Letters To The Editor

SCHOOLS AND EDUCATION

Achievers do well in sports and classes

In response to “Good riddance, physical education” (Matthew Weaver, Our Generation): It is time to stop promoting the dumb jock stereotype. It’s a disservice to all of the student-athletes who train very hard to excel in sports while maintaining excellent grades in school.

As a teacher, I have had several excellent students in my classes who also represented our school with pride on the field or on the court. As a parent, I can proudly say that my son, who plays quarterback, started on the school varsity basketball team and participated in the all-city track and field meet at Whitworth and was also on the honor roll with a 4.0 grade-point average. In addition, he won the school’s chess tournament last spring.

At Chase Middle School’s evening of excellence, which honors students with a of 3.5 gpa and above, many honor roll recipients were the same students who represented Chase’s athletic teams. In the yearbook you will find the same students pictured on the honor roll pages as are on the sports teams pages. The reason for this is that these students bring the same drive and determination to their studies as they do to their athletic endeavors.

Anyone who fails to do well in physical activities because he doesn’t work at it as much as those who do excel shouldn’t try to belittle the superior athletes’ intelligence. It just goes to show how little he exercises his mind as well. Cheryl D. Elisara Spokane

Air base museum too often overlooked

The Inland Empire school districts are doing themselves and their students a great disservice by not enabling those students to avail themselves of the opportunity to learn more about this area’s history, particularly so of its very significant role in World War II - while enjoying themselves in doing so.

Few local people seem to be aware of the excellent military museum on Fairchild Air Force Base that is open to the public for both individual and/or group tours. There is an added feature in that the museum has its own adjacent private picnic areas that groups may use.

The museum has undergone an extensive remodeling program and, if you haven’t visited it recently, you won’t recognize it.

A few Eastern Washington school districts do schedule bus tours that enable their students to learn more of their family members’ military history. The memorabilia begins with the Fort Wright contribution to our local aviation history and continues up to and includes the space age, thereby making it a history teacher’s dream.

Interested persons may contact the museum office at 247-2100 for information. Andy Kelly Spokane

Annex removal may end designation

The Spokane Historic Landmarks Commission first became aware of the possible demolition of the historic administration annex at Lewis and Clark High School in June and offered to work with District 81 to explore further options for the building. The Landmarks Commission members are appointed by the mayor and county commissioners to make recommendations on all registered properties in the city and county.

The commission met in good faith with school board staff members to identify preservation priorities for the building, identifying it as being of primary significance. To provide flexibility for educational needs, the commission presented several ideas to District 81, including wholesale gutting of the 1908 building to provide a shell in which to build a new structure.

On Sept. 9, the school board voted to demolish the administration annex.

We have been advised by the state national register coordinator that if demolition occurs, Lewis and Clark will be recommended for disqualification of its National Register status. National Register status is important because it identifies the few rare buildings in our country worthy of preservation. Lewis and Clark is one of only 85 buildings in Spokane County so designated.

The Landmarks Commission position is that the administration building should be retained, for whatever use and in whatever configuration best fits the needs of the school district. Joanne Moyer, chairwoman City/County Landmarks Commission

Ads are sending the wrong message

I am concerned about recent advertisements that promote the idea that going to school is not something students should want to do.

A recent radio ad for a major music store implies that biology is boring, but students can come into the store to purchase great CDs and tapes to take to school. A recent television ad for a major office supply store shows children with long, sad faces watching while their parents buy schools supplies.

Society often criticizes schools and tells educators that they are not preparing students for the future. Test scores indicate that students in other developed countries are better prepared than students here in the United States.

If we as adults continue to imply that school is not “cool,” it should be no surprise that we will continue down that slippery slope of lower test scores, lower expectations and poorer attendance. Jane M. Trease Spokane

Montessori not unlimited good thing

Re: Deborah Lapoint’s Sept. 6 Street Level commentary promoting more Montessori educated instructors.

As a preschool director and teacher of many years with a master’s in Early Childhood Education, I’m often asked my opinion of Montessori preschools. My response is one of caution. It’s dangerous to blindly jump on the Montessori bandwagon.

Although it offers an alternative way of educating young children, it doesn’t necessarily offer a better way. When I studied and observed Montessori preschool programs, I found them limiting. They adhered to a very structured, task-oriented and teacher-imposed curriculum. Detailed records were kept of each child’s progress through various teacher-determined tasks. One set of tasks would have to be successfully completed before the next would be introduced.

