TC

Some Ways to Turn Patterson Around

As a resident of East Baltimore who has worked with the teens in this part of the city for nine years, I have some suggestions about changes that could be made at Patterson High School.

* Give uniforms to all Patterson students. Although kids will jump up and down over this initially, it is important to understand their dress reflects how they feel about themselves and how accepted they feel. Most kids do not feel accepted by the mainstream, so they have developed a culture of their own where they are willing to wear or do anything to be accepted.

Uniforms would help with self-esteem as well as pride in their school and help them feel like somebody. This also puts every kid on the same level materially. Everybody has the same thing. Guys wear blazers and ties. Girls wear skirts and blouses.

* Separate the students by gender. Kids today are bombarded with sexual data, innuendo and misinformation. That, combined with raging hormones, produces an atmosphere not conducive to learning. Separation would eliminate many distractions in the classroom.

* Establish smaller class sizes. Many of these kids need more attention. Class sizes of no more than 15 would give the teacher the opportunity to do more relational educating and monitoring of their students. In the past at Patterson, if you were in need of attention, the best way to get it was to act out. Bad students get attention. Good students hardly get noticed.

* Establish firm, non-negotiable and consistent boundaries. It needs to be clear that rude, disrespectful behavior will not be tolerated under any circumstances. If something is wrong, it is always wrong. The Board of Education needs to work with the school in developing clear, consistent and effective discipline.

* Establish in-school suspensions. Many students try to get a suspension or a disciplinary removal so they can play basketball, party, hang out, go home or whatever. Most kids are most attentive before lunch.

If students need to be suspended, then they should spend the morning with a counselor going over class assignments. They should make up homework, assignments or study during this time to be sure they are caught up in all their classes.

In the afternoon, they should work for the school: cut grass, remove graffiti, pick up trash or sweep the halls.

This would clean up the school, teach consequences of wrong behavior and help instill some pride in the school. There should be no exceptions.

* Provide a practical life curriculum. Many of these students, whether they graduate or not, do not have basic life skills. They don't know how to fill out a job application, rent an apartment, keep a budget, open a savings or checking account, balance a check book, prepare for a job interview, pursue higher education or understand how to make smart buying decisions.

Some do not even have basic manners. They understand little more than immediate gratification. These skills were traditionally taught at home but in many cases the home is not capable, willing or interested in teaching these things.

* Provide more security. The head security guard at Patterson has done an excellent job, given the resources he has had to work with. He has had one assistant. That is two security guards for 2,000 students. He needs at least three to four assistants to keep the building secure and aid with discipline.

* Implement a policy change on expulsions. Many students end up at Patterson because they get thrown out of other schools in the Baltimore City system. This makes Patterson a dumping ground for everyone else's problem students. This has to change. Each school needs to develop its own policy for its own problem students.

* Promotion policy needs to change. Some kids miss 60 or more days and still get promoted to the next grade. I personally know a student who in four years of high school at Patterson missed 182 days and graduated on time. That's a whole school year. The current system, whatever it is, makes excuses for kids rather than expecting and demanding the best. It is very common for a student to miss 20 days a school year. This is unacceptable.

* Parents must be involved. Every parent should be given a list of expectations from the school and should sign a contractual agreement with the school. This should be done in a very straightforward way that communicates to parents that their child's education is a no-nonsense issue.

As a Baltimore City taxpayer, I need to say that I am not getting what I am paying for at Patterson High.

Jeff Zenger

Baltimore

More Advice for Black College Freshmen

The following is in response to the Aug. 21 "Open letter to black college freshmen," which appeared in The Evening Sun. Since this seems to be the time when all the sundry are letting loose with unsolicited advice, here's some more to chew on:

* You are essentially a human being, not a human of any particular color. Just a human. To the soul, the color of the body is irrelevant. Seek to find out what it is in you that makes you human, and begin to identify with the whole of humanity, of which you are a part.

Do not go around thinking "race, race, race." If you are so intent upon seeing racism as the defining property of the culture around you, you will surely find it even under the stones, in the trees and in the wind.

You will become a paranoid idiot, incapable of understanding that all human beings have problems with human relationships, very few of which are race-based.

* Congregate with every sort of person you can. Do not limit your circle of friends to those of your skin color, but associate and identify with people in every condition, every age and social bracket. Rejoice in the existence of other human beings.

By this means, you can experience vastly more of the human life than is possible in any other way. If you extend your sense of self far beyond narrow race identification, you must discover that you are a spiritual being, not a material being, and that you are capable, in principle, of the finest deeds the greatest humans have attained.

* Accept that every human has at the core of his or her being the same ontological plenty that nourishes the universe.

You contain within yourself the same inexhaustible resources that have resulted in the incredible diversity of life in this world. Do not buy into those who preach the gospel of scarcity; they only seek to put you in a false conflict with the needs of others.

* Realize that some will see your presence on campus as an opportunity to manipulate your understanding through peddling their commonly accepted delusions. They will try to enslave you mentally by trying to convince you that you are a black person. You are not.

