Speak Out 11/09/03

Following the rules

AS A classroom teacher I let my students chew gum in class. I do not feel it takes away from the educational process. If it would become a distraction, I would take the privilege away from my students. However, when I take my students to any special class, I tell them to spit out their gum. My students know that gum is not allowed in those classes. If they choose to break the rule, they receive detention from that special class teacher. If you choose to break the rules, you have to pay the consequences. Isn't that the way the world works? If we let students know up front what is not allowed, they have to be responsible for that.

Positive support

AS AN employee of Central Middle School, I am offended by the recent Speak Out regarding candy and gum in the classroom. Students learn good behavior through positive reinforcement. If giving a student a piece of gum helps to reinforce good behavior, then so be it. If teachers did not reward students for good behavior, someone would complain about that. The students know that gum is not allowed in the gym during PE. If a student chooses to chew gum rather than spitting it out, then the PE teacher has every right to give those students detention. The idea behind purchasing T-shirts for the students is to foster unity within CMS. I believe these T-shirts will indirectly enhance students' learning. I am proud to be an employee of Central Middle School and commend all those who put forth an effort to make us an outstanding school within this community.

Doing something great

WHAT KIND of smart aleck would assume we are buying students T-shirts to increase their learning? The Accelerated Schools program is built on three principles: building on strengths, unity of purpose and empowerment with responsibility. Those T-shirts for every child and staff member are to build unity. I encourage you to join Central Middle School for its Accelerated Schools launch Nov. 21 and see how wonderful those kids look and feel. We are trying to do something great at our school. To have people trying to sabotage it is outrageous.

Compare majors

WE KEEP hearing the same report that the average Southeast athlete has a higher GPA than the average student. I would like to see the athletes compared to students in the major in which they are registered. My bet is they are generally enrolled in Mickey Mouse majors, so they might be above the overall average in GPA but still doing worse than the average student in their individual majors.

The enemy within

WAR IS hell and every war has had sacrifices made by brave men to protect their families from danger. We also have enemies within America who are frantically trying to tear down our country and rebuild it with complete domination over the populace. So beware, voters. Protect your loved ones at the polls.

Railroad noise

WHAT CAME first: the railroad or your house? In most instances, the railroad was there first. My house gets pretty shook up too when the train stops suddenly or the slack gets stretched out too fast. But the railroad usually has the right of way. Maybe it would be best to move.

Let God judge

PEOPLE OF the opposite sex can live together without shacking up. They do it for convenience and for survival. Some people share apartments or houses and never enter the other one's bedroom. They aren't shacking up. They may just be sharing a house and going to church on Sunday to share God's love, which I think is great. If people are shacking up, they will stand before God on Judgment Day and pay for what they've done. We all need to shape our lives so that when we stand before the judgment seat of God, we can pass with flying colors.

Cutting athletics

SOUTHEAST MISSOURI State University's athletic director says the only athletic budget cuts that can be made are men's indoor track and golf. Division I status does not require Southeast to sponsor a football program. Vanderbilt University has elected to go without an athletic director. Cut these two items and the budget would be balanced without damage to the heart of the university: its academic programs.

Cut minor sports

DON'T GOLF, tennis, volleyball and track and field teams seem really silly when SEMO is thinking of cutting its academic programs? At least, basketball, football and baseball have community participation. The cost of the coaches and travel for those other sports only benefit a small number of participating students.

Public servants

HERE'S THE way it works. We elect the school board. We tell them what we want. We tell them how to run the schools because we have that right as long as we pay those big taxes. They in turn, tell the superintendent what they expect. He instructs the teachers. When you're a teacher, you may have a right as a private citizen to your opinions, but while you're a teacher being paid by our taxes, you do what you're told. You're a public servant first and a private citizen next.

Criticizing teachers

I HAVE only a high school education, which was a big thing when I was growing up. My parents were eighth-grade graduates. They saw they didn't have the education to home school their children, so they relied on teachers who did a magnificent job. I notice that more parents are home schooling their children. If teachers get angry when we voice our opinions, I can see why there is more home schooling. Teachers can be replaced if they get too far out of hand.

Honoring veterans

THE 11TH of this month is Veterans Day. If you know a veteran, tell him or her thank you, because it is the veteran, not the reporter, who has preserved our freedom of the press. It is the veteran, not the poet, who has preserved our freedom of speech. It is veteran, not the campus organizer, who preserves the freedom to demonstrate. It is the veteran who salutes the flag, whose coffin is draped by the flag and who preserves the protester's right to burn the flag. Attend a Veterans Day ceremony. Salute the flag as it passes. If you do not know how to salute as a civilian, ask a veteran.

Keep those promises

AFTER LISTENING to all these Kentucky political ads, they should pass a federal law that says if a politician tells you he will do something and he doesn't do it in the first half of his term, he should be impeached automatically. They're not going to be dictators, but they act like they are. This totally upsets me.

Speak Out gets action

WE IN Scott City are so thankful for Speak Out. With all the publicity about the weeds, MoDOT has finally started mowing. It does work to call in. Thank you, callers.

University suggestions

I'D JUST like to make a couple of suggestions to Southeast Missouri State University to get it through its current financial crisis. Delay purchasing this $5 million administrative database system. The current system works just fine. There is no hurry to replace that. Quit replacing photocopiers that are completely operational.