Stagnant scores on CSAP reading test
Re: “CSAP still stalled on reading,” Aug. 3 news story.
According to your article, “Lucia Guzman, vice president of the Denver Public Schools board, said the district has been on a ‘treasure hunt’ for solutions to low reading results.” The treasure is easy to find: It is the school library. Study after study shows that when given access to interesting, comprehensible reading material, young people will read. And studies also consistently show that extensive reading leads to high levels of reading ability, writing ability, a large vocabulary and a firm control of grammar.
A major reason economically disadvantaged children do poorly on reading tests is that they have little access to books at home, in their communities, and often at school. Very often, their only possible source of reading material is the library. Improved school and public libraries are the obvious first step in improving reading.
Of all the solutions proposed, improving access to good books is the least expensive, the most pleasant for children, and the only one that has ever worked.
Stephen Krashen, Los Angeles
The writer is a professor emeritus at the University of Southern California’s Rossier School of Education.
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I have a young friend, a fifth-grader, who consistently scores above grade level on the CSAP reading tests. But she does not like to read. Is there a message here? I think so, and a very important one. When learning to read is reduced to passing tests or, even worse, a fearful, threatening job, what more can we expect? Children who have acquired reading skills without sacrificing the love and enduring yearning for the printed word demonstrate how reading should be taught and evaluated.
Vera Snyder, Littleton
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Use of antibiotics in livestock
Re: “Time bombs lace most U.S. meat,” Aug. 2 Diane Carman column.
Diane Carman’s column regarding the use of antibiotics with livestock provides a disservice to our farm and ranch industry, as well as to consumers. Here are the facts.
First, no meat sold in the U.S. is allowed to have antibiotic residues. In reality, it is all “antibiotic-free.”
Second, many safeguards have been put into place to ensure that antibiotics are used properly. The potential for antibiotic-resistant bacteria to transfer to humans is minimal. Judicious guidelines have been adopted for each animal species to ensure that the right antibiotic is used at the right time for the right purpose. These guidelines are supported by both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration.
Third, there are numerous “early warning systems” to monitor for any change in resistance levels. Antibiotic resistance levels in animals have been low and stable since monitoring began in the late 1990s. For Carman to imply that some new generation of antibiotic resistant “super-germs” is on the horizon is simply inflammatory.
The truth is that the U.S. has one of the world’s safest food supplies, and antibiotics play an important role in keeping animals, and humans, healthy.
Don Ament, Colorado Commissioner of Agriculture
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Diets and sweeteners
Re: “Diet detour paved road to Atkins bust,” Aug. 2 Al Lewis column.
Al Lewis misinforms readers with an unsubstantiated claim about Splenda sweetener, which he calls “a compound that makes some people lose bowel control.” It is important that Denver Post readers know the facts. It is sugar alcohols that tend to have a negative impact on GI, and not our product.
The truth is, an extensive database of scientific demonstrates that Splenda has no harmful effects and is safe for everyone, including people with diabetes, children and pregnant women.
Splenda products provides a safe option for consumers who want to manage, and lower, their sugar intake. While Splenda and other no-calorie sweeteners are not a cure for obesity, they can be one tool to help consumers work towards and achieve their goals of an overall healthy diet.
We stand confidently behind our product and its exemplary safety record.
Monica Neufang, Director of Communications, McNeil Nutritionals, Fort Washington, Pa.
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