SPEAK OUT

Objective decision

I AM a parent of a student at Central High School who is tired of reading the emotional opinions over the recommendation not to rehire Randie Fidler as principal. I feel certain the board made a tough but objective decision based on the facts related to the principal's job performance over the last several years. Unlike most private employers, our school systems allow for elected school board members who have differing viewpoints. I guarantee that, once terminated, an employee is not allowed to work for four more months for a private employer. Employees working for private employers are also not able to have their opinions expressed about whether their boss should stay or go, as a few teachers seem to think. As far as finding a new principal, I refuse to offer any stereotype the new principal should or should not have. The school board should base its decision on the candidate's skills, education and experience. I am confident this can and will be done for the betterment of our children's education in Cape.

Support for mentoring

I WOULD like for people to know how much the Missouri Mentoring Program has helped my daughter. She has a 4-month-old baby and has not been on welfare. MMP has given her an incentive to do good and to be the best role model for her son and to be the best mother she can be. I hope we get enough support for this program. I would rather see money being spent to teach young parents to be self-supporting than to rely on welfare and food stamps to raise their family. Thank you from a mom, grandma and mentor.

Roundabout is joke

I HAD the recent displeasure of using the new roundabout. It was after dark, and I was trying to get to the emergency room at St. Francis Medical Center. Thank goodness it was not an emergency. This roundabout is the craziest designed thing I have ever seen. Our tax dollars paid for this? What a joke. I foresee this roundabout being torn out and replaced.

Not much chance

NOW THAT George W. and gang are in power, those existing on minimum wage, hoping for an increase, have about the same chance in the next four years as a possum has making it past Thanksgiving.

Let blacks decide

COLUMNIST DAVID Limbaugh has accused the Democratic Party of exploiting black Americans, an opinion apparently not shared by black voters, and an issue which would likely be more accurately addressed by black Americans than cacophonous conservative Caucasian columnist Limbaugh.

Proud of Garner

THIS IS to everyone who complained about Coach Garner and the men's basketball program at Southeast Missouri State University. You could not be more wrong. This team did not perform up to expectations, but I don't know anyone going into this OVC race who really believed Southeast would finish any higher than third. The Ohio Valley Conference was stronger this year with more depth than it has been in sometime. Keep in mind that at the end of the year Southeast beat an EIU team that has two of the top three scorers in the nation, one of the best 3-point shooting teams in the nation and a team that beat Murray State by 30 points in the OVC semifinal. People need to get off the coach's back and be thankful that he runs a clean program and his athletes go to class and finish school. Garner has done nothing but win ball games with honor and integrity. I'm proud to have Garner as our coach.

Not my money

WHY SHOULD my tax dollars go to help a bunch of millionaires make more money? I am referring to the Cardinals owners. If these owners can spend the ridiculous amount they are paying these players, then they don't need my money.