St. Petersburg Times
 tampabaycom
tampabay.com
Print storySubscribe to the Times

Many school rules not enforced


Published September 17, 2004

Re: School's rules have merit, letter by Christopher S. White, Sept. 13.

I was very distraught when I read the paper to see that problems I am concerned with at my school are not taken seriously by other readers. When I read Mr. White's letter about school rules, I was bothered by what he said.

I go to Dunedin High. He may feel it is disrespectful to wear a cell phone on your pants to school, but it is perfectly fine. As long as the phone is not on, there is usually no problem with having them out, same as any other electronic device. I can name three teachers off the top of my head who use their phones during class. How can a student be distracted by a phone that is not on and not ringing?

And as long as we are talking about rules, then we are talking about the smoking in the bathrooms. It goes unchecked during school, and the only measure taken to stop it is the locking of the bathroom doors to students. I know very few people who would attempt to use the bathrooms at school at all. If you do enter, you run the risk of lung cancer or sitting on cigarette butts.

What is disrespectful is when you see someone wearing less than a bathing suit to school and nothing is done about it.

Or how about when I am waiting in line for lunch in what would be a five-minute line and so many people cut that it takes me half of my lunch? And while we are talking about lunch, is a hard taco shell considered bread? When we have tacos for lunch, I am charged extra for a roll because the shell is my bread serving.

Mr. White, if you want to debate what a "stupid rule" is and what a priority rule is, just let me know. Next time you want to tell me that a piece of plastic (a cell phone) on someone's waist is more important than my health, just let me know.

Stop making stupid comments about important issues.

Mary Moran, Dunedin

Storm missed us, but Go-Ped scourge lives on

Good news and bad news. The good news is that Hurricane Ivan missed us in Tampa Bay.

The bad news is that now, instead of a peaceful day of 140 mph winds, none of us will get a break from listening to these little idiots on their Go-Peds.

You may have not heard of them, but you've definitely heard them. They are those whiney, loud, motor-powered, standup scooters whose level of obnoxiousness only seems to be surpassed by those piloting them.

Back and forth they go, hour after hour, with no apparent rhyme or reason, the product of inconsiderate parents. I'm not sure who invented these noisy pains in the you-know-what, but I know what I'd like to do to him/her. Send these kids to the Pakistan/Afghanistan border for one night and Bin Laden would surely surrender.

Jeff Wetherbee, Clearwater

Neighbors perform acts of goodness after storm

Thanks to my new neighbor. On my second day of nearly five without electricity, he came with a 200-foot extension cord and said, "For your refrigerator."

At noon, he and his wife and three teenage boys came to my back yard with a gas-powered chain saw and cut a dozen or so huge oak branches from my trees and dragged the pieces to the front curb for the city to pick up.

I am 86 years old. Beautiful, caring people!

Joseph F. DeAleia, Dunedin

YOU R VOICE COUNTS

We invite readers to write letters for publication. To send a letter from your computer, go to www.sptimes.com/letters and fill in the required information. Type your letter in the space provided on the form, then submit your letter to the appropriate section of the newspaper. If you prefer, you may instead fax your letter to us at 727 445-4119, or mail it to Letter to the Editor, St. Petersburg Times, 710 Court St., Clearwater, FL 33756.

Letters should be brief and must include the writer's name, city of residence, mailing address and phone number. Letters may be edited for clarity, taste and length. We regret that not all letters can be printed.

[Last modified September 17, 2004, 02:45:52]


North Pinellas headlines

  • As bikers tilt the horizon, their loved ones grieve
  • Dunedin officials okay $79-million budget
  • Group offers $2,500 for help in finding opossum's killer
  • Man gets 20 years in sexual assaults
  • New Clearwater fire chief ousts top two deputies
  • Oldsmar annex plan likely to be on ballot
  • Property tax hike, budget approved
  • Seniors to lose social center, crafts shop
  • Police search for man who robbed credit union
  • Historic icon needs helping hands
  • Oldsmar loses its planning director
  • Indigents get burials, cremations
  • Petitions fail to stop proposed new housing
  • Canvas, sculptures infused with emotion

  • Column
  • Boards left on windows may be a good indicator
  • Letters to the Editor: Many school rules not enforced
  • Back to Top

    © 2006 • All Rights Reserved • St. Petersburg Times
    490 First Avenue South • St. Petersburg, FL 33701 • 727-893-8111