Letters To The Editor

SCHOOLS AND EDUCATION

Case smacks of overkill

In cases involving parents and teachers, mediation should occur privately between the parents and teacher. Why, then, has a disagreement (“Teacher’s counseling stirs debate,” News, Jan. 8) wound up in a nutty lawsuit involving a public skewering, or should I say a crucifixion?

The child’s parents certainly have a right to disagree with the teacher’s approach but should have shown the confidence in their personal beliefs to have given the teacher the benefit of the doubt. Someone who has taken the time to express love and concern for a child deserves that small a courtesy.

I would feel more threatened by a drunk driver in 5 o’clock traffic than a Bible-reading school teacher.

My question is, who was hurt in this case, the child, parents or teacher? Actually, the loser here is my 2-year-old daughter, who may be robbed of yet another caring and quality educator. Tawny Hollen Spokane

Aid education - deny schools funding

Student test scores (“School test scores only part of the picture, principals say,” North Voice, Jan. 11) do tell the story. They validate the SAT and ACT scores, the dumbing-down of our students since 1963.

Let the administrators make excuses for lower scores - wrong day, wrong time, no food, are all bull.

We’ve thrown more dollars toward education, teacher’s pay, school buildings, fleets of buses, more shrinks and administrators, more distorted history, more cultural crap, more sex education, more sexual orientation and, of course, more self-esteem. No wonder we have lower scores. We aren’t teaching academics, the three Rs and responsibility.

Now we go to outcome based education. No phonics, no spelling, just warm, mushy, meaningless social training. We need home schoolers, private schools, school vouchers and chartered schools. End this dumbing-down. Vote no on all school bonds and levies. Michael Cady Spokane

An ongoing debt I gladly repay

As of this February it will be two years until I can retire, and I will not be out of debt. One of those debts I know will still be there - and well it should - is my debt to public education.

My wife, I and our now-grown children all passed through the public school system. The debt was paid in part by my grandparents, parents and others I never knew. But the debt goes on! I am now one of those “others I never knew” who continue to help make the educational system work by providing funding and support for our school districts.

Mead School District continues to demonstrate its excellence by its students’ achievements, as recently reported in The Spokesman-Review. Patrons, like this old granddad, need to continue to demonstrate our indebtedness to the continuing education of our children and the other children we will never know.

I am going to vote for the Mead School levy on Feb. 6. J. LeRoy Hershiser Spokane

Consultant wrong about DARE

I disagree with the story “DARE blamed for promoting drugs” (Region, Jan. 11). It was stated that DARE encourages kids to take drugs. That’s not true. DARE drug abuse resistance education - does just that. It teaches kids about drugs and how to stay away from them.

William Coulson said that schools are saying it’s a choice. They really only said that they can’t make the decision for us. We have to do it on our own.

For half the time I was in DARE, we learned how to say no to drugs. How could that be encouraging us to take drugs? If Coulson thinks DARE is so bad, what does he suggest we do instead? If DARE is discontinued, how are kids going to know what to do when they’re in a drug-related situation?

I think DARE is a good program and we should continue it in our schools. Elly Smith Spokane

Coulson ‘absolutely incorrect’

The Spokesman-Review and writer Gita Sitaramiah sure gave William Coulson much undeserved recognition in the article, “DARE blamed for promoting drugs.”

Coulson says he now rejects decision-making education for children that he once advocated.

I totally disagree with him and totally agree with the deputy sheriffs who teach the DARE program. These deputies and all the other leaders who are providing the generally accepted information are on the correct track. So are the parents who are doing this, loving their children and having fun with them.

Coulson is absolutely incorrect in advocating now that if you can’t afford a good religious school, take them out and home-school them. This will add to the decay of our greatest institution, our public schools. It will add to the confusion of many parents and their children by giving incorrect information.

