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To reward those who complain is an insult to school's top two

Re: Dreams of valedictory are dashed by policy, story, March 19.

As the parents of one of the students at Palm Harbor University High School who has earned the distinction of being the class salutatorian, we feel that your article about the two students who are No. 3 in the class denigrates and devalues the accomplishments of our child and the student who is valedictorian. You gave front-page recognition to petulant children who essentially threw a temper tantrum because they could not get their own way but now are being rewarded for that childish behavior. We wonder what message that sends.

As the school principal, Dr. Harry Brown, is quoted in your article, the difference between the top students is often hundredths of a point. But just as in the Olympics, a distinction has to be made between No. 1 and No. 2, and there is no medal for No. 4. The School Board over a year ago denied the boys' request for separate valedictorians of the medical magnet program at Palm Harbor. There has never been a separate medical magnet valedictorian in the school's history and we do not believe there is any reason to change that policy. In fact, last year's valedictorian of the traditional and medical magnet programs was a medical magnet student.

To change policy and allow these boys to sit on stage at this year's graduation places less value on the girls who are No. 1 and No. 2. In light of some of the comments that have been attributed to the president of Harvard University, we also question whether the gender of the students involved is germane to the issue.

Superintendent Clayton Wilcox, Dr. Brown and the School Board have an opportunity to teach these boys one more important lesson in life. That is, hard work doesn't always get recognized and adults should not act like children and hold their breath until they turn blue.

Airpark an integral part of Clearwater

This hue and cry over our Clearwater Airpark has gone on for years. It is time to stop - time to learn a few historical facts.

Clearwater Airpark was started in late 1939, on open acreage with nothing around it but pastureland, by Robert Word, James "Tokey" Walker and Roy Workman. A flight school was opened for anyone wishing to learn to fly. There was a green hangar building, a small office and grass runways.

Robert and "Tokey" taught Navy fliers during World War II. They taught me. I was the first woman in Clearwater to solo from this airpark on Dec. 18, 1944. Headlines in the Clearwater Sun ! Mrs. Betty Wickman Perkins and Mrs. Norma Culler were the only licensed women pilots in Clearwater. Other students were flying out of the airpark every day, practicing for their licenses.

The airpark became Clearwater Executive Airpark. Many private planes flew in every day and still do. Private plane owners have a safe and convenient place to park their planes on a monthly or yearly basis.

For a short time in the '60s there was a glider, offering rides to the public. Where else could they go?

All residents bordering on the airpark and across Hercules Avenue knew planes were landing and taking off from the airpark when they located there. As for accidents, they are bad, but they happen with planes, trains and cars. There are more terrible accidents on Gulf-to-Bay Boulevard and U.S. 19 than at Clearwater Airpark. The writer of the letter Get with the times; Airpark is part of our modern world made a good point: Should we close Gulf-to-Bay because there are too many accidents?

Times change. People change. Progress comes. The population increases. We must adapt and accept it. Clearwater Airpark already has lost some runway to a golf course.

These residents who keep complaining have never flown a plane and have no idea what is involved in flying. They have no regard for private planes. Private planes are a menace in larger airports. Ask any commercial pilot. Student pilots need a small airfield to learn how to fly safely. And executives flying into Clearwater on their private planes for business appointments need this airpark.

Stop complaining! Be thankful there are no jets or commercial flights coming into Clearwater. Maybe some time soon, one of your family members would like to learn to fly. Where is there a better, safer field?

Students make job hard for bus drivers

I have a question for all the people writing nasty letters about school bus drivers. Why do you think there are so many relief drivers and such a shortage of drivers? The answer is that it is such a terrible job, nobody wants to be a school bus driver.

The reason no one wants the job is because of the behavior of the students. Almost everyone has heard the horror stories about the actions of the students. Just a few of the stories I have heard involve noise, especially at railroad crossings where the driver must listen for trains, and fights, when the police must be called. Some of the more serious ones involve threatening the life of the driver (I think it is called putting a "cap" on someone), shooting paper clips with a gum band, and using a girl's mirror to deflect the sun's rays into the rear-view mirror to blind the driver.

The driver is supposed to supervise the students, keep an on-time schedule in rush-hour traffic and drive the bus. Then one child asked the driver, "Why don't you get a real job?" I wonder where the child heard that.

If the news media wants the real reason for transportation problems, start with the conditions the drivers deal with. Then you could hire enough drivers and keep them.

I am not going to leave you without a solution: The students who refuse to behave on the bus should be issued a voucher to seek other means of transportation to get to school.

Roadside memorial comment insensitive

Re: Memorials should be in cemeteries, not on roads, letter, March 20.

I think that you are a very hard and unfeeling person. Who are you to say how someone mourns the loss of a loved one? How could you even think it was okay for you to mention the family's name in your comment on how you think someone should mourn their loss? You even have the gall to say that is what cemeteries are for and add, "I would think that families would much prefer to grieve in private rather than turning city-owned property into a shrine."

What is wrong with you?

[Last modified March 28, 2005, 01:36:12]