Speakout 2/27

Friday, February 27, 2004

About 75 percent of the people drawing SSI (Supplemental Security Income) are not really disabled. Most are women who have been on welfare all their lives. Then when the kids leave home, they can't get welfare anymore so the government puts them on SSI. When you marry, if you have any sense at all, marry someone who has a job (if there is such a thing). Then you have two incomes, one from them and they can support you instead of us taxpayers having to support you. What happened to the concept of husbands supporting their wives and kids? It's crazy. Kids draw SSI now because they have ADD. Why give them $400 a month? Medicaid pays for their medicine and doctor's visits and they receive mileage money, so what's the purpose of the SSI check? The parents must need that money for a 4-wheeler or a boat. Anyway, any time a kid is at home and doesn't mind, they are diagnosed with ADD and the parents are tickled to death because they're going to get a check now. No wonder nobody makes their kids mind anymore.

I live in Mississippi County. My son was locked up in jail. He did wrong, I know, but when I went to see him, they had transferred him from Mississippi County to Pemiscot County. When I asked why, they said because they didn't have enough room. They were making room for the INS people that they make more money on. Why do the commissioners and the jail administrator take our people out of our county, and we have to pay out of our pocket for them, and put people who don't even belong here in our jail? I'd like some answers. This doesn't make any sense to me.

I am concerned about some of our children being paddled at school. Southwest, Matthews and Southeast don't paddle but they do at the Kindergarten Center. Why can they paddle those little kids? If we would paddle with a board like they use, we would be charged with child abuse. Can someone clear this up for me?

We called Sikeston Superintendent of Schools Steve Borgsmiller with your questions. "Paddling is allowed by School Board policy as a behavior consequence and may be used as the last step before suspension. It is a tool, like all other consequences that, if used, must be on a case by case basis. The elementary or secondary division may use paddling as one of the behavior consequences. Paddling, if administered, is with a witness and in the principal's office. Paddling is administered in an appropriate manner. At the Kindergarten Center corporal punishment is used as a last resort and only when it has been discussed with the parent. If a parent is concerned about their child being paddled at school, the parent/guardian should contact the school principal to discuss appropriate/acceptable disciplinary measures before there is a behavior concern."