Letters To The Editor

SCHOOLS AND EDUCATION

State must put education above all else

Strong public schools are too important to be determined by super majorities and the pocketbooks of property owners.

Every Idaho citizen’s life is improved by the quality of education their neighbor possesses.

Extracurricular programs should be available to students who wish to participate. The harried home lives of two-wage-earner families should not be disrupted even more by children frustrated by an overcrowded, unresponsive school system.

A family should not be required to endure doubleshifting, the loss of quality time with any family member - the loss of a life - no matter how coincidental the circumstance.

Every Idahoan suffers the problems posed by an undereducated populace. Because of that, every Idahoan should pay a portion of the bill. Education facilities, especially primary education buildings, should be a primary use of state tax dollars.

I demand that the Idaho Legislature forget prisons, task forces and committees formed to study each new social problem - bigotry, gangs, drug abuse, alcoholism - problems propagated by ignorance.

Forget the super majorities and a historical reliance on property taxes to build or expand a school. Your priority is to rewrite the laws and then vote with integrity.

Use your diplomatic skills to help guarantee diplomas. You must end the disintegration of school buildings that the archaic bond levy system has caused. Jim C. West Post Falls

Bonner trustees’ activities valid

Isn’t it about time your reporters print facts and not fiction concerning schools? I returned from the Idaho State Board Association conference to find a front page report on Bonner County school trustees going to Sun Valley to hold an executive session.

A tight schedule was adhered to with many informative speakers and workshops. The ISBA holds this conference in Sun Valley, Boise and Coeur d’Alene.

Trustees find themselves not only learning facts and invaluable guidelines that help them become better informed for administrating business, but they also mingle with others with similar concerns. They come away with a better perspective for carrying out their duties to best benefit the children of their school districts.

According to one speaker, “To run for school board in your own community is a brave thing; you soon find you used to have friends who now question every move you make (like attending a conference).” Trustees are not paid or compensated for time or efforts. Attending the ISBA conference takes time from work and benefits district patrons.

I attended two workshops in which two men identified themselves as Bonner trustees. Both had concerns and discussed them with the speakers. Their patrons should be proud of their dedication. Joyce C. Nowacki Rathdrum

Expand arts opportunities

As we all know, it’s very enjoyable to go to plays and other art performances. I enjoy seeing them as well.

I am in the seventh grade and am heavily involved with the arts. I am a dancer at the Ballet School of Coeur d’Alene, and we have done many performances. I also have been fortunate enough to go some other plays and performances, but not enough. I know many people who love to go to things like that and would like to see more.

I suggest more activities like giving middle school kids the chance to practice plays after school and perform them for the community. I think that middle school kids should have school plays like other schools in the country. Why should we be left out? Coeur d’Alene should provide more opportunities for kids to get involved in the arts. Abby Jester Coeur d’Alene

Restore Halloween fun in school

I am a seventh-grader at Lakes Middle School in Coeur d’Alene and am writing in response to a letter Rob Baxter wrote about the Lakeland School Board canceling Halloween parties and activities.

He said, “I approve of what the Lakeland School Board did. Do the research on the Internet, I did. There is no room in the schools for holidays that glorify animal sacrifice and demon possession.” The title of the letter he wrote was, “Halloween is not innocent fun.”

Well, Rob Baxter, it is innocent fun for most kids, and for adults as well.

I agree with Marilyn J. Roberge from Rathdrum who wrote: “Lakeland School Board Chairman William Reese is a case of little men with a little too much power and little else to do with their money than sit around determining the true meaning of Halloween.”

I have done my research, too, and found that Halloween is on the eve of All Saints Day. Collecting candy originally was meant to feed the good angels.

Anyone who does not want to participate can stay home. Or, when the activities begin, the school could have study hall or other special activities.

These are my suggestions, for Reese and other members of the Lakeland School Board. For the parents of children who want Halloween in the schools, please contact your principal or one of the school board members. Alexander Miltenberger Coeur d’Alene

We must not promote the unprepared

“This school system has made a liar out of me,” the mother of one of my students said in a recent conference. “My son hung around with a couple of jerks who did nothing but cause trouble at school. I told him to keep doing the right thing and their bad ways would catch up with them. Now, he’s in high school with those guys and he no longer believes they will pay for their lack of effort. He’s ready to join them.”

