Northpinellas: Scout program in schools leaves out vital lesso

Kudos to School Board member Linda Lerner for not supporting the retention of the citizenship program, Learning for Life, sponsored by the Boy Scouts of America. Although the school district indicates the program "seems to help students," there is a smoky aura of "Do as I say, not as I do" that appears to waft from BSA members and officials sponsoring the curriculum.

Lerner supports the curriculum for the most part but takes exception, and rightly so, to the lesson "Respecting Differences." Negative effects of discrimination on the basis of race, gender, age, physical traits or culture are discussed thoroughly. Sexual orientation is not mentioned.

The staff responsible to school Superintendent Howard Hinesley for reviewing and approving programs for public school students has been remiss. In the future, curriculum should be reviewed more closely before implementation. I find it surprising in this day and age that the lack of a sexual orientation "differences" chapter was overlooked.

Finally, most of us are cognizant of the embarrassingly self-righteous, intolerant and archaic approach many members of the Boy Scouts of America appear to have taken regarding persons not fitting the exact mold of their limited vision. Those members are entitled to their beliefs.

However, one must concede that when approaching a topic from an informative or instructional point of view, all aspects need be addressed thoroughly. If this is not accomplished, the lesson is incomplete. If BSA officials expect to produce enhanced programs on citizenship, they need to bite the bullet.
-- Terence N. Armbruster, Clearwater

Keep program in the schools

Re: Schools' citizenship program questioned, Sept. 21.

Choose moral correctness over political correctness.

I do not believe that Learning for Life and other similar programs teach any kind of hate toward homosexuals, as School Board member Linda Lerner implies. Ms. Lerner perhaps has her own brand of hate for anything remotely associated with the Boy Scouts of America.

The Learning for Life program includes treating others with respect. Apparently, Ms. Lerner would also like to sacrifice, at the altar of her agenda, lessons in decisionmaking, responsibility, journal writing, and the importance of being a good citizen.

Those in your readership who see homosexuality as morally wrong can and do treat homosexuals with respect. That does not require one to respect the philosophy or behavior associated with homosexuality.

It is one thing for adults to decide they wish to engage in a homosexual lifestyle, yet another for any leader to try to promote this prurient interest among children in our schools. You do not have to be a rocket scientist or a Boy Scout to know this behavior is morally unorthodox.

Ms. Lerner has already pushed through the gay and straight alliance clubs in many of our high schools, but that's not enough for her. She wants to make sure she also pushed out the Boy Scouts and anything associated with them or opposed to her views.

Thanks to School Board Chairman Max Gessner and the other board members as well as Superintendent Howard Hinesley for recommending that the program stay in place.
-- James M. Hammond, Dunedin

Where are our priorities?

Re: Donors key part of library proposal, Sept. 19 story.

I was deeply distressed to read the comments by Clearwater Commissioners Ed Hooper and Bob Clark regarding the funding for the new and larger library.

Since education is one of the main functions of government, shouldn't its funding have priority over entertainment? One of the main reasons that the Penny for Pinellas sales tax passed was because of the library. The library also was one of two items that passed on the most recent referendum regarding downtown redevelopment.

If the community should be raising funds for anything, it should be the stadium for the Phillies. Since the supporters claim that spring training is such a cheap form of entertainment, as I've read repeatedly, then perhaps they wouldn't mind adding a few dollars to their ticket costs to fund the stadium.

There's no reason that the community can't have both, but it does matter where tax dollars are allocated. The library referendum passed twice; my guess is that a referendum for funding a multimillion-dollar Phillies stadium would not. And as for the claim that we're using state money -- in case you didn't notice, that's the state of Florida. They are still our tax dollars.
-- Brenda Harris Nixon, Clearwater

Clearwater shows signs of life

There was, of course, dismay among those who continue to struggle to revitalize downtown Clearwater when the exciting plans for its redevelopment were voted down in July.

I attended the "victory" celebration hosted by Socrates Charos at his beautifully restored historic Capital/Royalty Theater on Cleveland Street. There in the heart of downtown were the people who had embraced the dream and gave passionate endeavor to its fulfillment. What impressed me most that night were the young people, who were feeling the disappointment of losing their first political battle yet spoke of their determination to make Clearwater come alive to enrich their lives.

Since then the Royalty Theater has been presenting a wide variety of entertainment. I have attended every Friday night concert by Jose Mariscal, who began to display his great talent when he was 3 years old. Where, I wonder, are all the music lovers who should be in his audience?

Only a few doors away is the Cafe Concerto, soon to have its gala reopening on Oct. 19. Here one chooses from an excellent Italian menu, the recipes brought from Italy by Fausto Chiappinelli, a tenor of wide acclaim, often reviewed favorably by the St. Petersburg Times. He died last January. Because of the many and continuing calls from patrons, Ms. Loretta Mirelli is preparing for its reopening.

Mr. Charos and Ms. Mirelli are spearheading a drive to unite the remaining entertainment venues in an effort to awaken residents to the truth of their slogan, "Downtown Clearwater is Alive!"

How can they survive without support? How can people know what they are missing without sampling the offerings? I'm a resident of Largo, supportive of the efforts in my city to revitalize our downtown, but I look forward eagerly to my frequent visits to the Royalty Theater and to the reopening of my favorite place to dine and enjoy wonderful entertainment.

Folks, you just don't know what you're missing!
-- Maggi Veader McHale, Largo

County should put taxpayers first

Re: Plug pulled on county electric bill tax, Sept. 13 story.

At the Sept. 19 meeting of the Pinellas County Commission, the county administrator stated that, due to the $5.5-million shortfall in the budget caused by the failure of Florida Power to agree to collect the 6 percent tax on electric bills, it would be necessary to cut certain services out of the 2001 county budget.

What's going on here? Again the people who pay the bills, namely the taxpayers, will have to bear the brunt and lose $5.5-million worth of services provided by the county. On Sept. 13 the Times reported, "County tosses in money for stadium." Ten-million dollars was given to the Blue Jays and the Phillies to build a new spring training stadium and upgrade another.

The baseball organizations literally used extortion to extract money from the county and the two cities involved. If the two organizations can pay a single player $5-million a year, they can surely afford to repair and maintain their own spring training facilities.

There are no loyalties in professional sports, players or organizations. Should they threaten to leave, let them go. It would cause minimal losses to the tourist trade. People come to Florida for the warm winters, not baseball.

The commission should get its priorities in line, taxpayers first. No service cuts.
-- Lawrence F. Bredestege, Seminole

Beach redevelopment plan "terrible'

Almost all elements of the recently presented Clearwater Beach redevelopment plan are, in my view, terrible. As in previous proposals promulgated by Charles Siemon, the city's redevelopment planner, the primary beneficiaries will be a few well-heeled developers and dozens of commercial property owners and business operators, to the detriment of the 100,000 or so of the rest of us whose tax dollars will be spent to reduce our access to and enjoyment of the beach.

If Mr. Siemon wants to participate in redevelopment discussions as the representative of one or more hoteliers, that's fine. But for you to pay him to create these plans seems wasteful.
-- Jim Ficken, Clearwater

We don't need a new library in Largo

I am a resident of Largo. I enjoy and frequently visit the Largo Library.

At the City Commission meeting on television, the issue of a new library was discussed. I see no reason for the expense of a new library. The library, the park, the cultural center and the schools all in one location is nice and convenient.

When my daughter goes to the library, she also takes my grandson to the park.

Leave it be.
-- Claire E. Smith, Largo

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