Print

Email story

Comment

Email editor

Research reveals magnet schools are better for kids

As teachers and taxpayers, we have always felt that providing children with a better education is what people should want for the children. We also feel that people can and should express their opinions about educational issues. These opinions, one would hope, would be based upon knowledge and research. With this knowledge, people can make quality determinations about what will be the best educational paths for our children.

Unfortunately, some people are misinformed about many educational issues. They often base their opinions on less than credible information about the school system, due to their own inadequate research. They sometimes base their opinions on rumor and innuendo. Sadly, some are just plain ignorant of the real situations. These people then attempt to substantiate their misguided views. Then they do the saddest thing of all; they show their ignorance by attacking a person's character, in some misguided hope this will give them the credibility that they sorely lack.

There is real research available, and it does show that magnet schools outperform not only their counterparts, but also private schools. It is the very inherent makeup of a magnet school that causes its success. When you alter the ingredients of a school's success, sadly, you may condemn it to failure.

Why don't we try to move ahead by encouraging more magnet schools, such as our new Challenger K-8 School, and not revert to overcrowding as an attempt to equalize.

Blame over bus that flipped lies with unruly kids, not the driver

I am writing in response to schools superintendent Wendy Tellone wanting to fire the bus driver who flipped the bus.

These bus drivers are not babysitters. The parents complaining that he can't manage the kids should know that kids should be taught proper behavior at home. Kids are out of control nowadays. That's the parents' fault, not the bus driver's. I know from experience. Our bus had kids threatening lives. They're still on the bus. I have removed my son and I drive him to school every day.

Instead of punishing the bus drivers, these kids should be punished and removed from the bus. Let their parents worry about getting them to school every day.

There's no way I could drive a bus. I sure would not tolerate these kids. Give these drivers some credit. More kids should be written up. Who is going to drive the bus when they all get fired?

Maybe they should get rid of the buses; then these parents will have to deal with their own kids every day. I know the bus is a nice convenience. I miss it. But I worked it into my schedule to drive every morning and afternoon. I won't put my son through that anymore.

Toucan Trail at U.S. 19 needs traffic light before it's too late

The intersection of Toucan Trail and U.S. 19 is fast becoming one of the worst on U.S. 19. It is, in fact, the only crossing on U.S. 19 from County Line Road to Cortez Boulevard without a traffic light.

This busy intersection serves three popular restaurants: Kally K's, Hooters and The Restaurant. In addition , there is Spring Hill Lanes, and soon there will be a Holiday Inn Express.

Trying to cross or turn onto U.S. 19 is tantamount to playing "roadway roulette," especially during rush hours. Darkness and oncoming headlights further jeopardize drivers.

Toucan Trail is one of the few exits onto U.S. 19 for people who live east of U.S. 19 to Deltona Boulevard. In fact, it is the only direct road connecting U.S. 19 and Deltona between Forest Oaks Boulevard and Spring Hill Drive. With the impending widening of Deltona, Toucan Trail is bound to see more cross traffic on its way to U.S. 19.

I've driven U.S. 19 from Applegate drive to Berkley Manor Road many times to collect the following information on the location of traffic lights and the distances between them:

Applegate Drive (Denny's) to Spring Hill Drive, 0.3 mile;

Spring Hill Drive to Trenton Road (Red Lobster), 0.6 mile;

Trenton Road to new outlet mall, 0.7 mile;

Outlet mall to Toucan Trail (proposed new light), 0.6 mile;

Toucan Trail to Forest Oaks Boulevard, 1 mile;

Forest Oaks to Berkley Manor Road, 0.4 mile.

It is time the commissioners took a hard look at this very dangerous intersection before we have fatal accidents. The traffic flow at this intersection - measure it some time - is a lot more than at the entrance to Wellington, where the people have won their plea for a traffic light.

A traffic light at this cross street on U.S. 19 at a cost of a few hundred thousand dollars is a cheap price to pay to prevent serious injuries or deaths from accidents there.

Don't wait until we bury a few dead people before acting on a traffic light at Toucan Trail.

[Last modified April 4, 2005, 14:35:50]