Letters To The Editor

Tue., June 15, 1999

AGRICULTURE

Food-as-weapon only hurts farmers

Thank you for your excellent coverage on how Northwest wheat feeds the world (June 6). All Americans need to be aware of how important our agricultural industry is to the world and how our politics and policies affect us all.

I am a farmer’s daughter and worked for the Miller families for several years during harvest. No one works as hard as a farmer and gets so little for it. In 1970, gasoline was 25 cents per gallon, a new car could be purchased for $2,500 and wheat was $3 a bushel. Today, gas is $1.30 per gallon, a new car will cost you approximately $15,000 and wheat is $3 a bushel. With farmers paying higher equipment and production costs, is it any wonder farmers are going out of business at an alarming rate?

Our Eastern Washington farmers can feed the world. But instead, millions are going hungry and our farmers are struggling to survive. We should all be concerned when our government uses food as a weapon at the expense of our fellow farmers. Arlene Stromberger Greenacres

SCHOOLS AND EDUCATION

Longer class periods work for me

Recently, Mt. Spokane High School’s administration has debated which type of schedule students will have next year. The school’s current regular-day schedule has students attending six classes on Monday, Tuesday and Friday. On Tuesday and Thursday, students have “block days” consisting of only three classes, 90 minutes each, with school beginning at 9 a.m. To allow the administration to decide this issue, a survey has been conducted among staff and students.

Some teachers, such as math teachers, do not like the block days because they believe the classes are too long. Students tend to get bored and lose interest. Science teachers, however, enjoy the block days because they have time to get long lessons, such as lab activities, done in one day.

As a student athlete, I like the block days. Not only do these days give me an access period before school so I can get help from my teachers but they also give me more time to focus on homework from each class. When I have homework for only three classes on one night, I can spend more time on each assignment.

I am a three-season athlete and arrive home at 6 p.m. With the regular class schedule, I am forced to juggle six different classes’ homework, often staying up until midnight studying. Block days are a life saver. I wouldn’t mind if the school’s schedule went to having a regular day on Monday and block days the rest of the week. Rachel Bertholf Colbert

Young golfer deep into the rough

As an apparent spawn of the I-me-mine generation, young Brian Guthrie, who wailed his complaints on the letters page June 8, needs to learn the facts of life. World and city leaders who publicly proclaim their support to improve the lives of children are not referring to their golf games.

Most of us citizens whose property taxes pay the freight for their education do so in order that future generations will have the tools to earn a living and be productive citizens. Property taxes in Spokane have tripled over the past nine years, while values have risen 60 percent. The largest portion of those outrageous taxes are for education, not to improve someone’s golf game.

Any costs of the golf team should be paid out of the athletic programs budget. Citizens are paying more than what they are receiving now vis a vis education. We want the golf courses to make a profit. We want them to be able to provide us golfers with the best rates they can. We do not want to subsidize anyone’s having a blast developing one’s game.

Guthrie needs to develop some sense, not his putting stroke. He needs to learn the words of President John F. Kennedy, to wit, “Ask not what your country can do for you but what you can do for your country.” If he learns and practices that he will be a better citizen.

That’s why we are paying to educate him. Jack L. Thompson Mead

What say, matinees?

Re: “Kids aren’t getting their sleep.”

I am one of the many teenagers who have difficulty staying awake through morning classes. After reading the May 30 article by Usha Lee McFarling, it upset me to know that school administrators have learned a teenager’s biological clock makes it difficult to fall asleep before 10:30 p.m., yet we need up to nine and one-half hours of sleep per night - more than younger children.

If, instead of trying to save on the school budget, school officials would focus on academic excellence of the students, they would realize changes should be made. By starting schools hours later, students “will not only rise, but shine.” Klara Bowman Spokane

Bring on more and better counseling

Because of recent bomb threats and shootings, there is a need to re-examine the big picture and work on a big solution to the problem. The whole village and family that it takes to raise a child just isn’t there any more. Grandparents used to have the responsibility of providing wisdom and balance in the extended family. Without a family, how are kids supposed to learn a sense of warmth and caring?

These days, the school system has by default inherited the responsibility of raising children as best it can. To provide a means of allowing children to practice caring and respectful behavior, I suggest that group counseling be provided in schools. Please establish a humanizing influence to counteract the dehumanizing influences of Hollywood, world news, both parents working, drugs, etc.

Role-playing, cause-and-effect rationality, coping techniques and conflict resolution styles can be taught in groups. A way to implement such a plan might be to authorize teachers to nominate a disruptive student for counseling; other authorities could compel the student to replace a study hall, or whatever, with counseling sessions. Certain parents might also be asked to attend.

A gifted counselor or two would be an expense for a community. But this service would more than pay for itself in reduced jail costs and increased student productivity.

