Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, September 24, 1995 TAG: 9509260015
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: D2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
I refer to those who want to be sure no decorations are hanging on school walls that may remind you that Christmas is a religious holiday (i.e., nativity scenes, etc.). These images may damage a child's frail psyche!
Where are these naysayers come Halloween when pictures of witches around cauldrons, on brooms or with ghosts are adorning school walls? These are all depictions of witchcraft.
Witchcraft has been recognized as a religion. Why hasn't the argument over the misconstrued idea of ``separation of church and state'' (which was originally meant for church-run government as in England at the time) been applied to ``all Hallows Eve'' or ``the Witches Sabbath''? This is a religious holiday.
Where are people's priorities when images that may cause fear or induce nightmares in children aren't given a second thought, as opposed to those that create thoughts of glad tidings and joy?
KEVIN DOUGHERTY ROANOKE
A pig is a pig - and nothing else
EXCUSE me, this old former farm boy from Bedford County is a little confused over the issue concerning Vietnamese potbellied pigs. The photograph in The Roanoke Times on Sept. 13 sure did look strikingly like a picture of two pigs! I will even bet that any pig farmer would come to the same conclusion.
While growing up on the farm in Bedford County, I was taught and learned a great deal about animals. We had pigs whom we kids considered pets until the issue of food came up. We had a duck that was a great pet until a turtle made lunch out of him. Why we even had a sheep that was a pet until he ate some wilted leaves from a cherry tree. We never had a goat.
But back to the pigs. We called the little (immature) ones pigs and the big ones hogs. However, they were all pigs. How did I know? They looked, walked and squealed like pigs! Granted, our pigs were dirty and smelly, not of their own choice, but because we kept them in a pig pen. Also, Mom didn't like pigs in the house. She thought we kids were bad enough.
Seriously, the only amendment needed to the 1978 ordinance is one that would further prohibit goats and sheep. The place for farm animals is on the farm.
GARY C. AGEE ROANOKE
The police are not inhuman monsters
WHAT A pleasure it was to recently watch two uniformed Roanoke City Police officers playing football with children on Elm Avenue on a Sunday afternoon.
In a world where we use the police as scapegoats, let us teach children that the police are, first and foremost, human beings with a heart and soul.
GLENN FRIEDLAND ROANOKE
Keep gay history out of the schools
THIS is about teachers declaring October ``Gay/Lesbian History Month'' in the public schools. I was astounded, to say the least!
At its recent annual conference, the National Education Association passed a resolution calling on teachers in every school district to observe October as ``Gay/Lesbian History Month.'' The resolution was adopted by a 2-to-1 margin. There are at least 2.2 million NEA members, and the NEA receives more than $785 million in revenues annually. Its members exert great power over Congress and the White House.
I wonder if all 2.2 million members were given the opportunity to vote on this issue? I doubt it! I believe it wouldn't have passed if all teachers were given the opportunity to vote.
Schools are already preparing for this event. There may be classroom and hallway displays, special viewings of films on homosexuality, and guest speakers as a part of this month-long observance in grades K-12. I don't know yet what our local schools are planning, but I hope that parents will take a stand and protect the innocence and purity of our children. Grandparents, too, have grandchildren to protect.
Not all students and their parents are going to want to be subjected to learning about homosexuality during October or any month.
FRANCES SPENCER ROANOKE
Study halls should be eliminated
THE SEPT. 15 commentary (``How to improve our schools'' by Edward F. Droge Jr.) listed five steps, but these should be reduced to four by eliminating study halls. Homework should be limited to reading at home.
The commentary was good, especially the statement that said, ``Most study halls are nothing more than holding pens.''
Droge mentioned that we should teach memory techniques. Amen, but show me a good book on this topic. I got bits and pieces here and there, and finally get some help from the Library of Congress. My few good teachers taught memory devices, and I finally found a book that taught a method for creating your own.
Since there are different types of intelligence, why give one IQ number? Let colleges give SAT and PSAT tests.
I would have enjoyed some good correspondence courses, which I later took on my own. I prefer to stay at home and have class by television. And I choose the channel, eliminating hours of bus rides on dangerous roads.
THOMAS LEE COOK CHRISTIANSBURG
Broad standards define accessibility
THERE ARE a few points we would like to make in response to Emily Domalski's Sept. 8 letter to the editor (``Eatery was given an unfair rap'') concerning accessibility for persons with disabilities at the Buck Mountain Grille.
As indicated in the editor's note at the end of her letter, the accessibility checks for restaurants reviewed by The Roanoke Times are done by the Blue Ridge Independent Living Center.
When a restaurant is checked for accessibility, a number of factors are considered. We want to know if the facility is accessible to everyone. We check to see if a facility meets ADA accessibility standards. We want to know if restrooms cannot only be accessed, but that anyone can get into the restaurant, order a meal, and use the restroom alone.
A person may use a wheelchair. A person may be visually impaired, hearing impaired or have a hidden disability. Our objective is to make the entire community accessible to all and, in the case of restaurant reviews, assist this newspaper in advising its readership on which restaurants are accessible and which are not.
KAREN B. MICHALSKI Executive Director GORDON DAVIDSON Community Services Director Blue Ridge Independent Living Center ROANOKE
Bedford libraries are in a squeeze
ON THE ballot of the Nov. 7 special election, there will be the question: ``Shall Bedford County contract a debt and issue general obligation bonds in the maximum amount of $7.1 million for the purpose of paying the cost in whole or in part of the acquisition, construction, furnishing, equipping, renovation and expansion of the county's branch library system in Montvale, Stewartsville, Forest, and Big Island?''
Currently, those libraries are in four rented spaces and one building that is county-owned. The total square footage is now less than 4,000 square feet.
With tremendous growth and even greater growth projections for the future, Bedford County has generated an additional $1 million annually for the past few years. The proposed library bond would not make a tax increase necessary nor have the county Board of Supervisors indicated a planned increase.
I'm asking Bedford County voters to vote yes on the question and bring the branch-library conditions up to state standards in Bedford County.
RONALD L. SAUNDERS BEDFORD
by CNB