I have a 17-year-old daughter in the 11th grade. My wife and I have been very surprised at the amount of homework and the course load that she has. My daughter is not involved in any after-school activities, and she still struggles with her schoolwork.

My wife and I graduated from high school a few decades ago. Neither one of us had anywhere near the schoolwork load that my daughter has to struggle with.

I understand the statistics indicate U.S. students are sadly far behind Europeans and Asians in math and science. I do not doubt these statistics, but I take issue with the way our educational system is trying to make up for this.

I don’t think the answer is in giving more course work and homework. Students are getting “burned out” before even going to college. I, quite frankly, don’t see how any student has time for after-school activities. Again, my daughter is not involved in any activities, and she still is not at the top of her class.

I truly believe that our educational system must change radically if students are to compete with Europeans and Asians in math and science. What I mean by “radically” is dropping the absolutely unnecessary course work and using this classwork time to further learning math and science.

I know this sounds reckless, but our educators need to start understanding students can only be expected to learn just so much before burnout.

If these educators want our students to compete with other international students, we must cut down the course load of the other courses besides math and science.

— Tim Bledsoe, North Augusta, S.C.