Letters To The Editor

SCHOOLS AND EDUCATION

Equity program foes ill informed

I know School District 81’s equity policy is intended, as the word indicates, to be one of fairness and justice. But in practice, what is fair and what is just is not always clear. And when it is not, it’s up to the community to debate and negotiate the issue.

In many cases what is just is quite clear. For example, no student should be made unwelcome because he, she, a parent, guardian or any family member holds a particular belief, belongs to a certain race, ethnic group or subculture, has a certain sexual orientation, has a disability or is just different. Not only does justice demand that all students be welcome, it insists they all be given a fair chance to learn all they can.

Unfortunately, some in the community need to be reminded this noble equity policy is rooted in the needs and traditions of humankind itself.

All letters to The Spokesman-Review I’ve seen that oppose the district’s efforts reveal a definite ignorance as to the realities of equity policy. This is partially understandable if the writers base their criticism only on the poorly edited, unprofessional and provocative piece on equity published by The Spokesman-Review.

So, I ask sincere critics to contact the district equity office for the facts. You might be surprised to find nice, caring, thoughtful people down there. Ron Myers Spokane

Equity training needed, helpful

Re: Equity training in the schools and equity facilitator Mona Mendoza. When my daughter started first grade, she came home wanting to dye her hair blonde, straighten her hair and she asked me what the “N” word meant.

Miss Mendoza, as well as the Spokane Human Rights Commission, were extremely helpful in my fight to right this wrong. Without proper training for teachers to intervene in these types of incidents, kids who learn this type of behavior never learn anything else.

I applaud this step toward equity. Kim Rose Spokane

Regal educators, students, take a bow

Congratulations to Regal Elementary School’s fourth-grade students and all the staff involved in the dramatic increase of test scores for the CTBS test given in the fall.

I have read Regal’s name in The Spokesman-Review when its students had low test scores in the last two years, but in Sunday’s paper, other than mentioning how well District 81 fourth graders did, I did not see Regal’s name at all. It would have been nice to see a positive word given to Regal after reading all that was negative in the last two years.

We know we still have difficulties to overcome, but the Regal staff, site council and students focused on this test and increased their total percentile over 20 percent. As a Regal parent, I know my children are receiving the finest education in District 81 with this dedicated staff.

Keep up the good work, Regal. We are so proud of you. Kathryn Curryer Spokane

WASHINGTON STATE

Locke results are what really matter

Re: the Jan. 14 article, “A triumph of healing.” Gov. Gary Locke’s victory in the November elections celebrated by Asian-American’s across the nation? Not by this American, who happens to be part Asian.

Yes it’s nice that an Asian-American was elected governor, but if he’s going to be just another Seattle Democrat I don’t want him.

In all honesty, though, the governor’s race was the Republicans’ to lose. Nominating unelectable Ellen Craswell virtually assured Locke’s victory.

Locke only became governor today, so his track record has yet to be laid out. I can only hope that he’s able to see beyond his own personal pet causes and bring a real mix of needs to the table. Education can’t be the only “great equalizer.” Colin Fukai Spokane

Allen can and should buy a stadium

In times past, Republicans represented the nation’s wealthy elite and the Democrats fought for the little guy.

How times have changed! Microsoft multibillionaire Paul Allen was a substantial contributor to Gov. Gary Locke’s campaign.

In light of the ready access that wealthy foreign contributors have had to President Clinton’s White House, it would not be totally absurd to conclude that Allen might also enjoy ready access to Gov. Locke’s office. Allen, at least, is a bona fide American citizen. The main issue is likely to be Allen’s desire to have the taxpayers buy him a new stadium for the Seahawks.

On the face of it, forcing tax-burdened families to buy a stadium for a billionaire ball club owner is absurd but watch the Democrats soon tell us how vital it is that we do so.

The Republican Legislature should politely but firmly show Allen and the Seahawks to the door. Allen sold almost 2 million shares of Microsoft stock in November, at prices between $142 and $157 per share. He still has almost 51 million shares left over.

If he wants a stadium, he should sell a few shares and buy exactly what he wants. P. Norman Nelson Colbert

BUSINESS AND LABOR

Wal-Mart what West Plains needs

In Frank Bartel’s column of Jan. 15 I read that Wal-Mart is considering the West Plains area. I truly hope so, and I hope it will be built somewhere near Airway Heights, on Highway 2.

I have lived in the West Plains area for 30 or more years and have longed for a store similar to Wal-Mart. It also would provide numerous jobs.

I truly believe it would not have too much impact on Cheney’s Ben Franklin store because that is mostly a craft store.

Please, please, Wal-Mart, move to the West Plains. We need you here. Frances Pierson Medical Lake

Gasoline: They charge what you’ll pay

The Jan. 15, letter, “Why the rip-off gas prices?” touched one of my hot buttons.

I travel Eastern Washington four days each week and have for nearly 20 years. During this time, fuel prices in places like Moses Lake, Ellensburg and Walla Walla have always been eight to 15 cents higher than in Spokane. For the past six to eight months, though, fuel prices in these towns has been as much as 25 cents a gallon less than in Spokane.

I called local wholesalers and retail outlets and their only comments were that the Spokane market has a better margin than the other cities. Put plainly, there is very little competition here, so we’ll charge all the market will bear. Roger Dudley Spokane

OVER THE LINE

Happy trails to you, Idaho

On Jan. 11 the state of Idaho graciously had a free day offering for cross-country skiers. I went to Fourth of July Pass and thoroughly enjoyed myself.

