On Sept. 12, Skipper Guizerix faulted the Vicksburg Post for printing a story comparing ACT scores for all local high schools. Mr. Guizerix’s letter was faulty, not the reporting.

First, Guizerix implies that direct competition between a 6A school and a 1A school in athletics would result in 6A dominance. He asked readers to imagine a community-wide sporting event. On Aug. 28, and again on Sept. 11, the St. Al boys’ and girls’ swim teams “beat up on” Warren Central and Vicksburg high schools. Last year St. Al’s state champion baseball team “beat up on” a few bigger schools, too.

As far as test scores, The Post is certainly not guilty of a faulty comparison. “Broad comparisons of average ACT scores” is how parents, schools, universities and states compare one school to the other. That is why listed in the article along with St. Aloysius, Porters Chapel Academy and Vicksburg Warren School District is also a state average. School size has nothing to do with it. An average, or arithmetic mean, is the numeric result obtained by adding certain quantities together and dividing by the number of quantities. An average is an average whether dealing with 30 ACT scores, or 3,000.

In academics, Guizerix doesn’t display a lot of faith in Vicksburg High or Warren Central if he thinks the only way they “would compete very, very well” is to compare the top 25-30 percent of VHS or WC students to the entire St. Aloysius or PCA class. I would hate to think that it would take the top 10 percent of public school students to compete with an entire class at a small parochial or private school. If that were anywhere near true, the public schools would be in far worse shape than “academic risk.”

I would like to thank Guizerix for bringing to light something that is very difficult to express without offending some public school supporters. He stated: “… fact is there is a large segment of the student population in public schools who do not have the motivation, support or the resources at home to excel in preparing for college.” This is a big reason many parents who can afford to send their children to parochial schools do so – to have them surrounded by motivated friends who come from supportive families as they prepare for college.

One more correction: “… families that spend a large portion of their household budget” to attend Vicksburg Catholic School are getting something other than what “they could otherwise receive for free.” A Catholic education has been an honored tradition in this community for 150 years, and yes, it comes with a cost. I chose Vicksburg Catholic so my children could have a Catholic/Christian education. I loved the fact that the first thing they saw every morning when they walked into school was a crucifix. I loved that they were allowed — and encouraged — to pray and to attend Mass with their friends.

As a fifth-generation Vicksburger, I hope the public schools continue to improve because strong public schools are good for the community. I am proud of St. Aloysius and PCA on their better-than-average scores, and I appreciate The Vicksburg Post for reporting the facts.

Story Stamm Ebersole

Vicksburg