Non-Bus Policy Penalizes Some
I was truly infuriated by the Dec. 19 editorial entitled, "The Magic School Bus." I believe that all elementary school students should receive bus service. In the 1990s, no young child or even group of young children is safe walking to school. This means that parents whose children are not allowed to ride the bus are unfairly penalized by having to drive their children every day.
I believe that this is an unfair burden to place on our families, whether the parents work inside the home or outside of it. Is it fair to separate elementary students and parents into haves and have-nots based on whether they live on the bus route?
If this issue seems trivial to anyone, they aren't in my situation, or that of other "non-bus" parents.
My child will be in kindergarten next year. He will be expected to walk a mile along a very confusing route that crosses a narrow bridge between two ponds. He doesn't know how to swim, and in the winter some kids walk on the ice. Even if I walked him to school, he would arrive too exhausted to learn. I have read in the paper about crimes committed against children on county paths. I could never feel comfortable allowing him to walk even as an older elementary student. I agree that it's a shame to spend money on buses when we could be spending it inside the school, but all of the computers in the world aren't going to make any difference if we can't get our children to school safety. Why doesn't anyone ask the parents what we think is important?
Sarah Beach
Columbia
It's Parents' Fault
In his column of Dec. 4 ("Black Suspensions: Blame All Around"), Kevin Thomas focused only on the black/white ratio of school suspensions. He did not mention the lack of balance between male/female suspensions. He also avoids commenting about any possible religious bias, or even suspension rates for other minorities. Mr. Thomas does, however, spread the blame around. In that way, he probably covers the real culprit, but at the expense of condemning the innocent.
There are only two groups responsible for conduct requiring disciplinary action -- parents and teachers. Being a parent, I feel embarrassed that we are the guilty party. Kids are in school to learn. If they cannot adapt to a social setting and respect other students' rights, it is the fault of parents, not teachers.
Obviously, a single suspension could be a fluke. But recurrent disruptive behavior on the part of a student must point to parents as the problem. We aren't supplied with figures on repeat offenders, but if you count individuals being suspended as a percentage, the numbers might be lower than if you count every suspension as a separate act.
I doubt that Dr. Michael Hickey's "detailed analysis" of the subject due out in January will offer any results inconsistent with past experience. I would imagine that the report will merely follow Mr. Thomas' lead and portion out the criticism. That way everyone is slightly disgruntled but no one is overly upset. We then will await the trigger which brings up the subject again.
Teachers have changed little over the years. They have theifaults, but compared to the disintegration of the family, they have done a superb job under difficult conditions. . . .
R. D. Bush
Columbia
Service Made Simple
I am writing in response to the Nov. 30 editorial, "Bumpy Road to Community Service." This editorial addresses the current situation of the Columbia Association's grant opportunity for high school students, overseen by the Columbia Council. Also mentioned was the submission of only three applications for possibilities to receive the grant, including an idea Centennial High School students developed that the association rejected.
As a current member of the Centennial student body and a member of the Class of '97, the first class required to complete community service, I have investigated this program, in response to the editorial, and have become aware of the true requirements students need to fulfill for graduation. The community service program as the editorial states is, "for students to experience the rewards of doing something for someone other than themselves." Yet, there is actually no 75 hours of community service required by students if they have attended any Howard County middle school.
Under the supervision of the Howard County Board of Education, middle school students are able to earn a "student learning credit" through the completion of a series of successful activities involving three guiding points -- preparation, action and reflection.
When the student successfully completes the required activities, form summarizing the activities is filled out. The teacher and principal's signature on the form serve as verification. It is then forwarded to the student's high school file. This procedure relinquishes the student requirement of contributing 75 hours of service to the community.
If a student does not participate in the middle school program, a student is able to fulfill his or her service requirement through a leadership course offered at the high school level. If a student does not participate in these two alternative activities, then the 75 hours of community service is required.
This, in turn, addresses the editorial regarding the lack of response to the Columbia Association's program and its speculation about student procrastination in response to this graduation requirement.
There is not procrastination as most students have fulfilled the requirement in an alternative method. Therefore, there is no need to generate an idea the association would accept when students are able to fulfill their responsibility for graduation through alternative activities which do not require the excessive work any original unique program would demand.
The Columbia Association's offering of grants in an effort to promote unique ways for students to attain their community service is very commendable.
However, the Howard County Board of Education's development these alternate activities (loopholes), which fulfill the requirement of the Maryland Board of Education, have negated actual service or impact upon the community.
Joshua Tobin
Ellicott City