Speak Out 1/15/05

Show both sides

IN REFERENCE to the comments concerning creation being taught in the classroom alongside evolution: It would be beneficial to have both. Everyone's complaining that to do so would be undermining science, but the scientific understandings of men and women are always changing. Science once stated that the earth was flat. Smoking was once believed to be healthy. Teach both as theories if you must, but do show both sides of the coin since it is a topic that can be easily debated by both views.

No chance at all

MANY MISSOURI state Republican legislators are simply Democrats in business suits. The chances of the passage of a meaningful right-to-work law is nil.

Nothing contradictory

CONCERNING THE controversy of creation communication in the classroom: There is nothing contradictory between science and creation if one thoroughly understands the subject. For oblivious scientists and misguided religionists to assert in the public media that their respective version is the only factual one to contemplate demonstrates the benightedness of both sides.

Need better planning

THIS IS in regard to the proposed Transportation Trust Fund 3 road plan for Cape Girardeau. Mount Auburn Road has three high-volume intersections, and they are all a joke. The corrections south of Independence Street are inadequate. Executing a left turn from Route K onto Mount Auburn is dicey. And we all know what happens when you want to travel north onto Lexington Avenue. The problem stems from the fact that the four-lane portions of Mount Auburn are too narrow. Compare road widths with U.S. 61, Route K, and even improved sections of Broadway.

Let me keep the money

SO YOU think Social Security saved this country and provided a livelihood for retirees? Perhaps you should have to survive on their incomes. This is the very reason that everyone is encouraged not to depend on Social Security for retirement. I think it is time to stop depending on Uncle Sam to plan for my future. Uncle Sam has made some blunders and thrown my money away on pork-barrel projects that didn't help me. Let me use my money that I have earned for my own future. Perhaps you like Uncle Sam and trust him to look out for your benefit. I've seen who benefits. You can give your retirement money away if you'd like, but I would prefer to use mine as I see fit.

Saving an old school

I FREQUENTLY think the school board is on the wrong track. However, I would like to commend the board for having the vision to rehabilitate part of the Schultz School building for use by the Alternative School. This is a wise use of resources and will benefit the community in several ways, not the least of which is helping preserve a fine old structure that has many years of life remaining in it.

Accounting for funds

I THINK the Jackson School board should know where every penny of school fund-raising money goes. Many teachers trying to justify big purchases of electronic equipment by occasionally using them at school then using them for personal use at home. Fund-raising money should not be used for personal shopping sprees. Why is my child being forced to do fund raisers for one student? Fund raisers should be done for the betterment of the entire group. Every penny needs to be accounted for. The parents of Jackson are not the hillbillies you think we are. We talk to our children and find out what goes on in the classroom.

Plan for Iraq

CONSERVATIVE commentator Michael Savage has suggested dividing Iraq into three ethnic zones, allow them to establish some semblance of democracy and then get the heck out. And as payment for our liberation of Iraq, he says we should keep the oil fields. Good idea?

Deserve more pay

I WANT to know what the Jackson and Cape Girardeau school districts think about paying the speech-language pathologists a very small amount. I think it is unfair that counselors and nurses are paid more than a speech-language pathologist when they require just as much, if not more, certification and coursework in school. It should also be noted that speech-language pathologists can't receive a job unless they have a master's degree. I sincerely believe speech-language pathologists deserve more money, and that is why it is hard to retain them.

Not good ideas

RECENT COMMENTS suggest snow should be pushed to the middle of the road by the plows. How would you make a left turn in between intersections to pull into your driveway or side street? Another suggestion was to have the city clear the snow from your mailbox. Do you have lots of money to pay higher taxes? If the city plows can't keep up with the secondary streets, how would they have time to come clear mailboxes?

Time to be realistic

IT IS foolish for people to believe that with an aging population and less money going into the Social Security system that the program will be able to sustain itself. The government doesn't have the money set aside in a separate account. These funds are used for other purposes. I have had money going into the Social Security system since 1972. If it had been going into funds I had chosen since then, I would be much better off. People should be responsible and accountable for their own accounts. Be responsible for yourself. It is nice to hope that the Social Security system will survive, but we have to be realistic.