Speak Out A 09/09/03

Afraid of school

HOW ARE our schools protecting and teaching our children? I will tell you how one school is doing it. I have a child who is in the eighth grade. School has been in session now for two weeks, and she has only been there four days. Why? Because other students make fun of her and call her names. You go to the school to straighten it out all you get is "I will take care of it." Does it get taken care of? No. It gets worse because you went to get it taken care of. Who can help? My child is afraid to go to school.

Lack of professionalism

I WOULD like to say how happy we have been with the teachers that my children have had in the Cape Girardeau School District. I feel they are getting a very good education, and the teachers are doing a very good job. However, I think the school does not treat people who apply for positions professionally. When a person applies and are told they will be interviewed, they should be interviewed. I was told by two people I would be interviewed, and I never received a call. I feel that is unprofessional not to receive a letter thanking me for applying and that the position had been filled.

Slow down at school

I HAVE a concern. I pick up my daughter from Blanchard Elementary School. I think parents and teachers need to be more cautious about how they drive through the parking lot. Thank goodness I was holding my daughter's hand, because as we walked out into the parking lot there was a car that just about mowed us down. Please slow down in the parking lot.

Roses too costly

ROSES ARE too high maintenance to spend $40,000 on. I'd like to think Cape Girardeau is a practical town with common sense. Even if we were to spend $20,000 on roses, the $20,000 on maintenance would run out eventually, so what are you going to do? Tax people to take care of the roses?

Time for a change

AS A Jackson resident, I can't believe the Jackson School Board is creating all those administrative positions and paying them so much money and giving them so much traveling expense money. I'm going to vote for all new board members.

Need God's help

AMERICA NEEDS God's help because we have so many problems. But some continue to keep God out of everything. Besides the Ten Commandments, the latest is taking down of Scripture plaques in the Grand Canyon. We need God's help in Iraq against all the terrorists. Some day, God will get rid of all the terrorists. They will never rule this world.

Low-income figures

TO THE person who was appalled because MAP scores are aggregated and students receiving free and reduced lunches are pulled out as a group: You acted like that was something the Southeast Missourian did. That's something your state and federal governments do. The student population receiving free and reduced lunches is one of the ways schools get federal funding. A lot of things are determined by that percentage. And although you may not want to admit this, the facts remain that students on free and reduced lunches are often the lowest-scoring students in a district. I'm not saying low income equals lack of intelligence, but it has been proven time and time again that low-income parents are not as supportive of schools.

Can't get it right

THANKS FOR the big sign at Mount Auburn Road and Independence Street telling people which way the lane goes. Now you need one on the other side telling people to jog to the left so they do not hit the big silver pole. Honestly, if we couldn't make the road straight, why mess with it? This is more of a problem than Snake Hill or the kink in Main Street. Now we will be using more money to correct this.