parents who can afford only “few and cheap” toys consider their children a burden and neglect singing, talking and reading to them.
Yes, poverty has deep, negative effects on a child’s learning readiness. And affluence has positive effects. But Temple is wrong to imply that parents from “impoverished neighborhoods” do not care about their children.
