Letters

School Nurses
I did not notice any references to school nurses in your recent article on immunizations and immigrants (Health & Fitness, October). It is time NEA supported all members, not just teachers.

I have paid dues for seven and a half years. Because I did not feel represented by my local, I began attending executive board meetings, became involved, and even became a "site rep" to represent the rest of the support personnel in my district.

It is time teachers realize all of us in education are here for the kids. This includes secretarial staff, custodial, administration, nurses, other support personnel, and, yes, even the teachers. Education is truly a team effort.

It is time we all realize, as former Surgeon General Jocelyn Elders once said, "You cannot educate children who are not healthy, and you cannot keep children healthy who are not educated."

More and more children are entering our school systems with medical conditions. NEA needs to come forward and meet the challenge. School nursing services are critical.

Patty Mancuso, RN, BS, PHN
Redding, California

The Race for President
Just wanted to let you know that I, as a teacher and NEA member, do not support your choice for president, Al Gore. I was never asked for any input, nor did I receive a survey asking my opinion. I, as well as many others, also pay dues.

Kathy Coppage
Schererville, Indiana

Excellent article on George W. Bush's real record in Texas (Inside Scoop, October).

Al Gore never seems ready to challenge Bush's record when he continues to proclaim himself the "education candidate."

Nancy Bittrich
Seguin, Texas

Regarding your propaganda section on the presidential candidates and education, certainly no one could ever accuse your staff of being unbiased.

I am, however, glad to know which candidate you're backing, since I usually vote for your candidate's opposition.

Evelyn Byers
Lewisburg, Kentucky

I enjoyed NEA Today for October as usual, even though I've been retired for five years now. The insert on the Presidential candidates was wonderful and so was "A Primer on the Texas Miracle."

I would like to suggest that these be reprinted in local newspapers to get the general public exposed to the best person for the job.

Teachers know these things already. Your explanations would do a lot to help Al Gore be elected as the Education President.

Marylou Freeman
Millbrae, California

Teacher Bashing
Apparently I will no longer have to await the yearly teacher basher letters from my local newspaper. I can now read them in my organization's magazine. Stephen Richard-son's letter (October) was bashing at its worst.

I wonder if the magazines of other unions contain this type of derogatory letters. I think not.

And to think we pay dues for this. NEA, you should be ashamed of yourselves.

Richard Hemprich
Lower Burrell, Pennsylvania

Teacher Shortage
Last August, while traveling through Colorado, my husband and I read that Denver had a shortage of over 300 teachers.

Then, after reading the employment opportunities in NEA Today, we could see the reason. A math position was advertised for Aurora, Colorado (Marketplace, October). For $14 per hour, they wanted an applicant to teach grades 9-12.

The responsibilities were to prepare lessons, lecture, demonstrate, test, grade pupils, and keep parents informed. A BA in mathematics was required!

Before getting my college degree, I made more than that per hour as a waitress, and that was in the late 1960s. Come on! Colorado can't be hurting that much! Wealth is everywhere, from the cities to the weekend retreats in the mountains.

I don't want to pick on Colorado alone. Texas is experiencing the same shortage. So is Las Vegas. Someday someone will finally get it!

Bonnie Teigum
Las Vegas, Nevada

Writing as Punishment
Since this is my 18th year as a high school language arts teacher, I like to read the viewpoints of new teachers such as Julie Ollmann (Letters, September). I heartily agree with all she wrote about using writing as punishment. Sadly, we have been asking teachers not to use writing as a punishment at least as long as I have been teaching.

Maybe Julie's generation will have a greater impact than ours did.

Glenda Adamson
Beaumont, Texas

Sam the Turtle
One glance at the photo on page 34 of the September issue ("Alabama Support Staff Create Bus Safety Program"), and I knew how the program achieves such great success: visions of the giant turtle, Safety Sam, chasing them across the school parking lot. That's enough to keep any K-3 student on the straight and narrow.