If the same old thing doesn’t seem to work any more, will doing it with more intensity work? Or, is it time to try out a new and well-researched plan? John Scatchard Sagle, Idaho

PEOPLE IN SOCIETY

Look ahead but savor the present

From podium to pulpit to talk on the street, the buzz is about the new millennium - the year 2000, with its promises of excitement that accompanies change, new beginnings and challenges, but tempered with a warning of technological dependency. It’s all very stimulating, this fresh decade before us.

But with all this energizing passion, it makes me pause to wonder if 1999 is getting its fair share of attention. Are we so busy looking ahead that we may be missing the small things of today? I reflect on this as my two children prepare to embark on another chapter in their lives: graduation. One is leaving high school to venture into real life and my youngest is beginning a whole new world in high school. As they close the past behind them, I do as well on memories of laughter, tears, concerns of the young and the changing steps and growth of our lives. Nothing like a diploma to remind us that time is passing.

Remember that old analogy that what we do in this life is like dropping a pebble in water? The weight of that single pebble determines how many rings flow out into that still water and for how long and wide they’ll spread.

How did we make a difference? How much did we learn? How well did we teach and coach? How fair have we been? How did we conduct our businesses, interact with others, develop relationships with family and friends? Tomorrow is exciting but don’t miss the experiences given today. Leslie Stachecki Spokane

Young get away with too much

My opinion on the Colorado shooting is that kids nowadays are getting away with too much. They also are getting ideas from singers and movies. Teachers and parents should pay more attention to their children and encourage good things.

This shooting was just one of many rude awakenings that are telling parents our schools are not safe. Schools should be more cautious and strict on rules. Our children need good examples from parents and supportive parents on things that are right and punish their kids when they do wrong.

No one should get away with any crime, big or small. With all of these school bombings and shootings, we must ask ourselves if our kids are safe.

If this could happen at school, could this happen at home? Jessica Presley, student Priest Lake Elementary School

Try to understand others’ customs

At first glance, one may interpret the Makah whale hunt as nothing more than a violent, unnecessary act. Most people, thus far, feel that this whale hunt doesn’t benefit any creature, human or whale. But this is due to a lack of understanding of another culture’s tradition.

This tradition is held sacred among the Makah and serves a purpose that is not easily understood by onlookers. I only hope that people will begin to look beyond the obvious aspects of the Makah whale hunt to see the important purpose this act truly serves among the tribe members.

It’s amazing what can be accomplished when one’s mind is opened. Chrissy Cerven Hayden, Idaho

ABORTION

Nation should follow Michigan’s lead

Congratulations to the state of Michigan for passing legislation on the ban of partial-birth abortions. By doing so, Michigan made a powerful statement to the rest of the nation that it will not tolerate this inhumane act of violence anymore.

More than 35 million babies have been murdered since Roe vs. Wade; 35 million lives denied at the hands of their own mothers. I don’t understand how one can justify that abortion isn’t murder. I am tired of pro-abortionists stating that we base our stand on abortion strictly by religious attitudes. That could not be further from the truth. Pro-life advocates base their standings simply on life over death.

The U.S. Constitution states that we all are entitled to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Does this not pertain to all unborn children as well? What gives us the right to play God, to choose who lives and who dies when a woman becomes pregnant? Ladies, how do you choose which child you keep and which child you kill? What becomes the deciding factor for you?

Please tell me where your heart is. Women were made to nurture, love and fiercely protect their young. How did you get so far off track to what is really important in life? Jeanie Defrancesco Spokane

Abortion is just plain murder

Re: Sherene Schultz Orth’s June 5 letter.

As soon as a woman’s ovum is injected with sperm, it begins to grow. It is growing and developing, so it must be living.

Obviously, it is not a plant growing inside the woman’s womb and we would all agree it is not an animal. So what is it but a human being?

Killing a human being at any stage of development has to be called what it is: murder. Florence A. Westmeyer Coeur d’Alene

Meet Our Journalists

Jesse Tinsley

Meet Jesse Tinsley. As a certified drone pilot, this veteran Spokesman-Review photographer often can be seen capturing beautiful aerial photographs of our region. Sometimes though, the job requires getting down with the dogs.
Jim Meehan

Jim Meehan is no stranger to Zag Nation. As the lead writer covering the Gonzaga men’s basketball team, he tells the stories behind the game and gets fans a bit closer to their favorite players.
Molly Quinn

There is no artist in Spokane like Molly Quinn. Her whimsical style is instantly recognizable to readers of The Spokesman-Review. She has painted gorgeous illustrations that instantly elevate the journalism accompanying it. She brings to life the stories that defy photography. She makes our pages better.
Rob Curley

Spokesman-Review editor Rob Curley loves to talk with people and learn about their lives, whether it's a best-selling author or a stranger he meets downtown on his walk to lunch. It's that inquisitive nature combined with a playful sense of storytelling that helps make our newspaper different than most.