This mother’s frustration is not uncommon. For whatever reason, the promotion of students who do not deserve to pass is seriously damaging our schools. It needs to stop. The worst thing you can do to someone who is shaky on a low rung of a ladder is to move them up to the next rung. Eventually, they will fall from great heights.

A student in detention told me, “Why bother? I haven’t passed a class since the seventh grade, but here I am in the ninth grade at the high school.”

He said this in such flippant tones it made me angry enough to write this letter. I plead with all who are responsible for creating students who do not mind getting an “F” to stop this nonsense. Parents, teachers, administrators and students, what are we saying about our school when kids continue to fail and are moved along? We are saying there is no difference between success and failure; kids are learning this, even if they aren’t learning the subjects we teach in class. Mike Ruskovich Blanchard

SCHOOLS, TRANSPORTATION AND SAFETY

Next vote dedicated to Nick Scherling

Many may remember you, Nick Scherling. I so well remember the lively young boy at the Seltice 1996 Christmas Band and Choir Concert. You were the one in the back row to the right.

No one could miss you with your bright, brown eyes, huge smile, singing with a joyfulness and moving your body to the music. There was no doubt you were in your element, on stage, singing and performing with great enthusiasm. You brought new meaning to the term, “live performance!” You brought a smile to my face then, as you do now. Although now, I must smile through tears. I didn’t know you personally, but I saw you that night - alive and with great potential.

I have always voted for the Post Falls School District bond levies because I believe in putting kids and education first. No matter what is said, the fact remains, it is unsafe to put kids out on dark streets during high traffic times of day.

In March 1998, I’ll vote yes to a new high school in Post Falls for the third time. But this time, it will be in remembrance of you, Nick. Kristi A. Bell Post Falls

School district is without blame

Re: “Suspect in accident was drinking, police say,” (Nov. 12). To assume the school district is in any way at fault for the death of this boy is absurd. The child was killed by a drunken driver, who is solely responsible. H.D. Lebsock Spokane

Bus service was available

I notice that in the tragic death of Nicholas Scherling, the blame has been directed toward five targets:

Double-shifting at the Post Falls Middle School.

The 37% who voted against the school bond.

Drinking and driving.

Poor street lighting.

Building a new City Hall (with a clock tower) instead of spending money where it “should” be spent.

I’d like to be realistic and add one more thing: the boy’s decision, with his family’s concurrence, to ride his bike to school, even though the school provides bus service to all students who have to commute in the dark, whether they qualify or not. Gardner S. Bailey Spokane

Don’t make tragedy political football

Why did Post Falls PTA President Vicki Caughran make the asinine comment that appeared on the front page of the paper on Nov. 12? Was she trying to humiliate Post Falls voters into voting for the levy next time around?

What if there was no double-shifting and Nicholas Scherling had not been on the road? What if someone had run out of gas and was walking down the road, or someone was without a car, or someone was just going for a walk? This tragedy has nothing to do with doubleshifting. It apparently has everything to do with a drunk behind the wheel.

Put the blame where it belongs and leave politics out of this. Tina U.Johnson Coeur d’Alene

Officers rare, idiots plentiful on roads

Re: “Boy killed in hit-and-run,” (Nov. 11). A very sad event. Our prayers go out to the family.

Aside from the double-shifting issue, a reality in North Idaho is the lack of traffic patrol officers on the road. I have driven Highway 53 from Rathdrum to Beck Road, morning and evening, for 15 years. I have seen officers on that route no more than three times a year.

People drive much faster than the posted limit. Passing is far too common, and often the ones doing the passing go on the inside, two wheels in the dirt, rather than slowing down and allowing people to turn.

Officers are needed to enforce safe and sane driving because a full 30 percent of the citizens drive like idiots. We simply need more police on the road to reign in the idiot drivers.

People move here to flee places like King County, Wash., only to find that it’s more dangerous to drive or walk the roadways of Post Falls. Wes W. Albert Rathdrum

IN THE PUBLIC EYE

Baker’s exploits overglorified

Accept my congratulations concerning The Spokesman-Review’s naive simplicity, or lack of integrity, when it continues to elevate Vernon Baker to sainthood.

The Nov. 7 issue portrayed Baker as a first lieutenant in command of a platoon who single-handedly took on three fortifications and one observation post. The article didn’t state it, but the assumption was that he whipped all the Germans. One hundred dead Germans in the vicinity, and a reader could get the idea Baker was responsible.

