Speak Out 11/29/03

The best motives

THE SPEAK Out comment that Jay Purcell worked as a garbage collector because he plans to run for mayor is cynical and uncalled for. I don't know Purcell, but to condemn a man for trying to understand city government is hateful. It's a shame we have those few in our community who think there is an ulterior motive to everything someone does. Thank goodness we have someone who wants to give instead of judge and criticize.

Praise and criticism

I'M A Southeast Missouri State University student, and I'm calling to praise Dale Nitzschke for the money he's bringing to the university. But I'm also calling to criticize president Ken Dobbins because he's cutting good teachers and good programs but keeping four vice presidents. Maybe he should think about cutting his vice presidents and giving some good teachers better salaries.

Teaching degrees

THIS IS in response to the person who said that people who home school their children without a degree are lacking credentials. A person should be judged by the fruit of his labors. Homeschoolers score higher than public school kids and private school kids in all testing across the board. The only reason a degree is needed is because the government decided that a degree was needed. A long time ago when education in this country was of high quality, no degree was needed. When the government got involved, the education quality went down.

Spending priorities

I'M A teacher in the Scott City School District, and I don't know everything about the finances, so we have to take our administrators at their word. They said we didn't have the money for 10 aides. Now they have the money to hire a new head football coach.

Unregulated baby-sitting

I'VE BEEN reading with interest this article on the city not approving the special use permit for the coffee business. I would much rather see a coffee business in my neighborhood than baby-sitting. These people open their baby-sitting businesses without any approval from the city, then they have people come and going, dropping off their kids and driving like a bat out of hell.

Try a real job

I'M GETTING sick of hearing faculty and staff members at Southeast Missouri State University crying about how much work they do and how little pay they get. You people don't have any idea what real work is. You should have to be employed at a real job for one month -- if you could last. Then maybe you'd realize you're overpaid and not nearly as important as you think you are.

Sheepish response

THE OTHER day, several of us were talking over coffee and there was a lot of griping over insurance cost and coverage and about Medicare. After several minutes, I suggested that the answer to our problem was a system like they have in Canada. A couple of the people said that would be socialized medicine and they didn't want that. I pointed out to them the Canadians pay only two-thirds as much of their GDP for health care as we do and live several years longer. All I got was sheepish grins. The only thing that is sheepish is our citizens who follow the garbage put out by the medical industry.

Funding request

AFTER ALL these cuts at Southeast Missouri State University, does that mean it's going to request less money from the legislature next year?

Use profit for repairs

A SPEAK Out contributor, extolling the virtues of MTBE, recently proposed giving public funds to repair leaky underground storage tanks. Shouldn't some of the profit that gas stations make be used to pay for upkeep at that station? If the government wants to start paying for the maintenance and repair of private property, I'd like to add my old truck to the list.

Time to move on

I CAN'T believe Mayor Jay Knudtson passed the buck on the decision not to rename the street in front of the high school. I think he and the city council were right not to make that change. And, contrary to the sentiment of the high school students who commendably argued their position and lost, this episode, in fact, was democracy in action. The students should move on. So should the mayor -- without stirring up more problems.

Cuts hurt classrooms

AS I read through the Speak Out, I see issues like can the city make people tie their trash bags and how the Southeast Missouri State University football did. Are these really such a big deal? How about our schools? In case nobody's noticed, Gov. Bob Holden has cut our school's money, resulting in bigger classes. Teachers don't have time to get everything done in the classroom now without taking two or three hours of grading home with them.

The right decision

THE CAPE Girardeau City Council made the right choice in not renaming a portion of a major street at the demands of high school students. The students might learn something about politics through this process, such as the art of compromise. The city was eager to compromise by designating a part of Silver Springs Road without actually changing the street name, but the students insisted on all-or-nothing without any apparent concern for emergency services and other property owners. The council made the right decision for the long-term benefit of the community rather than giving in to the emotional demands of the students.

Lunches, not snacks

IHOPE the Jackson School District will invest in a dietitian. I have talked with other parents who feel the same way. When our kids come home from school, they act like they haven't eaten all day. They say they don't get much for lunch. Sometimes it's not very nutritious. It sure is a big difference from when I was in school 15 years ago. Give our children lunches, not snacks.