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Education system cannot stand without a solid foundation

Re: Time to reinvent the high school, May 22.

Indeed, something needs to be done when area schools have shown a drop in SAT scores, an increase in dropout rates, have numerous ninth-graders held back each year, and an increasing number of high schoolers who are suspended. Any teacher who has spent more than a decade in the classroom can tell you why this is happening. There are two reasons.

First is a child's readiness to attend school, which is greatly influenced by the parents. I have been in the classroom for more than 20 years and have witnessed a drastic decrease in the academic ability of my sixth graders today compared to several years ago. A growing number of children entering kindergarten do not know colors, numbers, the alphabet or how to spell their names. By the time these students are in sixth grade, they are on average three years behind where they should be in reading, writing and math. I don't want to put all the blame on parents, but they are 50 percent responsible for their children's education.

My second reason is the educational system itself. Schools are forever trying to reinvent themselves. Traditional methods that stress phonics, repetition and memorizing have been abandoned in many elementary schools. Instead schools have embraced theories such as new math, whole language and continuous progress. Yet methods such as repetition and memorizing are proven methods of learning math facts, rules of phonics, spelling and grammar. Too many students do not have these skills.

The way I see it, education is like the construction business. If parents do not build a strong foundation for their children, then it will be difficult for the education system to build anything on that foundation.

Being more careful about sources

Re: Why the Times avoids using anonymous sources, by Paul Tash, May 22.

Thank you for your candid and timely article explaining the Times' policy on using anonymous sources, occasioned by the recent "mistake" by Newsweek - an error that rattled thousands of Muslims into rioting.

As I understood it, the Times might report maybe half a dozen times a year, if the story is big enough, information from an anonymous source that cannot be confirmed, and then only after review by a top editor. But there is no telling how many times a year the Times might run stories attributed to anonymous sources when it has to rely on the reputation of other news outlets. As a reliable source, you mention the New York Times as carrying real weight, perhaps only slightly diminished by the Jayson Blair scandal. Until the recent Newsweek "mistake," one gathers you placed Newsweek on almost as high a pedestal as the New York Times.

Another factor in your policy would be placing anonymously sourced articles some place less prominent than the front page. Of course, an incorrect news story can be just as harmful on Page 14 as on the front page, no matter how trustworthy your source.

It seems to me that not much is being said about the egregious results of Newsweek's "mistake." Consider the predictable snowballing effect produced by every newspaper or other medium that repeated it. I deemed Newsweek's apology and retraction minimal and begrudgingly given.

It shouldn't be difficult for some conscientious people at Newsweek to come up with a real, tangible way of showing regret and making amends for the harm they have done to all of us. This might set a good precedent and help other members of the business be more careful about anonymous sources.

We should value high standards

Re: Why the Times avoids using anonymous sources.

It is refreshing to read a column like the one by Paul Tash, chairman, CEO and editor of the St. Petersburg Times.

Floridians and St. Petersburg residents who are avid readers of the print media should appreciate that their local newspaper has the high standards that today seem to be diminishing in other news organizations. Although, as acknowledged by Tash, most of the Times' international and national coverage comes from other sources such as the Associated Press and the New York Times, one should conclude that the St. Petersburg Times has one of the most balanced and fair reports.

In many respects, it is nice to believe that the St. Petersburg Times does have a positive influence on most reasonably thinking readers in this area.

Fuller should end feud

Re: Habitat's destructive feud needs to end, by Philip Gailey, May 22.

The Habitat for Humanity affiliates are not "feuding" and we are continuing to do the work required to eliminate poverty housing. Philip Gailey's column centers around fired Habitat founder Millard Fuller beginning a new charity named "Building Habitat" and the fact that Habitat for Humanity International is suing for trademark infringement. I take extreme exception to Gailey's statement, "Isn't that a little like Coca-Cola saying no other soft drink maker should be allowed to use the word "cola' in its brand?"

No, Mr. Gailey, it is not. If someone shortens the title "Habitat for Humanity," he simply uses the term "Habitat." Therefore, the word "Habitat" is not analogous to the word "cola," but rather to the word "Coca," and of course, we will defend ourselves on that basis. (So would Coca-Cola.)

If Fuller truly wants to help Habitat for Humanity, he should be doing so in a humble, Christian, low-key manner. By deliberately including the word "Habitat" in his new company's name, remaining in Americus, Ga., and offering public relations opportunities to the newspapers, he is intentionally causing dissension. I agree that this feud needs to end, and Fuller has had many opportunities to do just that.

Habitat board is off base

The May 22 headline, Evil that good men do, on the book review of Philip Caputo's new novel could have been the headline for Philip Gailey's opinion column on Habitat for Humanity.

I am in complete agreement with Gailey that the Habitat board members have lost their humanity in dealing with the organization's founder. I have written to Habitat's board asking that it drop the legal pursuits and start working with the Fullers for the good of the organization.

A young man's courage

Re: Through a lens, bravely, May 22.

Thank you to the Times, Dylan Crane and his family for this powerful story. Dylan, I am sure all who read this story are as moved by your courage as I am. Our prayers are with you and your family.

[Last modified May 28, 2005, 00:13:02]