It's hard to see how this kind of vision test will help
Letters to the EditorPublished April 10, 2006
After reading about the high school students wanting vision testing to be required for people renewing their drivers' licenses, I have a story you might like. I, too, think this should be mandatory but don't really know what good that will do when I tell you what I saw when I first moved to Florida four years ago.
I was in line to get my Florida license. Since I had a current license from another state, the people at the office checked to make sure it was good, gave me a vision test, took my photo and I was on my way.
While waiting I watched an elderly woman take her vision test. The examiner asked her to read a certain line in the machine. She couldn't do it with or without glasses, nor could she read the next larger line or even the largest line. You could see the examiner became frustrated and he said to her, "Okay, just go and get your photo done now."
Is this the best we can do? Is this woman driving alongside me?
-- - Marilyn Peach, St. Pete Beach
Drivers who make us nervous
Re: House panel okays bill pushed by Tampa teens, April 5.
I might or might not agree with more perusal of seniors, who statistically have a lower accident rate than teens, when renewing drivers' licenses.
However, if the plan is to target segments of society that make us nervous, why not attach a rider to this bill, or introduce a new bill, to revoke driving privileges for teens who violate traffic laws until they're 21? They're obviously not yet responsible citizens and probably really don't need a car.
-- - Wayne Hays, Hudson
Don't generalize about private schools
Re: The problems with private schools, letter, March 31.
The writer of this letter makes some false generalized statements about private schools.
I am privileged to teach in a private, parochial school. We are monitored regarding our teacher certification. All of our teachers hold valid state certificates or are working on the requirements for a certificate. Our early childhood teachers hold CDAs.
We check the progress of our students through standardized testing. The Stanford Achievement Tests are given every spring along with the OLSATS (Otis-Lennon School Ability Test) and individualized writing tests.
We must follow an approved curriculum based on the Sunshine State Standards and the standards set forth by the National Lutheran Schools Association (our accrediting body).
As a Lutheran school, our main duty is education in a Christ-like environment. Our students are taught, math, social studies, science, language arts, Spanish, computer, music, art, drama, physical education and religion. Our classrooms have crosses, religious artwork and posters. These serve as a reminder to all to treat people with respect and love.
Coming to our school is a choice parents make because they want their child(ren) to have an excellent, rounded education in a Christ-like setting.
-- - Susan Rand, teacher, Grace Lutheran School, St. Petersburg
No public funds for private schools
Re: What's wrong with vouchers, letters, April 4.
Your reader asked for a "good reason to oppose giving parents a choice to take their children out of an "F' school and sending them to a private school."
There are many reasons why vouchers are wrong. Here's one: Public funds should not be spent on nonpublic costs.
Your reader can, of course, put his child in a private school. That is the reader's choice, but public funds should not pay for it. Similarly, public funds pay for public swimming pools; anyone can put a pool in their back yard, but public funds do not help pay for it. Public funds support our libraries; anyone can buy a book for their own home, but public funds do not help pay for it.
The issue of quality of public education is for another day. Suffice it to say, everyone suffers when all schools are not "A" schools. Let's work together to make them all "A" schools.
-- - Joanne Hannon, Pinellas Park
Reconsider use of Tasers
Re: Suspect dies after shock from Taser, April, 7.
I find it very disturbing that a Clearwater man died after being Tasered by police officers. According to Amnesty International, more than 144 citizens in the United States and Canada have died after being Tasered by police.
I feel that it is wrong for police officers to be zapping citizens with 50,000 volts of electricity. Too many citizens are being injured or killed by police Tasers. Serious debate and legislation are needed to cover this subject.
-- - Julie Taylor, St. Petersburg
Florida not welcoming to physicians
Re: Addressing Florida's shortage of physicians, letter, April 1.
Carolyn King Roberts and the remainder of her Board of Governors, have missed the crux of the physician shortage dilemma in Florida. It's not a matter of where doctors are trained, but rather where they will stay or go to practice after training.
The liability/malpractice situation in our state is not very attractive to the new physician who may have accumulated thousands of dollars in debt to become a doctor. Those who wish to enter high risk fields such as obstetrics or neurosurgery and face $250,000 malpractice premiums will not find Florida an attractive place to practice. Even physicians in lower risk specialties face higher malpractice premiums than in many other states, and with the "three strikes and you're out" legislation, new physicians might just want to play ball elsewhere.
-- - David Lubin M.D., Tampa
Christianity: more than social activism
Re: Defending Christianity from the politicians by Nora Gallagher, April 3. I believe that Nora Gallagher still misses the mark in defending Christianity.
True Christianity is not that which seeks power and influence in the political realm (as she correctly states) nor is it that which is primarily socially activist, as she puts forth in her column. True Christianity is centered in the worship and service of the true God through Jesus Christ, and is engaged in believing and teaching the Scriptures and striving to live the principles found therein.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. were living out some of those principles, but I think that they would acknowledge the centrality of Christ, of the Bible and of worship as well. To reduce the faith to merely social activism alone is to deny its objective, proven truth and make the Lord a figure who is secondary in importance to human endeavor.
-- - James Beaver, St. Petersburg