Letters To The Editor
Washington state
Longer primary season a bad idea
Re: From Both Sides, “Would a spring primary election help Washington voters?” (Opinion, Feb. 25).
No, a thousand times, no! Why would you want to make the election cycle longer? While the longer cycle might be appropriate for presidential elections, the best thing for state and local government is a shorter election period. The voters only get engaged in the last eight weeks of a campaign anyway, because they have lives to lead, jobs to do, fish to catch, kids to raise and on and on.
Also, what does this say about getting better quality candidates to run? Take more time from your job and family. Spend over a year of your life on a campaign you may or may not win. What happens to the idea of a citizen legislator who spends a reasonable amount of them on the campaign, wins, serves and returns to the community?
I am surprised at your editorial board. You have argued for years on these pages for less money in politics, less negative politicking and opening the system so more people can run. You are correct that Washington state needs to make some changes in the delivery of absentee ballots but why change a great system when counting absentee ballots is the only problem? Larry Armstrong Spokane
Refuse other states’ nuclear waste
Ford is near Chamokane Creek, which runs into the Spokane River and is not far from the Spokane River itself.
The Spokane River runs into the Columbia River. Hanford is near the Columbia. Why are we burying radioactive wastes at Ford and Hanford? A mild earthquake or even seepage over the years could release many millions of gallons of contaminated water into downstream flows, even into the Pacific Ocean.
It seems that the state of Washington is becoming the waste disposal center of the universe. Do not let this happen.
Let New Jersey, New York, Illinois, Ohio, Indiana, Pennsylvania, etc., figure out ways to dispose of their nuclear wastes within their own state boundaries. Phillip L. Emerson Fruitland, Wash.
Schools and education
Give your approval on March 14
Many of the schools in Spokane County are asking us to approve levies and bonds to support them at the polls on March 14. All the requests are vital to this region’s future ability to attract commerce, provide quality higher education and, most importantly, provide this area’s youths the ability to lead us boldly into the 21st century.
Public education does need to continue to evaluate itself. But the biggest problem with education in this country is us, the parents. Quality educators are there in many of the schools. What’s missing is the expectation for developing good work habits. Parents, not teachers, teach work habits.
I encourage all parents to spend more time with their children and vote yes on March 14. Scott Ballou Spokane
Vote to keep schools on course
District 81 has a levy replacement to vote on March 14. It provides 16 percent of the district’s operating budget. This is already included in our property taxes, so voting yes won’t mean an increase, just a continuation - a continuation we desperately need to keep.
Spokane needs to keep up with the rest of the country. We need our children trained on computers. Most parents can’t afford to buy them. That’s why we’ve got to help out. We have to fund our schools with the tools for learning in the 21st century.
You know the old adage, “What goes around comes around.” Education is important. Train the children, so they can get high-paying tech jobs and pay more taxes. I can retire and collect Social Security and, if I’m lucky, Medicare.
Vote yes - for their future and yours. Jeannie U. Greene Spokane
I won’t endorse more mediocrity
It is with sadness that I must thoughtfully decline to support the school levy. At some point in time, one must take a stand not to support mediocrity.
Clearly, our public schools in this state and many others - are not doing the job. At the federal and state levels, and through local elections, we must stop throwing funds at our schools - essentially rewarding poor achievement and mediocrity.
I will urge my family and friends to send a message, even while most of the public believes that by approving funding sources (e.g. school levies) we will solve the problem. I doubt it. J. Kent Adams Spokane
Ensure keeping up the good work
Every couple of years the voters are asked to renew their local funding of our public K- 12 school programs. These funds are used to pay for the teachers, textbooks, special education programs and student activities like band, drama and sports.
Spokane voters have been very supportive of their public schools. In recent elections the voters have approved the renewing of these basic education funds by over 80 percent. The good news is that the estimated tax rates will be the same or lower than what we are now paying.
There are many wonderful things happening in our schools every day. The teachers and children are working hard to meet the higher expectations before them. We need to continue to provide our them with the tools they need to learn, grow and excel.
Please join me by voting yes for kids on March 14. Your vote is important! Scott K. Jones, co-chairman Citizens for Spokane Schools
Children denied worthwhile video
Re: “School won’t show Gypsy film” (March 3).
