SpeakOut 2/26

Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Call 471-6636

People cannot afford to live out in Pharris Ridge. We are just poor old country people and we can't afford to live out there.

Well if we get any bad weather, I bet these people up in town in their warm houses will still have lights.

School teachers and students can be compared to the art of baking a cake. Take the right ingredients, good supplies and the right equipment and anyone can bake a cake. It's simple. But if you want a gourmet, college-

prepared, ACT high scoring professional grade outcome, you need these special ingredients. You need families to teach their children to count, read and write before kindergarten. Families who will instill that education is our greatest privilege here in America. Families that take an active interest in their children's lives all the way through high school and attend teachers' conferences, go to band concerts and sporting events. Schools need the best educators. I read where an administrator once said, "Give me a good teacher who genuinely loves to teach and I'll make them a great educator." Why have a school board if they never question the superintendent? The superintendent offers advice, but the buck stops with each board member. Good board members are not yes men, they stand up for the district's best interest, not their own or their kids. If you don't like you school district look to your superintendent. He sets your calendar, not teachers. Teachers may vote on which version they prefer, it's the superintendent's decision. Teachers have been fighting for children for years. If some of you only knew what teachers have done to help children learn and enjoy education. It's hard to keep the coals warm when the fire on top is not burning. As far as drugs go, it's different era we're living in now. Drugs and teen pregnancy are commonplace. If you see it on TV, it's happening at an alarming rate in our schools. It's not just bad or poor kids, it's everyone. Every economic class is effected, from cheerleaders to valedictorians. Sex and drugs are commonplace. We need to send the schools the best ingredients our homes can offer and the results will be impressive. Teach your kids to disrespect teachers and authority and to just get by and the Department of Corrections will be the one correcting the parenting. Kids dealing and selling drugs don't want a job, they just want fast money without the sweat. If you raise them up to respect no one, run from responsibility and that this world owes them a free ride, then don't complain when they get arrested or be surprised. Point your finger at the school and say we failed them, that's easier than the truth. Have you ever tried to teach a student that can't stay awake, doesn't care if they flunk and are just there because the state says so? Sports do help students stay out of trouble and it is proven that students that get involved in any extracurricular activity should be more successful. I wish people would learn that they reap what they sow. If you don't value education, chances are your children will not be successful. Our schools and teachers can and do work miracles daily. The challenge of slipping the light on in a student whose life is going nowhere is what drives educators. When you see a former student years later and they thank you for caring and you hear how they are working and raising a family, it makes it all worthwhile. Teachers change lives one day at a time.

Hang in there Josh. These parents are always complaining because their kids' names don't make it in the paper. No one can please all the people all the time. Even when other teams are in the headlines, I'm still a Josh fan.

I have lived in Mississippi County for some time now, and I live on one of the county roads. Every time you pick up the newspaper you read the commissioners meeting. They are always talking about the conditions of the county roads. If you go up to Charleston you will notice roads in some of the subdivisions have red clay gravel and are taken care of. I have lived where I'm at now for a couple of years. The county put down the white limestone and they grade it once in awhile. Right now it's so bad you have to have a four wheel drive to get home. I know we have had a lot of rain and bad weather but the front road coming back to my house is not like that.