You are an immortal soul, and just now occupy a black body. It could be yellow, white or brown, but it isn't. In your previous life you might have had any sort of physical body, and likewise you will find yourself in another sort in your next life.

* Anticipate that your college is a microcosm of our society in which every race and nation of the world is represented, all being mixed together, stirred and heated up, placed under every conceivable pressure, until a new race will emerge, the humanity of the future. You are a part of the only race that really matters -- the human race. And you will be a part of the future humanity and one of its benefactors to the extent you choose to expand your sense of identity to encompass all human beings.

* Do not let anyone, whether a college professor or a racial bigot, limit your potentialities as a human by constricting your sense of self to your skin color. Their body identification is an awful delusion they palm off as a new social philosophy, but do not be misled by them.

You are capable of all that the very greatest humans of every race and every epoch have attained. Honor and salute greatness wherever you see it and you will slowly incarnate what you so honor.

John Powers

Ellicott City

The Orphans' Court System Works Best

On Aug. 31, 1994, The Sun advocated the abolition of the current Orphans Court system in favor of consolidation with the Circuit Courts, as has occurred in Harford and Montgomery Counties.

The position is based on two assumptions. The first of these is that the existing Orphans Courts are in some way inadequate.

Much has been made that, with the exception of the Orphans Court for Baltimore City, Orphans Court judges do not need to be attorneys or in any way trained in the law. Further, most of the Orphans Court judges sit on a part-time basis, as do our legislators.

Although these part-time judges are not trained in the law, they bring common sense and good judgment to the bench.

Many of the citizens they deal with are grief-stricken or irate. They often appear without counsel. The Orphans Court judges deal effectively with a wide range of family problems which do not need to take up the time and attention of a full Circuit Court judge.

Moreover, an experienced Orphans Court judge (and there are many) often knows more about the law of estate administration than would a Circuit Court judge, whose knowledge of estates usually relates to episodic experience before going on the bench.

For sophisticated and difficult legal issues, litigants have ample ability to get to the Circuit Court or, if necessary, an appellate court.

In short, the existing Orphans Courts are people's courts, and all the better for it.

The second assumption The Sun makes is that consolidation with the Circuit Court would be an improvement.

While the experiment in Harford County has been successful, it is difficult to say that the result there is any better for practitioners or the public than the Orphans Courts in the other jurisdictions.

The Montgomery County experience has been unsuccessful, as cases there are apparently assigned randomly with other civil cases, and are thus subject to the delays inherent in civil litigation today.

For example, the judicial probate of a will in Montgomery County takes over a year, whereas a hearing for judicial probate in virtually all of the other counties can be obtained within a month.

Further, estates in Montgomery County experience extensive delays in having approval of routine administration accounts, petitions for compensation and the like. Unlike other court proceedings, there is an immediacy required in the probate of wills and settlement of estates.

The need to settle estates promptly makes it imperative that they not be dumped into dockets full of civil and criminal matters and assigned disposition dates many months away. There is a need to act swiftly wherever possible, and the current arrangements in Montgomery County fall far short of the mark.

As a practicing attorney for over 20 years, I have devoted the bulk of my professional life to practice in the area of estates and trusts. In doing so, I have become a supporter of the current Orphans Court system.

Unlike Circuit Court judges, who may be forced to handle probate matters on a rotating basis, the current Orphans Court judges like what they do and, by and large, are good at it. They bring common sense, compassion and patience to matters which often require all three virtues.

Stanard T. Klinefelter

Baltimore

MTO Furor Inspires Political Moves

Whether Baltimore County Executive Roger Hayden is playing politics regarding the controversial Moving To Opportunity (MTO) program is somewhat irrelevant when one considers the potential long-range ramifications of the program.

I find myself in a quandary over the rightness or wrongness of the issue.

First and foremost, I can understand the fears and anxiety of the people living in eastern Baltimore County who might be affected by the enactment of this program. I would harbor similar feelings.

People who have worked long and hard for whatever they have surely have earned the right to be concerned and skeptical about some theoretical, sociological people-replacement plan.

That is not to say that I am against social change, but not when it may cause more problems than it solves.

I would hope that I haven't become part of some black bourgeoisie mental state, but I tend to agree with those who believe that this relocation of poor people will indeed bring the problems of drugs and additional crime from those areas that are likely to be targeted to Baltimore County.

Better housing, schooling and job opportunities will not guarantee that those persons relocated will alter their lifestyles, which in many cases are the main cause of their problems.

People have been told that the families relocated will not be placed directly in well-established neighborhoods, but we all know what close proximity can do.

I live in western Baltimore County and can attest to what it can do. Additionally, I would like to know where all of those job opportunities in the east county are.

What many of these "poor people" really need to do is to go back to school and pay attention this time around.

That, I believe, will be the solution to their problems, not give-aways disguised as upward-mobility incentives.

Garland L. Crosby

Baltimore

When social issues become political, there is a seriouproblem. Whether or not to offer subsidized housing to the poor in Baltimore County is not a political issue, it is a social responsibility.

County Executive Roger Hayden should have the courage of his convictions and the strength to carry through on the promises made to the poor.

