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The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 5, 2008

Support Staff Mandatory

In response to former state Rep. Sandra Murman's article "Making The Best Of Bad Times" (Other Views, April 26), I find her argument regarding the allocation of school resources flawed. She claims that "not every dollar spent on education has the same impact on student achievement." She further states that money spent on transportation, student nutrition or maintenance, for example, does not have the same impact on student's learning as buying a science book would have.

All personnel at a school from the bus driver to the lunchroom staff to the teacher play a significant role in supporting the mission of learning and achievement. I am not sure which school Murman attended as a child. I am sure she sat comfortably in a well-lit classroom with a full stomach and in pleasant room temperature.

GABRIELA STRICKLAND

Odessa

Unequal Burden On Girls

Regarding "Acknowledge Reality" (Letters, April 27):

This is absolutely hilarious! An 18-year-old National Merit Finalist with a GPA of 6.26 would have us believe that better sex ed would have prevented his situation. Come on! All teens know what will prevent pregnancy and the chances they are taking. The boys simply want the girls to "handle all that." Boys don't want to wear condoms. Period.

Contributing to this is that no movies show the partners stopping to put on condoms during their passionate love scenes. It is not cool. So blame Hollywood; they are teaching the kids everything else.

I say let's use that class time to teach students how to read a mortgage statement and calculate adjustable rates of interest.

JAME VASQUEZ

Riverview

Deal In 'Real World'

I would like to invite all of the supporters of abstinence-only teachings to join me in the real world!

That's not how it was done in your day? Wonderful! But we live in 2008. We live in a society bombarded with sexual images every day! Do I agree with it? No, but it is, in fact, a reality.

You can educate your own children on the virtues of waiting? Wonderful! But what about the countless other teens who are left to their own devices because of neglectful or overworked parents?

I would love it as much as the next person if the abstinence-only movement worked, but unfortunately, at this point in time, because of many, many circumstances, it doesn't! We do, as a nation, need to begin to change the perception of teen sexuality, but until that happens we must deal with the present.

I'm a married mom of two wonderful boys. I plan to teach them both abstinence and protection.

MELISSA HURLEY

Land O' Lakes

Scale Back School Days

Regarding "Pinellas Schools Face Job, Pay Cuts" (Metro, May 1):

The Florida Legislature has cut funding to public schools 1.8 percent for the upcoming school year, but has failed to offer any solutions for school districts, such as Pinellas, that are forced to make significant cuts in the $40 million range.

Where are the solutions from our elected officials?

One temporary fix that should be pushed back immediately to the Legislature is a cut in the number of mandatory school days for 2008-09, from 180 days to 177 days, roughly an equivalent 1.8 percent cut.

It's easy to argue that shaving a few days off the calendar would not affect the quality of education. But that cut could save districts millions in transportation, facilities and hourly labor costs.

In essence, a shorter schedule would be a form of "tax relief" for our schools, which could use a lifeline about now from Tallahassee.

STEVEN ISBITTS

Clearwater

Parents Are Missing

Regarding "30 Students At Grad Bash Suspended Over Fight" (Metro, April 30):

The brawl that broke out at Disney World for "Grad Bash" (no pun intended, I'm sure) causing 50 Middleton students to be sent home was an interesting follow-up to a story last week about Middleton's effort to get more parents involved in their children's lives. As I recall, the principal of Middleton went to quite a lot of trouble to host a special "Parent Child Expo" at the school and the turnout was less than sparse. I seem to remember that only 17 parents showed up.

The parent of a Middleton student suspended as a result of the Disney fight was quoted as saying, "We have to find out what happened. The school is failing to protect our children."

This abdication of parental responsibility is telling.

LAURA HARRIS

Brandon

Saddened By Incident

I would like to say as an African-American and as a contributing member of the black community, I am saddened and appalled by what occurred at Grad Bash. My wife is an educator and has participated in Grad Bash as a chaperone for the past three years and I have had the pleasure of accompanying her. What I experienced last Saturday night was so deplorable that I am having a difficult time finding the words to express how angry and heartbroken I am.

The community fought long and hard to resurrect Middleton High School. It is time for those same people who fought so hard to bring Middleton back to the community to fight even harder to rescue it from the very young people it is supposed to benefit. It saddens me to see what our parents and grandparents worked and died for being destroyed by the very people who they sacrificed their lives for.

The parents of the children involved in this incident should think long and hard at the message they are sending to the young people by protesting the punishment of these young people. Is it really OK to engage in this type of behavior?

BRYAN VINSON

Seffner

The writer is a candidate for Pinellas County School Board.

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