Dorothy Ehman’s concerns (“Putting James River to the test,” Readers Write, Aug. 30), were a striking example of the message Dr. Willard Daggett has been presenting to educators and communities throughout the country.

Dr. Daggett warns that, as technology advances, the job market for unskilled labor is disappearing yet our educational system is not changing to meet the demands of a global economy. He insists we can no longer be satisfied with teaching methods that were adequate for the 1950s. Industry now requires people with more abstract thinking and problem-solving skills because robotics and cheap foreign labor have eliminated most of the hands-on jobs referred to by Ehman.

Ehman blames James River for its lack of unskilled jobs but can we ask business to take steps backward? Instead we must look toward improving our schools so all students will have skills necessary to compete in today’s world.

Teachers and administrators of vision are working for reforms but there are many barriers. Teachers, students, and parents are struggling with problems rarely faced even 15 years ago and at the same time the body of knowledge is expanding at a phenomenal rate.

The job of education is too big for one group of people to handle alone. As parents, we must acknowledge our responsibility for our children’s education. We can be partners in education, advocates and representatives for our children. As community members, we can support the schools financially as volunteers. As business people, we can offer technical assistance to schools so we will not be required to provide so much on-the-job training.

I wish you luck, Ms. Ehman, but I’m afraid you may not be able to find those unskilled jobs in southern Maine or even out of state. We may be facing a crisis unless our society takes positive steps to make education a priority for everyone. Trudy Ferland Newport