SpeakOut 3/17

Call 471-6636

I'm calling in regard to the picking up of the children at the Kindergarten Center. We get notes periodically at home showing us that unless our child has an appointment or something else going on, we need to get in line with everyone else to pick our children up, which I do. I would like to know why there are a select few people that on a daily basis park and go in and pick up their children and nothing is ever done about it. It's the same people everyday. The people that are sitting in the long, long line to pick up their children see these people drive in and pick them up. No one says or does anything. What if everybody decided to come up and park and go in and get their child? Would something be done then? I'm tired of sitting in this long line to get my child everyday and other people pulling up and parking and going in. I won't go in because they asked us not to. I think the Kindergarten personnel should ask these people not to unless it's an emergency or they have an appointment.

In regard to the cellphone for safety article, I do believe that children should have their cellphones on them at all times. But if the kids would start turning their phones off at school and use them only for emergencies, then they would not be taking them away. Kids are using their cellphones during school time in the classroom, they are text messaging. That is not the proper time for a cellphone.

In response to the many calls about the teachers and schools in this area. I have relocated to this area and have lived here for five years and have children in one of the reorganized school districts. I have discovered that the teachers can only do so much as far as educating the children. They are controlled by the state standardized tests as well as their local board, principal and superintendent. Sometimes they may not be qualified for authoritative positions as one would assume. Many of the principals I have found are ex-football coaches and have never spent a day teaching in a real classroom. I really do not believe that physical education should be equal to a qualified teacher that is in the classroom teaching for eight hours a day and works directly with students. Also, many of the teachers are female and very few of the administrators are women, who tend to have a more nurturing attitude. I have also heard that many of the new teachers have a variety of degrees in the business world. For some reason our school board is hiring them to teach important classes such as math and science. Please don't tell me about the teaching shortage. It is caused by the lack of professionalism that is awarded to teachers who have busted their lives wide open trying to teach children who have no idea what lies before them in the real world. Wake up, people. Our public school systems are still working in the 20th Century. It is time to change and we need to do it.

I just wondered what has happened to the old-fashioned ministers in this city that used to visit the sick? If you call now, you get the brush-off when there is someone bad sick or you need their help.

I would like to reply about the front page article on Thursday, March 6, Boy saved from fire. Drew Juden made the comment that the 2-year-old could likely have gotten out of the truck by himself. I have four children, several nieces and nephews, one that is about to turn 2 now. They aren't capable of getting out of a car by themselves, let alone a big semi. I think Jimmy Gipson should be commended well for what he did. Most likely the child would not have survived had Jimmy not reacted.

Why would a city spend $562,000 on another walking trail? The city already has two, one at the Recreational Park by the airport and another behind the new 7th and 8th Grade Center. The new YMCA is also designated to have a walking track! From my observations, neither has had any major traffic jams from excessive use by the walkers. Seems like there could be a better project for the use of these funds. The mayor and council members need to re-think this one. If this is how our transportation tax is to be used, why not just buy us all a treadmill? I realize some of this is federal grants, but whose taxes do these come from? Remember this the next time the transportation tax comes up on the ballot. This is creating a lifelong maintenance item for the city taxpayers.

We agree, but these funds are from the state's, not the local transportation tax.

Good morning, Mike. I have to strongly disagree with your editorial on Sunday, March 9, 2008. I am very happy and proud of our city council for moving forward on the walking trail. The health of the people in our community and the ability to be able to walk places without having to use an automobile is very important. This is also very important when companies look at our community and think about bringing their business to this community. They're looking for a pro-active, forward thinking community. If I'm reading your editorial properly and say that you disagree with exercise and health as an issue, then this is a slap in the face to the YMCA and the people that are involved in the $6 million plus addition. Health and health care is a very expensive item. This is a very important issue in this community. If you want to be mad at taxpayer waste, look at the next page in your newspaper that shows where the IRS is spending $42 million taxpayer dollars to send us a letter telling us that we are going to get a economic stimulus check from George W. Bush. After this $42 million is spent, all we will have is additional trash to go in our landfill. When our city council spends this money to build this walking trail, we'll have a walking trail for many, many years in the future. Thanks for allowing me to make this comment.

Mike, I couldn't agree with you more about this money that the city is yak-

yakking away on this current walking trail. It's about as dumb as keeping the streets tore up uptown trying to revitalize the downtown area.

Mike, I wholeheartedly agree with your article about the walking trail. It will be a failure just like the bike trail you mentioned. Another good example, although I believe the state paid for it, is a handicapped route on Main Street. I live a block off of Main and drive what is usually two to three times a day. I have yet to see anyone using it. What a waste of money! Let's hope the city council finds a better place to use the money they were planning on using for the walking trail.

I think the city should reconsider the $400,000 walking trail. That is a bunch of bull crap! Excuse me, I can't use that kind of language. I bet maybe 20 people a day even would be lucky if they used that walking trail. You add up the math. I'm not very good in math so I can't do it myself. But, it looks like to me they are not serving the public in this town, they are just serving a few people as they do so many times. They are not getting the big picture of this city. All they're doing is serving a few people here and there, special interest groups and stuff like that. Consider it again, city council. Please, that's too much money.

In your article it states, and I quote, "Although specifics weren't given to them, parents of the junior high age students were notified at the time of the lock down through the district's automated phone system," Boardman said. It is somewhat a lie, because if the lock down was two hours, I didn't receive a call from the school till 4:57 p.m. I still have it on my cell phone - which makes that way after it was over. Luckily, my son text messaged me scared to death and told me they were in lock down at 11:29 a.m. and told me they were in lock down since 2nd Hour. I kept in contact with him, and picked him up at 11:45 a.m. At that time the 10-20 police were still there, fire trucks, and the doors weren't locked - I walked right in. I asked for my son, and at first they wouldn't let me have him, and then said it was okay to release him. At times like this is when yes I believe the school should allow us as parents to know what is going on, if not during then shortly afterwards, not five hours later and after school. I also believe that students having cell phones in school becomes a great tool of an emergency at a time like this. I am thankful my son had his phone, and I am thankful that everyone was fine and there were no injuries.