Letters to the Editors

Schools must enforce their rules

© St. Petersburg Times, published December 22, 2000

Editor: Regarding Kent Fischer's article about student creativity:

Some misconceptions are being perpetuated by your article. Students are obligated to follow the Student Code of Conduct, they do not necessarily have the rights that we as adults have. They are expected to care about other students' feelings. The sad fact is that they are not prepared, respectful or caring. Certainly not all students fall into this category, but too many do. That is why teachers and administrators have to enforce the rules. It is only fair if it is uniformly administered. Discipline problems prevent teachers from doing their job of teaching. Discipline problems wear out teachers to the point they are burned out and leave the profession after three years or surrender their personal lives to updating documentation, making parent phone calls, and working late to complete the myriad forms in addition to correcting papers and preparing lessons.

Students think it is funny to threaten a teacher with "my dad will have you fired!" Students think they are untouchable; they threaten and harm others without consequence. If you say "OSS" (out of school suspension) to them, they are thrilled to be off school. It is exactly what they want! Students who are troublemakers should be uniformly dealt with. This, unfortunately, is not the case. Parental support of the teachers instead of defiance would go a long way toward establishing fairness. Many parents want the favor of an exception of their case. Time and again, they resist holding their child accountable.

If student creativity is being squelched, if student freedom of expression is being questioned, if student rights are being addressed, then please walk a mile in the shoes of the average teacher. Bill Stevens, Pasco Times editor, found deplorable behavior when he was a guest speaker. That is unfortunate but it is something teachers contend with daily. Administrators too often side with the parent or student to make their "numbers" look good. Too many referrals and suspensions make the school look bad.

Some children have created"slam books," which Mr. Fischer failed to mention. These list mean and hateful statements about students and teachers. They harass and slander. They are a cruel fad. If you tolerate this, then what next? Times have changed. People and our culture have changed. The schools must enforce their rules.
-- Alberta Beversdorf, Port Richey

Swiftmud should seek our input

Editor: Regarding Swiftmud restrictions

In recent days there have been several indications that Swiftmud is getting ready to enforce new water conservation restrictions.

As a citizen, I just wonder how much input they have asked for from the voters of the affected counties in Florida.

Without a doubt, we have a severe water shortage, but I ask whether their recommendation has considered the following points:

1. A moratorium be placed on approval of all new subdivisions in the affected counties.

2. Drilling wells to provide water for ecologically sensitive areas along with pumping waters to these areas should be curtailed. What is more important, people or frogs?

3. Cities and municipal governments should curtail pumping water for beautification projects.

4. Golf courses should be prohibited from watering using well water -- only reclaimed water should be used in these courses.

5. Master associations should not water along highway right of ways.

6. Why do the various counties wait until we have a water crisis to begin work on desalination water processing plants?

If the above restrictions are put into effect, instead of stopping all watering for individual homeowners, we may be able to save some of the beauty we have in individual homes. If all sprinkling is curtailed to individual homeowners, we will have a scorched earth. Also, perhaps the present one-day-a-week restriction should be strictly enforced -- which is not being done now.
-- Darwin L. Bowers, Hudson

Kids must learn to love, not hate

Editor: Regarding the Dec. 10 issue letters section:

How ironic Kathryn L. Robinson's letter would follow James W. Coakley's.

James seems to think the school may have overreacted.

Kathryn on the other hand doesn't think the media, law enforcement and probably the schools are reacting enough.

James is concerned about the girl's civil rights to write letters of hate in school (they must have too much time on their hands).

Kathryn is concerned about her and others' civil rights being trampled by these young kids who used their freedom of expression to destroy a school. Was it because they hated people in that school? Is it their business and no one else's?

They, too, must have too much time on their hands.

In this Christmas season, we should look farther back than 20 years to see who else has died for the rights we have today. And instead of letters of hate, letters of love. And instead of destroying schools, building bonds with all people.
-- Cal Johnson, New Port Richey

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