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National Automatic Merchandising Association Senior Technical Director Larry Eils has sent a letter to the Philadelphia, Pa. school district asking that they change a recent decision regarding the requirements for the vending repair program at Edison Fareira High School. The district changed the elective requirements and as a result, it has affected the senior attendance in this program for the first time since the program began.

After two years in this program, a senior has acquired four elective credits, enough to graduate, so the senior can skip class.

For the last 17 years senior attendance has been at 88 percent or above, but this year is it at 69 percent. The vending advisory committee believes that the seniors that do not come to class should not be recommended for jobs since they have not completed their training.

"We were informed by some school officials present at the February meeting that this attendance problem could be corrected if the vending repair course was changed to a 'Career Technical Education Center Course,'" Eils noted in his letter.

Eils wants the district to require the students to attend classes in their senior year in order to graduate and meet industry standards for employment.

Eils has encouraged industry members to write a letter expressing their concern. Letters should be addressed to:

Thomas Brady
Interim CEO
School District of Philadelphia
440 North Board Street
Philadelphia, PA 19130

Letters can be emailed to Jim Clark, course instructor, at: profvend@verizon.net.