This is not just housing. This is a change in the quality of life, a new future for many.

The poor should not be pawns in a political game with their lives and destinies at the whim and wish of a few people. They have a right to choose not only how they live but where they live.

Sadly, this issue has become just another political contest. And very soon it will become a part of someone's political platform. Once the issue is taken, the topic will become either Democratic or Republican.

If this initiative survives, someone will have to determine if it is conservative or liberal before anyone from the political parties offers support. In the end, someone will ask, "What were we talking about?" In terms of votes, that is.

Well, we are not talking about relocating drug dealers and criminals. Frankly, most drug dealers and serious criminals do not need subsidized housing. Their income is too high.

You will not keep serious criminals and drug dealers out of your neighborhood by blocking this housing project, because most of them have cars. Those who don't, steal cars.

Many of them have escaped the city and live among you now. After all, they need safe neighborhoods to protect their families and belongings, too.

What we are talking about is moving families to better neighborhoods.

Giving children a place to play and learn.

Giving parents a chance to breathe easy when their children are out of the house without the continued threat of drive-by shootings, drugs and violence.

We are talking about letting the children see another side to life, what you can achieve without drugs, without crime.

We are talking about giving children new heroes, neighbors who are firemen, policemen and teachers instead of drug dealers and gang-bangers.

We're talking about giving our future a chance. We're talking about people.

And, all you're talking about in your self-absorbed, self-centered, self-serving way is politics.

Bonita Carreras-Williams

Columbia

Quit Playing

When, if ever, will our illustrious congressmen and congresswomen quit playing games in order to control the next election and concentrate on helping govern now? Perhaps then they would regain a measure of their lost stature.

Cecelia L. Bass

Baltimore

Dropping the Bomb

How easy it is to look backward and see things so clearly. Carleton Sterling, in his Aug. 25 letter, believes we were wrong to drop the atomic bomb.

As he says, the U.S. government's own inquiry into the matter indicated that Japan would have surrendered, without invasion and without the atomic bomb, prior to the end of 1945 -- and probably before Nov. 1, 1945.

But the real question is, what did President Truman, the man who made the decision, know in the summer of 1945?

Truth is, he did not know how long the Japanese would continue to fight. One thing he did know. Every day that the war continued cost the lives of more Allied and Japanese soldiers, sailors, airmen and civilians.

Certainly the loss of lives in Hiroshima and Nagasaki was terrible, but perhaps even more lives would have been lost if the war had continued, without our dropping the atomic bombs, until November.

The terrible air raids with conventional weapons had already exacted a tremendous toll, and the government inquiry cited by Mr. Sterling certainly assumed that these raids would continue.

And while Japanese civilians were dying in these raids, how many Americans and Japanese would die fighting in the Pacific? And how many Chinese and Japanese soldiers and civilians would be killed on the Asian mainland?

If the president knew that dropping these bombs would cost perhaps 150,000 Japanese lives, and not dropping them would probably cost 70,000 Japanese lives and 20,000 American and Chinese lives, what should he have done?

And if Mr. Sterling had a son fighting in the Pacific at that time, what would he have advised the president to do?

K? I'm glad President Truman was the man to make the decision.

Edwin S. Jordan

Ellicott City

Acts of Valor

When police put their lives on the line, we rightly commend them.

Yet there are many others who put their lives on the line on a daily basis: pizza delivery men and cab drivers, convenience store operators, gasoline attendants and anyone who operates a business with late hours.

NB For them just getting up and going to work is an act of valor.

Miriam Topel

Baltimore

Fighting Lady

With the Cuban crisis being what it is, I believe there can be a better answer to serving humanity by the stationing of the carrier Saratoga off the shores of Cuba.

This vessel could very well provide more than adequate facilities for those refugees.

There may be some opposition by her former crews. Would it not give this fighting lady a last chance to go out gracefully serving

mankind in a most peaceful fashion?

Bill Potteiger

Pasadena

Health Insurance

There is a way to provide affordable health insurance to everyone in America and not enlarge the national debt.

Provide coverage for all Americans for large medical bills only, leaving smaller bills to be settled between health practitioners and the individuals or families incurring them.

Remove all tax benefits and subsidies for other than the large medical expenses by a national health insurance plan.

Allow unrestricted market entry for any person offering health services to the public for those services not covered by the national health plan.

Remove the gatekeeper powers granted physicians and others; e.g., eliminate the concept of prescription drugs and allow consumers access to any health aid offered for sale.

These steps would give us universal, affordable coverage. Individuals would pay less for health insurance than they do now and be free to decide how much other health care they wanted to buy. "Ask your doctor" would be an option, not a requirement.

Insurance would function as it historically was intended: to protect against extreme economic hardship of the kind that can destroy the economic health of people.

As a corollary, the great majority of health decisions would now be made by consumers and providers without third-party payers, which have been a source of enormous mischief in health care.

Won't these radical changes make us less healthy? Probably the opposite because the most important reason for good health is personal responsibility, and this is what these steps would do.

Herm Schmidt

Bradshaw