Ask yourself, where was Baker’s platoon and the remainder of the U.S. Army? What weapon was Baker armed with to enable him to do the heroic deed he’s credited with? A deed that usually requires a covering force firing at the fortification apertures to prevent the enemy from firing. Where is the $64,000 that at least 100 million and more of the armed forces may have earned for performing their assigned duties?

As for Sen. Dirk Kempthorne sponsoring the legislation, he has a reputation of playing free and easy with Boise city funds. And what do Kempthorne and Sen. Larry Craig know about bravery and valor in combat if they’ve never been in combat?

I know enough about the Medal of Honor to feel insulted and belittled if I was ever recommended for it. Who recommended Baker for it, anyway? Fred A. Schweighardt St. Maries

GLOBAL WARMING

Say no to climate treaty

President Bill Clinton will travel to Japan in December to sign the U.N. climate change treaty. This treaty can only be stopped in the Senate. The treaty must be stopped in the Senate.

How can the U.S. cut back energy output to 15 percent below 1990 levels without shutting down industry and causing energy shortages? The effects of this treaty would force every household to pay an extra $4,000 per year to pay for energy costs. Every American could pay more for food, pay 60 cents more per gallon of gas and pay 40 percent more for home heating. Can business afford to pay those increased prices? Will American jobs be able to survive these costs?

These hardships will only be endured by developed nations. Third World nations are not bound by it. All this for a global warming supposition not based on acceptable scientific research. Contact your representatives before this disaster is realized. Laura L. Kister Spokane

Take it from Business Week; it’s true

A number of letters have been published questioning whether global warming is actually taking place. One printed November 12th called it a fake crisis propagandized by the political left as a means of establishing a world socialist government.

But a recent magazine article said: “Global warming has become one of the most exhaustively debated subjects in science. The result is a solid consensus on scientific facts.”

The conclusion, endorsed by 2,400 of the world’s top scientists, is that the world is warming and this is caused by human use of oil and gas. Carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, has increased in the world by 30 percent since 1750. Recent years have been the warmest on record.

Was the periodical reporting this some leftist scandal sheet put out by a bunch of one-world tree huggers? Hardly. It was the Nov. 3 issue of Business Week, a publication which is clearly pro-business and certainly not for one-world socialism.

If the editors of this magazine can accept that global warming really is taking place, I think the rest of us should, too.

If we humans disregard the warning indicators, there certainly will be dire consequences. Robert E. Forman Colville

OTHER TOPICS

Media exist because of people

After reading Douglas C. Griffith’s letter (“Priggee is Review’s downfall,” Nov. 12), it didn’t take long to ponder a response. The same Isaiah-style complaint could be made against politicians.

What Griffiths hasn’t taken into consideration is, who reads, watches or otherwise listens to the news media if not people who “trust” them? Who elects the politicians the people ultimately don’t “trust?” Who should be the watchmen who are blind and the mute dogs that do not bark, if not the American public? Just as the American people are also the shepherds who lack understanding.

Ever think about looking in the mirror, Griffiths? Without the news media, you would lack knowledge.

One more thing. Disagreeing with a man does not make him a socialist. Priggee has yet to declare himself as the socialist kind. Joan E. Harman Coeur d’Alene

Little real change for Hong Kong

The People’s Republic of China could have taken over Hong Kong at any time during the past 48 years. The lease of Hong Kong to Britain was not considered binding by communist China’s government.

China over those years used the Port of Hong Kong to export millions of tons of goods produced throughout the mainland to customers all over the world. I often wondered how tiny Victoria Island could produce enough cargo to fill the holds of all those large ocean freighters. The truth is, it didn’t. Those ships were loaded with goods from China. They pretended to be communist, and used the facilities and trade systems of a foreign capitalistic power.

Not much will change with the so-called change of flags. Lately, vehicles from the mainland side of the bay, known as Kowloon, just a few miles south of the Red China border, can enter Hong Kong via a tunnel or by ship crane docks. The sampans, junks and lighters transshipping the cargos from the small coastal freighters that ply the rivers and bays still may be seen along the mooring buoys in the bay.

Where will they go in the shadow of the white skyscrapers that house the 6 million Chinese who preferred freedom from slavery? George B. Valentine Rathdrum