While it was not the intention of the Quill staff to create any ill will between schools, the staff acknowledges that its story about the International Baccalaureate program at Central High School was met with resistance. The Quill encourages a free exchange of ideas, as represented in the following letter to the editor, from Central student Chelsea Classick.

I am a Central High School student who happens to be involved in the International Baccalaureate diploma program. I would first like to start off by saying that I am a proud Central High School Bulldog and I always have been. I understand that people are entitled to their opinions; however, I feel the article, "Prestigious Program, Empty Promises?" is very one-sided. The I.B. Diploma Program is the most advanced program any student can take in high school to prepare for college, and it is recognized nationally by thousands of different colleges and universities. 

So far, this program has challenged me in ways that no other curriculum in other high schools could. Central is my home away from home, and I wouldn't go to any other high school if my life depended on it. At Central, it's not about what kind of car you drive, what you wear to school, or how much money your family makes. It's about making others feel welcome and accepted. 

With that being said, I am simply asking the Glendale student body to consider being more open-minded towards the I.B. program. To my understanding, the program is not trying to take away students from other schools within the district, thus we are simply offering students a program to challenge them more academically. I am a little bit confused as to why Glendale would be upset that certain students would prefer to attend a school that best fulfills their academic needs?

Should you need legitimate statistics and information about the program, I encourage you to visit the following website: http://www.ibo.org/

I would just like to clarify Central's reputation as perceived through the eyes of Glendale High School. If you think about it, everyone has the goal to graduate and get a sufficient education, so we can be best prepared for college. With that being said, I feel that every school in the Springfield Public Schools district does an excellent job of facilitating that. Every student has and/or had the opportunity to further challenge themselves academically, and therefore we should not be subject to such harsh opinions. 

Thank you very much for taking the time to read this. This has been a very sensitive issue for many students at Central High School.

Sincerely,

Chelsea Classick, junior