Thanks especially to the Panhandle Nordic Ski Club and U.S. Forest Service for the great trail. Carol Zitterkopf Spokane

OTHER TOPICS

Yellowstone stories poorly researched

Baltimore Sun and New York Times stories in your Dec. 26 and 29 issues on Yellowstone Park merit some corrective comment from the adjacent area, mostly on lack of research.

The Sun’s story blandly repeats current propaganda that prairie or loafer wolves from Canada are “restoring” native park wolves. Not so. The only wolf scientifically identified as native to the park was Canis lupus irremotus, the Rocky Mountain Wolf, now extinct, not Canis lupus nubilus.

Also, the story would have done well to note that the millions spent to transplant wolves could have been used to ease Yellowstone’s current serious financial bind.

The Times naively concludes Yellowstone bison are some sort of native, but the native park bison were a very few mountain species, not the mixture of plains bison imported into the park years ago.

These are a fine tourist attraction and should be protected fully, and they can be by public, carefully controlled hunting in Montana and Wyoming to balance the herd numbers with food in year-round supply.

Unrelated to the park but in notable error is the often repeated statement of “giveaways of large tracts (of land) to the railroads.” A little research would have revealed these grants were repaid many times over in vastly reduced rates and fares on government traffic. John Willard Billings, Mont.

No good reason for roof collapses

All these buildings of businesses and schools that have collapsed - the owners weren’t very smart. They should have kept their building roofs shoveled every day. Letting snow pile up and up is ridiculous.

So they’d have to hire someone to do it - big deal. There are teenagers and unemployed people willing to earn a little extra money. There’s no excuse to let snow pile up on roofs, unless you are too lazy, too cheap or thoughtless of other people’s lives.

I saw on TV one place that had snow piled five feet high on their roof, with ice under the snow. People should realize ice forms under snow and makes it very heavy. When snow piles on top of that, it does not help.

It is lucky the schools were out for the holidays. Just think of the losses if children had been in schools, or people in grocery stores or other business buildings.

How stupid can people get? How cheap? How lazy? I do not feel sorry about the buildings collapsing or for the people who own them. Stupidity on their part is the cause.

I hope the owners of these collapsed buildings (and other building owners) have learned their lessons.

Stupidity does not pay where lives are concerned. Alice M. Cross Spokane

No slack for sin

In response to “Christian morals” in the Jan. 11 Religion section:

The argument of historical context is age old. Placing one’s color, sex or cultural setting in the same breath with one’s wants and desires is another thing. It seems newsworthy to print the stories of those who try and justify their behavior by placing the words “Christian” and “Bible” next to their name, but it does not change the true meaning.

I won’t argue that many people have abused Scripture, but that doesn’t make it right for others to do the same. Homosexual behavior is wrong. So is envy, deceit, backbiting, disobedience to parents, lying, etc. God says, “The wages of sin is death.” One sin is death, no matter what that sin is.

Yes, we can justify our sin, but to God it is still sin. Do we really think we can change God to fit our desires? Many have tried and many will continue to try. Let us all remember Jesus’ words on this subject, “Not everyone who says to me, Lord, shall enter the Kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my father in heaven.”

Instead of making the Bible fit your needs, we need to fit the Bible’s needs. Ask the question Paul did in Romans 4, “For what does the Scripture say?” Then all that is left to do is obey God’s word. John said, “Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. He who does good is of God, but he who does evil has not seen God.” Kevin B. Dahl Coeur d’Alene

Anti-homosexual sentiments nonsense

In regard to Jack Morton’s letter of Jan. 10 (“Wages of homosexuality is death”), I have never heard such ignorance from the mind of another human being.

I sure would like to be enlightened as to where he gets his overwhelmingly uneducated information. I wish I could sound as smart as him by misrepresenting the facts presented by the American Medical Association.

Homosexuals account for only about 10 percent of the total population on Earth. Therefore, it is extremely foolish to declare that homosexuals are the No. 1 group spreading AIDS. Out of the 10 percent of those who profess to be practicing homosexuals, relatively few are reported HIV positive, in comparison to how many are not.

Furthermore, if AIDS is spreading through saliva, sweat and any body fluids, as Morton professes, then he’d better stay in his house because if he does not, he’s probably going to get AIDS also.

He claims that by stopping perversion you can stop AIDS. What is perversion? It’s manipulating the truth and spreading hatred as if it in itself were a virus.

Our children are not in danger of a virus but rather contamination and brainwashing. Hatred breeds like a virus. It starts with one and before long it multiples several million times, one uneducated blabbermouth to another and so on.

If our children are going to live together without killing each other, they must learn to love and to care for one another. Tolerance saved one race but ignorance annihilated the world. Bill Bennett Spokane

Once, there was no beating the system

In reference to Bob Vernard’s letter, “Spanking is beating and is wrong” (Jan. 13):

Back when a woodshed stood behind the American home, a lot of what is now juvenile delinquency was settled out of court. Meta Stone Coeur d’Alene

Many enjoy Dreams column

I look forward to reading the articles by Nancy Bloom, the “dream lady.” I was surprised to find out that most of my friends read and enjoy her tips on dreams. I really look forward to the Thursday paper. Julie Anderson Nine Mile Falls