Letters To The Editor

Washington state

Benson, an explanation, please

Is the public school system Rep. Brad Benson wants to eliminate and replace with a voucher system the same one that educated the engineers who built this nation’s railroad and highway systems, its bridges and dams? The same one that produced the inventors, scientists and engineers who built the greatest industrial power the world had ever seen so that our country could make possible the Allied victory in World War II and our landing men on the moon? The one that educated those who produced the technical wonders and medical miracles that allow ordinary citizens to receive treatments that weren’t even available to the richest and most powerful just a few years ago? Is he talking about the system that generated the entrepreneurs, engineers and programmers who created the computer and Internet communications and information revolution?

Is this the same public school system that people like Benson and other arrogant religious and social know-it-alls, do-gooders, revisionists and zealots have now screwed up through rampant, narrow-minded, political, social and religious correctness? Through a push for the lowest common denominator so that some students’ feelings aren’t hurt or their individual “rights” are protected at the expense of the gifted, ambitious creators and builders? Through requiring the kind of testing that only teaches kids how to take tests rather than how to think? Or, worst of all, by being far too self-righteous and self-serving to correct the problems they have permitted or even created so they can generate a self-fulfilling prophesy in order to justify the voucher movement? Donald O. Capstick Spokane

DSHS report wrong; Plan is faulty

For the last six weeks I have served on a Department of Social and Health Services committee reviewing housing for civilly committed sex offenders. This committee has been very dominated by DSHS. The committee has never met alone, never met without several DSHS staff members carefully directing what goes on.

The report released this week said the two community members only objected to the lack of a barrier zone a few days after the meeting. That’s not true. I clearly stated during the meeting that I could never agree to dropping a barrier zone and requested the report reflect my disagreement.

I discussed this with Beverly Wilson, DSHS’s facilitator, directly after the meeting. Yet a few days later Wilson said she could tell I was not happy with the decision to leave out the barrier zone but thought because I hadn’t said anything at the end of the meeting I was in consensus. ( Even though I had stated clearly three times in a half-day meeting that I could never agree.)

When the report came out, it said I expressed my viewpoint after the fact. I am clarifying that position.

I don’t think the present criteria provide adequate community safety. The criteria are on the web at www.wa.gov/dshs for public comment for only two weeks. You may also make comments via e-mail to sitingcriteria @dshs.wa.gov . DSHS says it wants public input. Please be heard before it is too late. Muriel Tingley Medical Lake

Spokane matters

Guilds’ School help endangered

I encourage the community to write letters to support the Spokane Guilds’ School and Neuromuscular Center. Respond against the Federal Register of Sept. 5, 2000, concerning placement of developmentally disabled infants and toddlers, age birth to 3, in “natural and typical environments” under Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education act. If this goes into effect many children and my 2-year-old daughter will lose the services they receive at the Guilds’ School.

The Guilds’ School is the reason my child is talking, walking, climbing and achieving other milestones parents may take for granted. The system they use can’t fit into a duffle bag. That system involves a team and equipment that can’t be available at home or in day care. They treat the special needs of the entire child, not just a couple of areas.

My daughter’s doctor, neurologist and I agree that the Guilds’ School is the best place for her to receive the early intervention she needs. My child has neuromuscular disabilities. Shouldn’t she be able to benefit from a neuromuscular center? Does someone in Washington, D.C., have the right to take away a parent’s right to choose a neuromuscular center?

Do they have any idea how this will affect special needs children? The Guilds’ School team has made a difference in my daughter’s life that is beyond words!

Write to Thomas B. Irvin, Office of Special Education & Rehabilitative Services, U.S. Department of Education, Room 3090, Mary E. Switzer Building 330 “C” Street SW, Washington, DC 20202-2570. Jodi Varecha Spokane

Cheap shots, vandals

I work nights and get home about midnight. To my surprise, on Halloween my house had been vandalized with hits from a paint-ball gun.

My neighbor has three wonderful children who worked hard on their pumpkins. They found their pumpkins smashed all over the street.

All this for five cents worth of candy? Kathy A. Isayev Spokane

Government and politics

Less you know, farther right you go

Well, now we take our one step backward. Which is the way of progress toward enlightenment, reason and civilization. Two steps forward and one step back. Let’s just hope the Republicans don’t take us all the way back to their favorite time, to 1915, when 85 percent of the wealth was in hands of the wealthiest 15 percent of the people while the rest of us fought over the 15 percent left over.

The scariest information to come out of the last two weeks was the finding that when a sample of the electorate was presented with only the issues their responses seemed to indicate they would vote 60-40 for a Democratic candidate. But another study revealed that 66 percent of the people couldn’t correctly match the issues with the candidates. Why shouldn’t candidates have contempt for the electorate?

My discussions with voters support the finding that they don’t have a deep understanding of American history and the issues underlying the surface babble. As we become less literate, informed and forward-looking, of course we will vote from blind faith and emotions rather than on issues. The most conservative periods of human history have been in the least enlightened of times. George Thomas Spokane

Florida balloting smacks of mischief

The unusually large number of absentee ballots in Florida deserve an investigation. Absentee balloting is a traditional way to “stuff” the ballot box.

Keep in mind that Florida’s governor is George W. Bush’s brother and he may have been instrumental in the efforts to obtain the large numbers of Republican absentee ballots. Conflict of interest comes to mind. Gov. Jeb Bush’s statements indicate that he knew the absentee vote count favored his brother before the votes were officially counted. Additionally, consider that Florida has a significant number of right wingers, who may have gone to extremes to ensure the victory of their candidate.

Many questions need answers. The American electorate requires absolute assurance that this close election was not tainted. S.S. Howze Sagle, Idaho

Idaho viewpoints

Basin cleanup: Just get it done

It’s pretty sad to watch environmental groups continually criticize anyone or group trying to move the cleanup process forward regarding the Coeur d’Alene River Basin.

In recent weeks, we’ve seen the Lands Council call a congressional town meeting concerning EPA abuses at the Bunker Hill Superfund Site a witch-hunt. The council apparently doesn’t care whether EPA was right to store primary threat materials in a giant Zip-Lock baggy that may already be leaking and posing a more significant long-term threat to human and environmental health in the basin.

At the same time, the Idaho Conservation League is using partisan politics to try to create controversy over Idaho Sen. Mike Crapo’s approach to help find federal funds to supplement the $250 million settlement offer by Silver Valley mining companies for environmental improvements in the basin.

The truth is, Sen. Larry Craig, Crapo, Rep. Helen Chenoweth-Hage and Gov. Dirk Kempthorne are not willing to overlook the massive problems inherent in the Superfund law itself or what it has done to the people and the environment in the basin.

The environmental groups should clear their own agenda so we can all focus on a better tomorrow, rather than constantly criticize the people or natural resource industries that formed this great state.

That’s why so many of us are (or should be) committed to Idaho’s consensus building effort of “get it done - collaborating for basin cleanup.” Bret Bowers Community Leaders for EPA Accountability Now, Coeur d’Alene

Wasting taxpayers’ money, Rankin?

So, Kootenai County Commissioner Ron Rankin sends a memo requesting Democrats to vote on Wednesday. Rankin, was this memo composed, typed, copied and issued during business hours? Did you pay your secretary’s wages for typing this memo and reimburse the county for the use of the facilities, equipment, copy expense and supplies?

It seems to me that your memo was more of a waste of taxpayer dollars than the 15 minutes used for privately funded massages. Jane Bodle-Hill Hayden