As many preschool educators are aware, most young children learn best when self-directed; when they are allowed to choose what to interact with in their environment and when to do so. Play is also vital. Montessori preschool programs do not always allow children this avenue for learning to the extent other programs do.

The danger lies in teachers imposing too much of what they feel children should be learning, rather than allowing children the opportunity to explore and play as they desire, which is valuable learning time.

Parents should not assume a Montessori preschool program is inherently superior. They need to evaluate whether it enhances or detracts from the natural inclination of their 3-, 4- and 5-year-olds. Bridget E. Webster Spokane

The real score is being obscured

The Sunday Perspective piece, “What’s the real score?” should have parents asking a lot of questions, like: What are our children really learning in school?

The authors are right about one thing, the assessments are about “process skills,” process being defined as behavior or procedure. Performance-based education is defined by reading the words backward - education based on performance - demonstrating the wanted behaviors or procedures.

The standard for the assessments was set by 30 people from across the state of Washington who took the assessment and decided what the cut score would be - how many right out of the number possible that the child must attain to pass. That standard, by percentage, ranges from 65 to 75 percent. If the child meets the standard, that means the child has attained a score ranging from a D to a C.

Not only this but the criteria for scoring the assessments is as subjective as the standards. By changing the variables used in computing the scores, in changing the scoring guides and rubrics, the scores can also be changed. This means the assessments are not reliable.

As always when the state can’t explain away its failures to educate children, it falls back to blaming socioeconomic factors.

One has to wonder how children managed to come out so well educated during those times in our history when our families and country suffered economically, like the Great Depression and World War II. Lynn M. Stuter Nine Mile Falls

DRAWING FIRE

Shades of Spiro-l reasoning

Speech writers from the 1960s and 1970s would have a great time in Spokane these days.

A lawyer who is questioning the city’s role in a downtown development project claims he is the subject of anti-Semitic harassment by a spectator at a City Council meeting. Afterward, some city officials seem to blame the victim instead of the perpetrator.

Could it be said that extremism in the defense of real estate is no vice and moderation in the pursuit of profit is no virtue?

Would he be called a nattering nabob of nepotism? Bill First Spokane

Why was affront handled badly?

My comments regarding the City Council meeting and Mark Schwartz are limited to the information provided in The Spokesman-Review, since I was not in attendance at that meeting.

The comments by The Spokesman-Review, both written and by way of cartoon, as well as comments that I heard from talk show hosts, were extremely shallow. I have a few questions.

Why did Mayor John Talbot invite an attorney from Philadelphia to address the City Council? I know many very competent attorneys, not only in Spokane but throughout the state of Washington.

Who paid the expenses and fees for Mark Schwartz to come to Spokane?

If we are truly a city in which the citizens are against racial and religious hatred, why did the City Council (our elected representatives) fail to immediately do something with respect to an individual who made a very anti-Semitic drawing and make sure that Schwartz was aware of it?

When this overt act of anti-Semitism took place, why did the City Council not temporarily suspend the meeting and clearly demonstrate to the anti-Semitic artist that such activity will not be tolerated?

Further, why didn’t the city attorney, as well as Schwartz’s co-counsel, speak up? Eugene Huppin Spokane

Incident troubling in several ways

To anyone watching the Aug. 31 City Council meeting, it was obvious attorney Mark Schwartz would never win a congeniality award. I certainly wonder about the judgment of our mayor in choosing to bring this man to our council meeting.

Schwartz was rude and showed a total lack of respect with his aggressive and sarcastic attitude. He displayed a further lack of character in the absurd threat to sue the city and demand resignations.

However, his shortcomings should not negate the offensiveness of what “the quiet sketcher” did. His drawing reflected a person full of hate and his action was an intentional racial slam. I don’t understand why the sketcher is not identified and criticized. I understand the reaction to Schwart’s behavior, but I am puzzled and disappointed at the apparent lack of outrage over the drawing and the man who drew it. Is this simply because it is free speech or is it because we don’t like Schwartz so we rationalize it?