It is love, happiness, having fun within the family and sharing correct information that pulls families and our great society together. We must have an even more informed, open society - and families - glued together with love. We will never do this with Coulson’s born-again-Christian lack of openness. Home schooling closes children off from much information about everything. Jim Berry Spokane

SPOKANE MATTERS

We should thank sports entrepreneur

The deal with the Spokane Indians and Chiefs owner Bobby Brett is that he has provided great entertainment to the Spokane area at very reasonable prices. You can take a family of four to the ballgame, get everyone a hot dog and a coke, for around $20. Come on, Commissioner John Roskelley, wake up. This is a wonderful deal for all.

Additionally, in my 39 years in Spokane I have never seen the stadium in such great shape. The Indians have done a beautiful job. Bobby Brett has contributed to making Spokane a better place to live.

Roskelley, wake up and remember who you work for. The high mountain air has clouded clear thinking. Jeff Eickerman Spokane

Sweetser disloyal all around

Spokane County Prosecutor Jim Sweetser needs lessons in loyalty and keeping campaign promises. He has not only betrayed his employees, who emotionally and financially supported him, he has betrayed the voters of Spokane County.

It will be remembered at election time. Terry L’Heureaux Spokane

BUSINESS AND LABOR

Minimum wage the least we can do

The minimum wage issue is of concern to the poorest members of our society, those least able to speak for themselves or to fight for their rights, with no unions and few politicians to plead their cause. The exploitation of these workers by greedy, unprincipled employers is a disgrace to a civilized society.

It is claimed (as in businessman Norman Brinker’s Jan. 6 tirade) that increasing the minimum wage would increase unemployment. On this logic, hourly wages should be reduced to the point of zero unemployment, perhaps at 10 cents per hour.

How can the wealthy members of our society demand and receive these immorally high salaries and bonuses and refuse even a minimum living wage to others?

Many minimum wage workers are students trying to save for college or vocational training. Industry now demands that young people must have higher education and/or skilled training.

One of the most successful government programs was the GI education bill after World War II. It made it possible for a few million young veterans to go to college. It produced the most prosperous period in U.S. history. Free tuition in all public universities for qualified students would pay off again with unbelievable benefits to the nation.

Another flagrant abuse is continual hiring and firing to avoid payment of medical and other benefits, resulting in a major loss of income to the employee but a major profit to the employer. There would be no need for a minimum wage if there was a lot less greed by employers. Charles M. Wolfe Coeur d’Alene

Random drug testing a farce

Employers have the right to want a safe and productive workplace. Randomly administered drug tests, however, do nothing to further this goal and can actually hinder it.

Drug testing has never been scientifically proven to improve workplace safety or productivity. This is most likely because drug tests do not measure current levels of impairment, only whether metabolites from past drug use are present in the medium being tested. These tests cannot distinguish between private, casual use and on the job use of drugs.

Drug tests violate the rights of workers by forcing them to prove themselves innocent without reason for suspicion.

Drug testing can also reveal private details employers are forbidden to ask for, such as whether an employee is receiving treatment for epilepsy, depression or AIDS and whether a female employee is pregnant.

Inexpensive, accurate tests are readily available that measure current impairment levels in any employee, at any time, from any cause. These tests have been proven to improve workplace safety and productivity without violating employees’ rights.

Plainly put, drug tests have nothing to do with safety or productivity. They are implemented to punish the casual drug consumer who may otherwise suffer no consequences from his or her drug consumption.

If casual drug use causes such drastic effects as claimed, it should be readily obvious who needs to be investigated. Since this is not the approach being used, it is time to rethink the ways in which we try to improve workplace safety. Johanna Wools Coulee Dam, Wash.

Regulate ‘insurance privateers’

Re: Syndicated columnist Froma Harrop’s Jan. 12 column, “Care denied as HMOs rake in money.”

This eye-opening piece states that HMO executives make profits of millions of dollars daily by placing restrictions on health care to Medicare patients.

It’s time for our Congress to assume a strong regulatory role by not allowing insurance privateers to loot the health care system. One CEO pulls in $20 million in pay and has a half billion in stock.