Jake Sayraf
Ann Arbor, Michigan

Guns
In response to your article "It's Time to Uncork the Bottle" (News, September), I agree with your sentiment, but disagree with your conclusions. As teachers and child advocates, we need to protect the children in our care.

In the matter of gun control, however, what is needed is not more laws, but enforcement of the laws currently on the books.

I empathize with Patti Nielson, but neither she nor the dead, wounded, and scarred of Columbine High would have been touched if current gun control laws had been enforced.

Even more significant: Are fire-arms to blame when parents and other authorities ignore the warning signs of disaffected youth?

M. Burton Hopkins, Jr.
New Castle, Delaware

Vision Test
I was glad, as a school nurse, to see "Seeing 20/20 Isn't Enough" (Innovators, September). I have had personal experience with children who pass our vision test, yet I know they have reading difficulties.

Arline Goodman
Quincy, Massachusetts

School Fundraising
The September Debate question was, "Is school fundraising worth the time and effort?"

Del Patterson made it sound as if we are turning schools into Third World soccer ball factories. This is not Pakistan. There are always ways to make something educational:

1. Teach students how to make a sales presentation. In English class, students learn the elements of persuasive speech. Hmmm.

2. Have students sell in pairs and evaluate each other's presentations.

3. Have students prepare a pro and con paper or a debate on fundraising vs. increased government spending in education.

We are not doing our job unless we provide students with an opportunity to try something outside our doors that they may fail at. If they fail, teach them how to learn from their mistakes and try again.

About exclusive agreements: The private sector has the most to gain from us. We are training the future workforce. Why shouldn't we sign agreements with them to help pay?

I would hang a banner in my room if a company was going to fund a project and reduce the tax burden. Education for the students is free. But education is very expensive.

Finally, on Channel One: I used to teach in a Channel One school and now I don't. I can tell a huge difference in my classroom's knowledge of current events. Channel One is awesome.

Chris Osborne
Anoka, Minnesota

Boy Scouts
I was not surprised at the one-sided, biased response by NEA attorney Michael Simpson to the Supreme Court decision on the Boy Scouts (Rights Watch, September). He assumes everyone agrees the Boy Scouts are a group of "homophobic bigots" that should become "tolerant." Not once did he address the views of the Boy Scouts.

Not everyone agrees that homosexuality is a responsible and normal lifestyle, and they don't have to be a homophobic, conservative, white middle-class person to feel that way.

Simpson should be fair and report both sides of the issue.

Mike Fezzey
Ionia, Michigan

Tests For Congress
I am an English teacher. I also happen to be a lawyer. I was disturbed by the debate on whether candidates for Congress should be required to pass competency tests (October). Both debaters failed to state the obvious: It would be unconstitutional.

The United States is based on the premise of a government run "by the people." Many of "the people," un-fortunately, lack education. Still, they have the right to run for office. We have the right to govern ourselves.

In our recent history, the ability to read and write was required for vot-ing in some states. This was held unconstitutional because it had a racially discriminatory effect. Who is to say this won't happen again?

As a teacher, I am concerned that my representatives be competent. I find out about them before I vote. If they do a bad job in Congress, in terms my students will understand, I can vote them off the island.

Michelle Clowser
Bluffton, Indiana

Walmart "F"
Bravo! I didn't read your article on Walmart, but if you gave them an "F," my opinion of the NEA just went up.

Apparently, Mr. Arakaki (Letters, September) thinks laying off hundreds of meatcutters nationwide because one Walmart meatcutting operation voted to unionize shows the "competitive spirit of America."

Or perhaps he means the fact that Walmart turned dozens of small towns into ghost towns by driving all the small businesses into bankruptcy and then closing their stores once they were deemed unprofitable.

Another shining example of "competitive spirit" was in the 60 Minutes show when Walmart's CEO thought there was nothing wrong with Kathy Lee Gifford clothes being manufactured in sweatshops by 8-year-olds.

How can any teacher condone this? Let's get Walmart out of our investment portfolios!

Richard Nohel
Minneapolis, Minnesota