Don’t confuse this with political correctness. It’s called anti-Semitism. Christine T. Marr Spokane

My hisses aren’t for Schwartz

Put aside for the moment the mayor, River Park Square and Mark Schwartz’s occupation and city of residence. A Star of David, surrounded by swastikas is simply and clearly a statement: death. And Schwartz “threw a hissy fit?”

I could not believe the editorial page on Sept. 3. Opinion editor John Webster, interactive editor Doug Floyd and staff cartoonist Milt Priggee, I’m hissing too. At you. Mary Ellen Whelan Spokane

Harassment a threat to freedom

The harassment incident that occurred Aug. 31 at City Hall is very troubling. There should be no circumstance under which harassment is tolerated.

A Star of David with swastikas is harassment and intimidation.

The political process calls for freedom of speech. That Mark Schwartz may have a point of view in contention with City Hall and other interested parties is a separate issue. It is not reason to tolerate harassment and intimidation. Indeed, to allow a “political opponent” to suffer intimidation has a chilling effect on freedom of speech and the political process.

Opinion editor John Webster and political cartoonist Milt Priggee were wrong to characterize this incident as idle doodling. Harassment and intimidation are threats to freedom of religion, racial tolerance and the political process that allows unfettered debate of political issues. Steven Silverstein, M.D. Spokane

Hard to believe this is our council

Fifty-some years ago, the swastika people stole more than four years out of my life.

Now, must I live with the knowledge that we have elected ourselves a racist City Council? Ben Harney Spokane

IN THE PUBLIC EYE

Tangled web reaches way back

The president said he wasn’t sexually involved with the intern and people didn’t believe him.

The president claimed he had no knowledge of how the Contras were being supported and few people believed him. The president told us about the Tonkin Gulf incident and many people believed him, at first.

The president told us that the U.S. government wasn’t involved in the Bay of Pigs operation and some people believed him. The president went on at length about how we were not sending spy planes over the Soviet Union and we believed him.

The tobacco executives swore that smoking wasn’t harmful and did we believe them?

The officers of General Dynamics and Archer Daniels Midland claimed they had not defrauded the public and almost nobody believed them.

Did anyone believe the president when he said he was not a crook?

All these leaders of our nation talked about how cynical the public was becoming. They deplored the lack of trust and respect in our society. They couldn’t understand why people wouldn’t believe them. But finally the day came when each of them, in a public forum, in many different ways, said, “I tell lies.” And what do you know? We all believed them.

Truth is hard to come by among the elite of our nation. And how many of them are getting fired for telling lies? Bart M. Haggin Spokane

I really don’t want to know

“Oh, Mr. President,” Marilyn’s voice echoes “Happy birthday to you.” Jackie came out OK and so will Hillary. The future isn’t as bright for Bill Clinton. Karma kills us all.

There are those who are mad because he cheated and those who are mad because he lied. Not I. I’m mad because he told the truth. I would have preferred that he take the Fifth Amendment at any cost. I never wanted to know.

It’s like having three dogs and fighting about which one made a mess on the kitchen floor. It’s easier to just clean it up. Of course, if a dog could talk and were dumb enough to admit what he did, there are those of us who would rub his nose in it. This is what Mr. Clinton is getting now.

Bob Barker’s voice echoes, “Spay and neuter your pets.” I’m sure he is neutered. We hired the man to run the country, but instead the country ran the man. Ken Starr needs to stifle himself. Patricia J. Dunn Spokane

Misconduct on job is our business

I’m sick and tired of hearing about how Bill Clinton’s sex life is none of our business, namely from Democrats.

Under normal circumstances, that would be true but it’s not in this case. Bill Clinton was hired by the people to do a job. You try bringing your spouse to your job to have sex and see how long you stay employed.

When Clarence Thomas was appointed to the Supreme Court a few years back, the Democrats voted against him because of his so-called sexual misconduct. It seems funny to me that his sex life was our business but now that their boy is in the same boat, they sing a different tune. One big difference in Thomas’ case - there was no proof.

Not to mention that Clinton did this in our White House. Note the name, White House, not Whore House.

It doesn’t matter if you’re a Democrat or Republican, whether you like Clinton or not. The fact remains that right is right and wrong is wrong. If we can be fired for sexual misconduct at our job, so can Clinton.

I wonder how Kelly Flinn feels about being fired from her job in the Air Force for the same thing? Let’s stop this double standard. Thomas Lee Spokane