After reviewing Harrop’s column, I find that the biggest freeloaders are the insurance chief executive officers, whose bonuses are 255 percent above base salary (see page A17, “Executive pay,” Jan. 14). Angela Eudaley Spokane

PEOPLE IN SOCIETY

Quit bashing those on assistance

I just read the letters to the editor, like I do every day, and I came across a letter from John Hall (“High living at others’ expense,” Jan. 12) that really upset me.

I’m a mother of two. I receive food stamps and my children don’t starve. Just because we use food stamps doesn’t mean we’re not entitled to enjoy already made sandwiches, pop or candy. Are those things meant as a privilege for those not using food stamps? Our kids deserve to enjoy treats, too.

I’m tired of hearing about welfare families not taking care of their children. No parent is perfect. We on welfare are humans, just like you. We cook, clean and all the other stuff that working people do. So, watch what you people say next time. Sherrie Rowden Spokane

Blame-shifting, or what?

Catherine Ann Morris sues Walk in the Wild (Spokesman-Review, Jan. 12). Why? Because she can’t control where she puts her feet? It’s the zoo’s fault?

Who is a zoo? N.V. Holt Spokane

GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS

Get off first lady’s back

I’m tired of people putting down Hillary Rodham Clinton - people, like Rush Limbaugh, many of our politicians and men in general.

When the president first asked Hillary to head the health care reform, she came up with a plan and was able to stand before the senators and give intelligent, clear answers to their questions. This was the beginning of the end for Hillary.

I stand with Hillary Clinton, and I’m proud she was the leader in the start of health care reform. I hope and pray women will stand together, and maybe someday we will have a woman for president. Barbara Plewman Nine Mile Falls

Next, 40 more years as also rans

I got a kick out of Bob Palmer’s labeling of Democrats as ignorant and stupid (Letters, Jan. 10). Who was it who said, ‘Violence (in this case, invective) is the last refuge of the totally incompetent”?

Har, har! Perhaps we (yup, Bob I are a Democrat, I are) are ignorant and stupid, but at least we had the wherewithal to keep the Republicans out of power for 40 years.

Judging by the recalcitrance and hostage-taking mentality recently displayed by the House GOP frosh, it may be 40 or more years before the rascals get another chance to bring the U.S. government to its knees.

I’m sure that the federal employees’ new slogan, “We’ll remember in November,” isn’t aimed at the stupid Democrats. Russell G. Raney Spokane

WASHINGTON STATE

Initiatives critic way off base

A recent letter from Jerry Hopkins, president of the Spokane Education Association, cannot go unanswered.

The backer for Initiative 173 is Ron Taber of Olympia, and the backers of Initiative 177 are Jim and Fawn Spadey from Seattle. Neither is from out of state. Yes, they both used paid signature gatherers. Most initiatives making it onto the ballot use this process.

Neither initiative is destructive to the public school system. In fact, they would strengthen the system. Both allow parents to select an alternative school. The effect would be much the same as the competitive retail process works today. There is now no incentive for public schools to improve.

The voucher system would be phased in gradually over a 10 year period, to avoid disruption of public education.

Hopkins may not have read Initiative 173. It says: (1) No school that discriminates on the basis of race, ethnicity, color, disability, economic status or national origin may redeem scholarships; and (2) To the extent permitted by laws … shall prevent from redeeming vouchers any school that advocates unlawful behavior, is not in compliance with the state or federal Constitution, teaches bigotry … or deliberately provides false or misleading information respecting the school.

How, then, could a professed Nazi start a school with public tax dollars?

Further, most students attending private schools do so at an institution of a religious nature, and the Washington Constitution prevents public funds from being used at these schools. Therefore, his mathematics of $200 million more tax dollars needs review. Jim Hutsinpiller Spokane

Make youth labor law rational

I’m glad the Legislature is addressing the ridiculous youth work laws.

Whoever crafted these hamstring laws forgot what it’s like to be young, wanting to work, needing to help one’s self, and being told they can’t. The kids end up on the street and doing the only profession left to them, and we spend millions trying to reclaim them. It’s like dumb and dumber.

If we teach kids that it’s OK to make decisions on drugs, sex, and abortion, should they not be allowed to decide their own work abilities? Glen Talbott Spokane