ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Tuesday, June 11, 1996 TAG: 9606110014
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A-4 EDITION: METRO
TYPE: LETTERS
I ALWAYS thought our children, as American citizens, were entitled to an education. The public schools in this country are free to all children.
Why is it that certain public schools charge dues throughout high-school years, grades nine through 12? It has been brought to my attention that if dues are not paid, although a child works hard, and if a parent cannot afford these dues, then a child is penalized by not being able to graduate and receive a diploma.
DESIREE KESSEL
ROANOKE
Engineers cast a critical eye
CRAIG A. Rogers' May 23 letter to the editor (``Engineers learn from failures'') listed one attribute of engineers' character. They have others. One that distinguishes them from their fellow men relates to the way they size up material things.
Engineers look at objects critically, but not disparagingly. They consider ways by which the object could be improved. They're convinced that nothing is perfect, even one's first love at sweet 16. That, they've learned, only seems so for a while.
DAN. H. PLETTA
BLACKSBURG
Free speech for kids equals chaos
EVEN THOUGH I agree with Rush Limbaugh most of the time, I believe the principal and administrator in Bedford County did the correct thing by taking the book (May 24 article, ``Father undertakes `Rush' to judgment''). If, in the teacher's mind, it was inappropriate for fourth-graders to hear about condoms, etc., the teacher had to take such action. I wouldn't want my fourth-grader to be exposed to the "free speech" that any kid in the class elected to come up with.
After all, we send our children to school with the belief that teachers will do what's in the children's best interest. I don't believe children have the total right of "free speech" in the school system. Can you imagine where that might lead?
It seems to me Thomas Gardner and his lawyers (as lawyers generally do) are stirring up trouble and enjoying their brief moment of fame. I certainly hope reason prevails and the courts get rid of this quickly so the schools can get back to the business of teaching.
I applaud the principal and teacher.
WILLIAM LAWSON
MONETA
Paid to get pregnant
I AGREE with the Rev. Billy Graham that the United States has gone too far down the wrong road. I also believe that we, as taxpayers, are responsible.
The public and press have no right to complain about teen pregnancies when we pay teens to have babies. We give them housing, food stamps and money to buy drugs, alcohol and men. Without this, they would go on the pill. When we didn't pay, they didn't get pregnant.
It isn't just teens having babies but females of all ages, drug addicts, alcoholics and prostitutes. These babies are born without a home or a father, and most without a functioning mother. While still children, they're put out on the street - the girls to have babies and the boys into crime.
We have 110,000 crimes a year by children. About 95 percent are from welfare. We have babies killing babies. That, too, is welfare. We have many children born to be starved, murdered, and molested physically, mentally and sexually.
It doesn't help when our hometown newspaper makes celebrities of pregnant teens by showing their pictures and telling how proud they are to be pregnant.
I am in my 80s and very worried about our country. Are you?
CLEO SMITH
ROANOKE
But they said it's not addictive
PHILIP MORRIS published on May 28 another in its series of full-page ads on how concerned the company is about teen-age smoking. But nary a word about why teens shouldn't smoke.
Could it be Philip Morris doesn't believe the sworn testimony of its own president who said that cigarettes are not addictive, not at all?
Also, the company has found "experts" who swear that there's no solid proof of the connection between smoking and disease, such as lung cancer, emphysema, heart, etc. So maybe in the next ad they'll tell us their reasons why teens shouldn't smoke. I, for one, am not holding my breath - except around second-hand smoke!
MORTON NADLER
BLACKSBURG
LENGTH: Medium: 90 linesby CNB