Reforming (or deforming?) public schools
Re: “School reform needs flexibility,” Nov. 24 editorial.
Your editorial fails to understand Washington’s intrusion into our schools, the misnamed No Child Left Behind (NCLB) law. Flexibility won’t help. NCLB is a deforming of education – a limiting, straitjacketing of curriculum and the learning process. It’s an attempt, like TABOR and term limits, to foolproof an institution against some demagogues’ imagined evils. Yet NCLB, like Colorado’s CSAP tests – is very dangerous. First, both further empower politicians and bureaucrats who have always limited schools. Second, they aim to raise the self-esteem of adults; as you observed, some math scores rose, “a point of pride for supporters.” Third, they limit public schools and students through punitive testing and averaged scores. This last situation is the goal of the privatizers and voucher-vendors who support federal strangling of the people’s schools.
Daniel W. Brickley, Littleton
Fans’ behavior at CU-Nebraska football game
We were embarrassed and disappointed in the way some of our classless student body acted at the Nebraska game last Friday in Boulder.
This was not only an embarrassment to the CU program, alumni and the state of Colorado, but also for the viewing audience of national TV and to the Nebraska fans. We owe these people an apology. The disrespect and lack of class shown our guests and true sports fans was unbelievable and unacceptable. This nonsense has to stop.
The first game of the season, we had students sitting in our section smoking marijuana. We went out three different times and told three different police officers about this. Not once did they come to investigate.
The football program is never embarrassed to stick out its hand and ask us to give more. We are going to think twice about the next time we donate.
Columnist Mark Kiszla was right on the mark when talking about the embarrassment of this game (“Barnett safe as CU hurts its image,” Nov. 27). We would ask that somebody from CU make a national apology.
Dennis and Linda Allen, Greeley
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Re: “Conf. title games turn into travesty,” Nov. 28 John Henderson column.
I was one of the majority of the 53,000 fans who was at last Friday’s game in Boulder to cheer on Colorado and did not throw anything on the field. As many CU fans did on the way out of the stadium, I congratulated the Nebraska fans, as their team outplayed CU and won the game. It appears that the media needs sensationalism in its articles – such as John Henderson’s column – and a few rowdy students is being translated into all of the fans. I challenge all CU fans to continue to support their team and dispel the journalists who paint all of us as poor sports.
Kevin Swanson, Roswell, N.M.
Who should teach personal responsibility?
Re: “Racism at the University of Colorado,” Nov. 28 Open Forum.
Letter-writer Marissa Deal chastises universities for focusing on test scores (SAT, ACT) to determine academic accomplishment, rather than what type of person the student is, saying that public schools “neglect to build character and educate students on moral issues; they teach to the tests.” She is omitting a vital part of the equation: The morality of a student and his ethical fortitude has been pretty much programmed into his being long before he attends school, by his upbringing.
Deal would have us blame the college for the type of student it admits. Believe it or not, these institutions of higher learning are there to educate, not sift through society’s gene pool to find only those potential candidates who will later contribute to a perfect society.
I’m not sure how she would find out exactly who was worthy to be educated. Would it be some sort of assessment administered to each potential student? If a student has violated school policy, or another’s rights, boot the brat out. But to say that a college should know beforehand the character of a person is ludicrous.
Craig Battmer, Colorado Springs
Arguing over Christmas
I am truly disgusted by the clash between believers and non-believers every Christmas season. There are two questions that could be asked of the non-believer:
1. Why do you choose to celebrate Christmas?
2. What are you celebrating?
To those who choose not to believe, that is your right. But leave Christmas alone. If you don’t believe in Christ (who is the reason for Christmas; if you can prove otherwise, do it), don’t celebrate. Don’t take that holiday break that your employer gives you. You have nothing to celebrate.
If it is the commercialism you enjoy, fight for the right to add a new holiday to the calendar. Call it “Commercial Day.” I won’t be celebrating it with you, but I will defend your right to have the celebration, and I will leave you in peace to do it.
Theresa Hochmiller, Loveland
Journalistic hero?
Re: Nov. 26 Mike Keefe cartoon.
I so appreciate Mike Keefe. Another great political cartoon last Saturday. How did Bob Woodward go from being the great journalistic hero of Watergate fame to simply being a stenographer for George W. Bush today? We, the people, are being let down by our media. Sources aren’t being revealed. That’s nice. But as Keefe’s last bubble said, “Also I don’t reveal information and I don’t reveal the story.” The public learns more from a Keefe cartoon than a Bob Woodward book. That’s a sad commentary.
Bob Koch, Aurora
Rape behind bars
Re: Teacher sex case,” Nov. 26 Open Forum.
Letter-writer Roy Ellis, in arguing that sending an attractive young woman to prison “would be like sending a child to school,” seems to imply that the inevitability of prison rape is an acceptable and even desirable situation. The effectiveness of the American justice system may remain an open question.
But hopefully, as a society that calls itself civilized, we can agree (contrary to Ellis’ rather disturbing argument) that the crime of rape is no more acceptable behind bars than in free society.
Jordan Ruud, Centennial
Who we’re giving thanks to on Thanksgiving
Re: “Giving thanks for all Americans have,” Nov. 24 editorial.
Your editorial correctly listed many of the reasons Americans have for celebrating Thanksgiving. You also acknowledge some of those great leaders who throughout our history paved the way for the American dream. But I find it fascinating that in this day and age of overriding political correctness, you fail to include to whom they gave thanks. Why do we not celebrate the fact that Gov. William Bradford, on Nov. 29, 1623, made an official proclamation of a day of Thanksgiving, to “render thanksgiving to ye Almighty God for all His blessings”?
And again, as we study Abraham Lincoln’s proclamation of a Thanksgiving Day federal holiday on Oct. 3, 1863, he acknowledged that these blessings “are the gracious gifts of the most high God.” And, “It has seemed to me fit and proper that God should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged, as with one heart and one voice, by the whole American people.”
I understand that in our great land, each person is free to worship, or not to worship, in such a manner as his conscience dictates. But we should also gratefully acknowledge to whom these great leaders in our nation’s history gave thanks.
Jeff Brock, Littleton
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