Article shouldn't have used slang

To the editor:

Although Mark Unterreiner reported the facts correctly in the "Coaching to make a difference" article, he may not have attempted to make me sound bad, but he did. Our conversation was by phone, and he asked if he could ask me some questions. I was unaware he would be quoting me verbatim. If that were the case, why didn't he include that I said, "There aren't a lot of black women doing sports and fitness things in the community, and the girls see that in me"?

While talking to Unterreiner, I got comfortable and talked like anyone would having a conversation with a friend. However, if you were to write what a friend said, you would probably use correct English and leave out the slang. I'm not sure what his intentions were, but I believe it made me sound uneducated, and I'm offended. Everyone who knows me knows I know and use correct English, and that image is important to me.

I would hope that the sports enthusiasts and readers who saw the article took it as someone just shooting the breeze about something she is passionate about, not judging me on the delivery.

LaTANYA E. THOMAS, Cape Girardeau