Speak Out 1/16/08

Want to learn

WHAT PRODUCES the best school test scores are students who want to learn and parents who want students to learn. Spending more money does not solve the problem.

Traffic tickets

TO THOSE worried about traffic tickets; If you're not one of the many people disregarding traffic laws, there really is nothing to be concerned about. Drive along our major streets between 6 and 7 a.m. You'd be surprised how many people need remediation.

Shorter version

MISSOURI CHAMBER of Commerce and Industry president Daniel Meehan could have shortened considerably his recent op-ed column had he merely written: "We need to make schools spend still more money on fancy technology even though I can't prove it enhances learning. We need to eliminate workers' compensation. We need to keep the health-care system as confusing and inefficient as possible. We need to eliminate all taxes on businesses while increasing tax subsidies to them. Do all of these things. Trust me."

Cut and run

I KEEP reading here and elsewhere that the surge in Iraq was working. That is false. Attacks are down, but that wasn't the reason for the surge. The reason for the surge, as President Bush stated, was to give the government of Iraq a chance to catch its breath and take care of business. Instead the Iraqi government went on vacation in August, and now Bush and his talking heads are saying we are going to let the Iraqis take care of their own problems. How is this different than the cut and run he tried to bestow on the Democrats last year? I predict Bush will cut and run within the next 10 months. I predict he will declare victory and get out because he can't stand to look bad and will never admit a mistake.

Endorsement backlash

THE WIDESPREAD endorsement of diverse presidential aspirants by area politicians seems to reinforce the view that said endorsements have been reduced to irrelevancy and may have the unintended effect of convincing voters to vote for candidates other than those receiving high fives from heavyweight pols.

Murderous promises

THIS IS directed to the prosecutors in Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky and Pennsylvania who have agreed not to seek the death penalty against Timothy Krajcir if he pleads guilty to all these heinous crimes he committed. I am sure that in the commission of these acts he promised the women he was about to murder that they would not die if they would only cooperate. I would like to see this tactic used on him.

Statistical emphasis

NO CHILD Left Behind? As a parent of a Central High School student, I am finding that students whose grades fall right in the middle are overlooked. It seems the administration only cares about those students who can help or hurt their statistics. If you're an A student taking all academic classes, the school wants to help you because you can make the school look good. On the flip side, if you're failing the school will help you because it doesn't want you to affect the graduation dropout rate. Where does that leave the students who fall in the average range? They are forgotten. All students are important and should be treated as such. I also feel that all students should be treated as if they are college-bound regardless of the classes they take. I have seen C students go to college and excel. I have also seen straight-A students go to college and fail. Statistics are not everything.

Tough love

MANY DO not practice tough love because it is unpopular. It says "I love you, but you must face the consequences of your actions." Too many times when it is your child, parents don't want the punishment to fit the crime. It's not the fault of the police, the prosecutor or the judicial system. They aren't perfect, but they didn't make someone take the path of crime. It is always easier to take your anger out of one of them than to look at the perpetrator or in the mirror and admit who is really to blame.

Sales tax too high

REGARDING CAPE Girardeau's proposed sales-tax increase: I say vote no. Cape's sales tax would be 7.975 percent. That's too much sales tax. We need to find a way to accomplish the proposed improvements within our current tax base. An improved Cape Girardeau with 7.975 percent sales tax would not be attractive to new business ventures, homeowners, shoppers or tourists.

Quotas are illegal

FOR THE person who said police officers have an increased ticket quota, here's some interesting news. Police officers don't have quotas. It's illegal.

Parking lot bully

THIS IS to the man whom I apparently angered in the Wal-Mart parking lot. I'm deeply apologetic that my backing out of my handicapped space hindered your speeding the wrong way. I understand how the size of my Neon made it difficult to see all the cars behind me when you roared around the corner, headlight to headlight. Why were you waving so? It looked like you thought I should move. You behaved like a playground bully, and you looked ridiculous.

Parental responsibility

I'M READING about Leopold School District. A teacher, Ted LeGrand, says the teachers drive so far to Leopold to teach school because of the level of parent support and the rarity of discipline and the work ethic of the students. This should be passed on to the people of other districts. Something needs to be done to force parents to become involved when something goes wrong with a child. They should be responsible for it.

Eating without smoke

I'D LIKE to comment on the new Illinois smoking ban. I live in Jackson. We've been going to a restaurant in Illinois to eat fish on Friday nights. It is so nice to go over there and not have to smell smoke when you eat. How much longer is it going to be before Missouri follows Illinois?