Speak Out

Road problem

I have heard no comment on the new road out of Scott City. I have one. On the north end of the new bridge, there is a drop-off and then a lump. For a new project, this is unacceptable. Please call MoDOT and complain.

Same reaction?

I wonder whether the media would have reacted the same way if President Bush had been portrayed by the rodeo clown at the Sedalia fair.

Message to parents

Some people, probably kids, messed up my light in front of my house. That isn't right. Their parents need to teach them better.

No improvement

Where the Common Core math has been tried, it has not shown any improvement and in some cases actually has lowered the test scores from prior programs. In Utah, it was no better; in Massachusetts, it lowered the scores. Common Core math postpones teaching algebra from the traditional eighth grade to ninth grade. How is that any improvement?

Lottery question

I wonder how the state distributes new scratch-off lottery cards so nobody wins the $5 million top prize on the first day.

Not classy

Mocking U.S. presidents can be great entertainment. Their mannerisms, speeches and behavior are all fair game. Making a joke out of the president being harmed, however, crosses a line of decency. All politics aside, Missouri needs to show a little more class.

Common Core

Common Core has driven teachers to teach the test rather than the subject. To argue otherwise is to ignore the facts and avoid the issue. Administrators should execute policies approved by the school board on behalf of their constituents. To argue otherwise is to ignore the facts and avoid consecutive school board terms.

Does it work?

It's very early, but so far anecdotal evidence indicates the Common Core Curriculum's implementation is working like a charm.

Woods, Obama

Tiger Woods is criticized on a regular basis by the golf writers and newscasters. If they see something they don't like in his swing or his demeanor, they don't hesitate to criticize him. Same with Vijay Singh. However, none of these writers or newscasters is called racist. How can that be? These two golfers are black and they are being criticized, right? Most of the PGA Tour golfers are white, right? Then the critical comments must be based on racism, right? It must be, because any time that anyone criticizes President Obama, they are immediately branded a racist. Let's face it; they must be racist because Mr. Obama is so smart and is such a wonderful president that no one could possibly disagree with anything he does or says unless their disagreement is based on his skin color.

Jesse Jackson

Jesse Jackson Jr. has been sentenced to 30 months in prison for misuse of campaign funds. Now that he is a proven criminal, he should have no trouble at all being elected to some high office in the city of Chicago or the state of Illinois. He would make an excellent governor, and the nice thing is, he has already served his prison term. Usually, Illinois governors don't go to jail until after they serve a term or two.