What a tragedy, to think an institution of education would allow the parents of six children to have such an influence. A second scenario might have been suggested to let the six children whose parents did not want their children to view a video be provided an alternative class or study time.
As a Catholic and a former high school teacher, I am saddened to think that the young persons whose parents did not have an objection to viewing this video lost out on the opportunity to view it under the direction of their social studies teacher. There was more lost here than not seeing the video.
What a demeaning way to exploit children, under the guise of “enough class time had been spent on the subject.” Who needs to be educated? Rev. Michael D. Venneri Spokane
Schools blamed for parents’ lapses
Here we go again - public school bashing, as in: “Why aren’t risk takers in school?” (Letters, March 1).
First, as a public school teacher, I cannot force a child to attend school. Oh, maybe if someone nailed their little feet to the floor, I could, but usually it’s left up to the parents to ensure that little Johnny heads to school.
It’s also the parent’s decision if little Johnny gets to go skiing at Schweitzer or Silver Mountain all day. After all, someone had to drive him there, or give permission to skip school. Ever wonder how many children are taken out of school for a day of shopping, visiting someone, a special occasion, a dentist appointment, etc.? Many of the reasons are legitimate/necessary, many are just convenient. And before Murphy again conveniently blames the public school system for yet another “outrage,” he just might try checking where all those kids are schooled. We have. Many are home schooled, and we are told, “Well, little Johnny did so well today, we just decided to let him have a day off.”
Year-round schools? Wouldn’t that just be so convenient for everyone? We wouldn’t have to entertain, supervise or find baby sitters for a whole summer for the children we brought into the world. It could be someone else’s responsibility! Sounds like yet another way to sidestep the role of strong parenting. Let the schools do it! Then we can blame them for summer problems, too. R.A. Anderson Cheney
Trouble ahead in state tests, reviews
Opening the door to reviewing the WASL tests sounds like a fair and given thing to do, but what will the ramifications be? It may open a door to a whole new realm of trouble. This has been the cycle since Goals 2000 was adopted - problem after problem, all of which cost us, the taxpayers, millions of dollars.
Should we allow parents to know why their child failed a test? Yes. But how are we going to avoid the conflicts and lawsuits to follow? The scoring of these WASL tests is subjective. Who will be held accountable for the scoring? The state, the company contracted or the individual who scored it? What will happen after a test score is challenged? What new committee or review board will have to be formed to respond to the thousands of inquiries, which again will cost the taxpayers? To me it’s another can of worms.
WASL, being a subjective test, was wrong from the beginning. I agree that students should show accountability before leaving school. We do need higher standards. But this new testing is nothing more than a political agenda. We are sacrificing our children’s education for the sake of test scores.
Though Rep. Bob Sump, R-Republic, thinks that it is OK to teach to the test, as reflected by his quote. “As teachers become comfortable, they will use their creativity to make this shift to teaching the WASLs.” I want my children educated, not prompted to pass a test! Sandy Jordan Nine Mile Falls
Government and politics
Your inattention, please
I am part of a minority. I am a voter. In the recent primary, a mere 18 percent or so of eligible voters cast a ballot. But that’s OK because this way, my fellow active voters and I control all the elections. We still have a problem with some of the bond issues that require a 60 percent majority but we are working on that.
However this was not the intention of the founding fathers who proposed a majority rule of the country, as minority rule was regarded as a form of despotism. So, until all you of the uninformed electorate make the supreme sacrifice and tear yourselves away from TVs and computers, I and my fellow despots will continue to determine the future of our hard-working but politically morbid people. William E. Dudley Kettle Falls, Wash.
Weigh in on property forfeiture bills
I understand that the U.S. House of Representatives passed a property forfeiture reform bill - HR1658 - on June 24, 1999.
Readers should urge their U.S. senators to vote yes on S1931, the Hatch-Leahy forfeiture reform bill in the Senate. Also, urge them to vote no on S1701, the bad forfeiture bill, as well as any amendments that are intended to dilute the impact of S1931.
The federal civil asset forfeiture laws, passed by Congress in the 1980s, have given law enforcement agencies far too much power to take the property of innocent American citizens.
