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A mother who is both loving and wise

By LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Published December 31, 2006

A mother's love is the best Christmas gift Dec. 24 

Not only does Bill Maxwell's mother sound as though she was a loving and a providing mother, but she was also a remarkably wise woman as well.

Jeanette Maxwell knew her financial limitations. (Unlike many parents today, who indulge their children with the best of everything, just for the asking and then find themselves in credit card debt.) Therefore, she was not about to spend any more money than she could afford, in order to buy her 9-year-old son (Bill) a sparkling new bicycle, with a price tag that was well beyond her means.

Instead, she did the best that she could do and gave him a crudely put together, but useful, bicycle for $5, which helped mold Maxwell into the man that he is today.

Hats off to Maxwell, who knows that - as odd as it may be - it is sometimes those little things in life that leave us with the fondest memories and sweetest lasting impressions. A mother's love is very special indeed, and I am going to give my mother an extra big hug and kiss.

Merry Christmas! And Happy Holidays, too.

JoAnn Lee Frank, Clearwater

What I learned in high school this year Dec. 24, commentary by Ron Matus

In education, parents must hold up their end

I must say that Ron Matus' findings correlate with what I experience every day as a teacher in the public schools. He has correctly identified the major problem we encounter as we try to make education relevant for our students. Parents are not working through their end of the deal.

When we teachers speak of parent involvement we do not mean calling teachers to renegotiate grades or ask for extra credit. What we need is parents who raise children with a sense of responsibility and accountability for their actions. If we engage in rearing children with a social sense of duty and a moral compass, then teachers will be able to do a lot better in teaching them. We cannot do all because we are such a small variable in the education of each student.

All in all, I think teachers are doing a colossal job (of course) and you, Mr. Matus, will contribute to the solution of this problem (if there is one) by raising your son as a responsible human being. For that, as a teacher, I will thank you.

Diana L. Carrillo, Tampa

What I learned in high school this year Dec. 24, commentary

Flawed contentions

I commend Ron Matus for writing about the struggles and challenges of trying to educate young people with a host of problems, and for being honest enough to admit that "it may be impossible." But as a teacher and a parent, I found several of his contentions flawed.

To say that he finds it annoying that teachers "resist meaningful efforts" to improve the system for hiring, firing and paying teachers raises the question: What meaningful efforts? The only effort I have resisted is the only one I am aware of: so-called "bonuses" based on scores on tests that were implemented by politicians in Tallahassee and are anything but meaningful. In 18 years of teaching, no one has ever asked me what I think would be "meaningful" ways to improve teacher pay.

Second, Matus says that when it comes to many kids, "we don't know what works." We don't? Tell that to Bill and Melinda Gates, who have funded Small Schools Initiatives across the nation, an idea that has, sadly, been half-heartedly implemented by administrators in bay area schools.

Finally, as a parent also, I will be curious to know if he will truly understand what is most likely driving the rise in test scores at the elementary level when his own child starts bringing home endless FCAT practice sheets for years, like my third-grader has. When he has to explain to his own 8-year-old the story of Christopher Columbus because social studies has been sacrificed in the name of improving reading, then he may be more than annoyed.

Sarah Robinson, Safety Harbor

What I learned in high school this year Dec. 24, commentary

License parents

Since Ron Matus seems to be out of options for "fixing" students such as the ones he followed for his story Ninth or never and suggests that school systems should shoulder as much of the responsibility for child rearing as parents, I'd like to offer a modest proposal: parental licensing.

As a high school teacher, I am licensed by the state. I have had to pass several exams and sit through a half-dozen classes. I am not opposed to licensing; indeed, most professionals should be licensed. I also agree with Matus, Gov. Jeb Bush, Gov.-elect Charlie Crist and the other education reformers: Schools and teachers can and must do more. But so must parents, although in this great education debate they seem to have been left out of the mix.

No other options, Mr. Matus? There is one, although few politicians (or journalists) have the courage to suggest it. If teachers must be licensed, and if teachers are now expected to help parent children, then shouldn't those who gave birth to the children be licensed as well?

Deborah Van Pelt, Tampa

Ninth or never Dec. 10, a Times special report

Imitate successes

Thank you for the article about the ninth-graders. I commend the reporter who followed the four students, and the more so because he was able to revise his opinions based on the experience.

But with all that is written about the problems of education, the basic principles always seem to get lost. And the first principle should be: Imitate the successful schools. There are plenty of them, both public and private. And while there is no simple formula for success, the basics are obvious. Hire only competent teachers, and fire those who are incompetent. Design the classroom around those students who wish to learn, and correct or remove the persistently disruptive students. Skimp on administrator salaries, and splurge on teachers and supplies.

Education is the responsibility first and foremost of the parents. The job of the schools is to augment the parents, not to replace them. But instead, it is the schools that dictate to the parents, often with motives that have little or nothing to do with educating the children.

The Times article was well written and timely, and I hope that many people will read it and get involved. I hope that sooner, rather than later, failing schools will be forced to imitate the successful ones, whether those success models are public or private.

Robert Arvay, Tampa

History, come to Jesus Dec. 24, Perspective article

Stick to reason

I feel compelled to take issue with Waveney Ann Moore's article on the historicity of Jesus, not for any theological reason, but in defense of reason itself.

First, the argument that "Anyone can say the stories about Jesus' virgin birth are based on myth ... but can they prove it?" is an obvious fallacy. It is elementary that the burden of proof always falls on the person making the assertion. If I say the Lord of the Universe is a purple elf, no one is obliged to undertake the impossible task of proving he doesn't. It is up to me to prove that he does.

And second, the argument that something must be believed because, "It's a story too improbable not to be true" is just as absurd when proffered by professor Ben Witherington in the 21st century as it was when it was coined by Tertullian in the second, "Credo quia absurdum" ("I believe because it is absurd"). By that standard, Easter Bunnies are a given and leprechauns can be found under almost any toadstool.

Our prospects for survival are directly tied to the ability to think clearly. This is not an overstatement in an age of terrorism and nuclear proliferation. So on a positive note, let's hope that this article inspired some readers to engage in a bit of critical thinking. No society has ever suffered from an excess of that.

Joe Reinhardt, president, Atheists of Florida, Inc., Pinellas Park

A hero unsung till now Dec. 29, commentary

Putting out fires

I was gratified to read that Gerald Ford had helped save his ship from fire during World War II. He was truly a war hero. And when he became president in 1974 he, by his grace under pressure, helped put out the fires burning up our nation.

Who will put out the fires raging in our nation now?

Betts Huntley, Clearwater

[Last modified December 31, 2006, 06:23:39]