ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Monday, April 7, 1997 TAG: 9704070004
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A-4 EDITION: METRO
TYPE: LETTERS
The county's year-round plan flunks
YOUR EDITORIAL staff is either incapable of investigative journalism or is intentionally misleading readers (March 15 editorial,``Year-round schools hit red-brick wall'').
Skeptics of Roanoke County's year-round plan do not oppose year-round school, but oppose dual enrollment. Until you study the differences between track systems, dual enrollment, modified calendars, traditional calendars, etc., you will never understand why many citizens oppose the proposal.
We want an educational vision for our county schools. We want our monies used wisely. We want overcrowding alleviated and our facilities upgraded. We want equality of programs and services among schools. We want effective administration.
To try something new just to try something new isn't a responsible use of taxpayers' money. To try something new as part of a comprehensive educational vision is acceptable.
Roanoke County proposed that we try dual enrollment at Hidden Valley Junior High School. Most students would be on the traditional calendar and 21 percent would be on the modified calendar. All students would go to school for 180 days, but at different times.
Why? What is the benefit? Greater achievement? Not according to national studies on the subject. Better utilization of space? No. The same number of students would be served in the building at the same time. Monetary savings at an estimated start-up cost of $143,000? Don't think so.
The reason this plan hit a brick wall is that the county's school system has many needs, but none is addressed by dual enrollment.
The year-round calendar that Buena Vista has successfully used for years (high-school level) is called the ``three-quarters on and one-quarter optional'' plan. Most of us refer to it as the traditional calendar with the option of summer school. How innovative.
SUSAN J. CLOETER
ROANOKE
Too few workers in nursing homes
GOVERNMENT has cut Medicare and Medicaid so much that the elderly who live in nursing homes or health-care centers can't get the care they deserve after they worked all their lives and paid taxes.
Most people who go to these places are on Medicaid or Medicare. They have sold their homes and spent all they had, so the state ends up taking care of them.
Do you have a loved one in such a place? Do you visit once a month or once a year? What do you see when there? Do you see a shortage of help? Do you see two or three women trying to take care of 55 to 60 elderly people? Do you see that the rooms aren't up to your standards?
Would you or one of your loved ones like to be one of those patients?
We need to voice our concern over the fact that Virginia has no guidelines as to the necessary staff-patient ratio. Remember, inadequate care isn't the fault of an employee, but the fault of the employer and the government.
MONA FERRIS
ROANOKE
Students dress to express themselves
I THINK uniforms would be good for some adults and teachers. But for students, it's a bad idea. It takes away individuality. A lot of times people wear certain clothes to show what they like or express who they are.
When you come into the classroom where students are wearing uniforms, it looks like everybody was cloned.
CORY PETERS
ROANOKE
Northerners make contributions here
AS A native New Yorker, I have often had Roanokers say to me that I do not sound like one. Thanks to Nancy Gleiner's offensive Fridaysomething article (March 14, ``Hiz how dey tawk up deah''), I know what I am supposed to sound like.
A person's speech patterns are a result of where he or she happened to grow up. This is nothing to be ashamed of or laughed at.
We Northerners are often thought of as ``furreigners.'' Such articles as this one do nothing to discourage divisiveness. Instead, they encourage an ``us against them'' attitude.
Figures of fun are not usually taken seriously. The contributions to the quality of life that many of us make in the Roanoke Valley should earn us a little respect.
I am a customer of The Roanoke Times. Since when has it become a good business practice to insult customers?
HILDEGARD KURT
ROANOKE
White House isn't Clinton's to sell
REGARDING Ruth Cunningham's March 13 letter to the editor, ``Why shouldn't they have house guests?'':
The Clintons should be allowed to have house guests. However, that isn't their house.
The White House is ``our'' house - the citizens' house. It is owned, paid for and operated by citizens through our tax dollars. And if anyone gets paid for overnights in the Lincoln bedroom, it should be the U.S. Treasury - not any one political party in power.
Clinton has brought the office of the president to an all-time low. Many voters obviously are incapable of deciphering a lie from the truth, or they just plain don't care about the president being a liar or all his other character flaws.
I hope someone up there is watching out for us because we sure need it.
BETTE N. GILLESPIE
ROANOKE
Quint vote wasn't in citizens' interest
IN A HASTILY arranged meeting of Roanoke City Council, a vote was taken to make changes in the fire department.
Firefighters and the majority of the citizens attending voiced concern and asked council members and Mayor David Bowers to vote against the purchase of quints and any attempt to cut fire and EMS services. But the mayor and council members John Parrott, William White and Carroll Swain decided to vote for the quints and go against what the citizens wanted.
This is a disgrace. These elected officials are suppose to vote for what is in the best interest of the public. Firefighters are men and women who fight fires and save lives. Who should know better what is best?
It's clear the mayor and some council members have a different agenda. Their intent is to cut vital services to save money. And what for? To give themselves another raise?
The mayor, Parrott, Swain and White should resign or be removed from office for their abuse of power given to them by citizens.
When it's election time again, I will vote for the officials who voted for citizens' and my best interest - Vice Mayor Linda Wyatt and council members Jim Trout and Nelson Harris - and against those who didn't.
Thanks to the firefighters for all they do for us.
BOB FERGUSON
ROANOKE
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