Indeed, an astounding 85 percent of the people who have their property seized are never even charged with a crime.
And, when your property is seized by the government, you must prove the innocence of your property if you want to keep it. Under existing law, the burden of proof is on you, not the government. S1931, if enacted, would change all this. It would shift the burden of proof from you to the government, where it belongs. Jason Paull Sandpoint
Other topics
Thanks to all who shared
Tree of Sharing recently had its final wrap-up meeting, effectively ending the 1999 Christmas season for many of Spokane’s social service organizations. My thanks to the people of the Spokane area, on behalf of the Spokane County Head Start/ECEAP/Early Head Start programs, for their generous participation in the Tree of Sharing. Your generosity made the holiday season a happier time for more than 800 children in our programs.
I also acknowledge Westminster Congregational UCC, KREM-2, the 242nd Combat Communications Squadron and Air Traffic Control Flight of the Washington Air National Guard, and the many others for their behindthe-scenes efforts in supporting what has grown into a Spokane tradition over the past 18 years. Tony Kliment, social services specialist Spokane County Head Start/ECEAP/Early Head Start
The aborted receive no justice
Re: “Bush not altogether pro-life” (Letters, Feb. 27). Gib J. Keithly rhetorically illuminates an apparent inconsistency in George W. Bush’s capital punishment and pro-life beliefs. Although I cannot speak for the governor of Texas, perhaps I can shed some light on Keithly’s observation.
The U.S. legal system is designed to allow most people guilty of a crime to avoid, delay or thwart just prosecution.
It is designed around the premise that it is better for 100 guilty people to go unpunished than for one innocent person to be imprisoned. By the time a killer reaches death row in Texas, there is little chance they are not guilty of purposely butchering at least one innocent human being.
Before the killer gets the deadly needle, several appeals to several experts have been tested and rejected. The case is re-examined for even the tiniest legal flaw. After years of waiting and exhausting all appeals, the convicted killer is executed. As a rule, it is a much kinder, gentler way to die than the killer gave his or her victim(s).
In contrast, an embryo or fetus has never harmed anyone. They are the most helpless and inoffensive people on the planet. They did not choose to be created. Yet the woman who chooses to abort this precious gift of innocent life serves as the judge, jury and executioner. No appeals. May God have mercy upon their souls. Matthew W. Monroe Spokane
Rugged individuals drive up costs
Re: Theodore M. Keith’s Feb. 26 letter concerning seat belt use and the laws requiring such use.
What Keith and others who advocate such personal freedoms fail to realize is that those freedoms can and do, in fact, affect all of us. Keith, when you are in an accident and are injured severely, your insurance rates will go up, assuming you have insurance. When your rates go up, so do mine. If you don’t have insurance, I and other taxpayers foot the bill because you cannot be refused emergency medical treatment. So our taxes rise as well as our medical premiums and car insurance premiums. Larry Smith Sandpoint
`Bark beetle problem is very real’
The Spokesman-Review article, “Bark beetle outbreak not present,” (Feb. 4) is the worst case of inaccurate, irresponsible reporting of natural resource issues I’ve ever read. The bark beetle problem is very real. It began in 1996 and millions of trees have been killed on more than 100,000 acres of national forest land.
Private lands also have been impacted by the beetles. In 1996, 3,000 acres of Crown Pacific land were impacted by the ice storm. We immediately salvaged the damaged trees in order to use the timber and to prevent a rapid buildup of bark beetles (they thrive in dead and dying trees).
Our management efforts were successful. To date, less than 1 percent of the remaining trees in the ice-damaged stands on our land have been attacked by beetles.
Contrast that to national forest lands. I assume forest stands on federal land were damaged much the way ours were. However, the Forest Service did not attempt to manage its land until after the bark beetles had found homes in the dead and dying trees. Consequently, 70 to 80 percent of federal forest land damaged by the ice storm is now dead because of the combination of ice and beetles.
I invite anyone from the Spokesman-Review to spend one day with me in the woods. I will show you firsthand the difference between attentive care of our forests and forest neglect. I would hope that after our visit your reporters could more accurately report what’s going on out there. Stieg Gabrielsen Crown Pacific