Internet has become a baby-sitter

1/9/2005

I enjoyed reading your editorial about doing research at the library. The Internet has become for this generation what the television was for previous generations - a baby-sitter.

Unfortunately, the Internet is much more dangerous, as it does not promote critical thinking skills and is a much-abused avenue for criminal predators.

As a school library media specialist, my advice to parents and educators is to start students with printed resources that have correct and authoritative information and then supplement their research with resources from the Internet. Many printed resources today recommend reliable Web sites that relate to their topic.

Students need to determine if an Internet resource is a reliable one by comparing it to the information found in printed resources, an integral part of doing any kind of research.

The Ohio Educational Library Media Association and INFOhio supports Internet sites that are excellent along with the Ohio Public Library Information Network. Sites that are promoted by these two sources are recommended by librarians for students to use for their research much as we recommend print resources:

INFOhio: www.infohio.org

OPLIN: www.oplin.lib.oh.us

Now that you have made a point in your editorial about how students need to use printed resources for their research, perhaps you would like to point parents and educators in the direction of resources we have funded with our state tax money.

Resources provided on these sites are specifically for students to use and produce better information sources than those found doing a general Web search on the Internet. These resources are free to all students who have access to the Internet or have a public library card.

Thanks for supporting libraries and our mission to promote critical thinking, information literacy, and good research skills.

CONNIE ARK

Library Media Specialist

Kenton Sr. High School

Kenton, Ohio

The situation with psychologist David Garner vividly reveals the value our society puts on talent. His supporters seem to say that because Mr. Garner is an effective and talented therapist, certain ethics issues, like sleeping with clients and supervisees, should be overlooked.

Unfortunately for Mr. Garner there is a fairly clear-cut code of ethics for psychologists and other professionals in Ohio. Every therapist knows, is taught and trained, that sex with a client and/or someone you supervise is an ethical breach of the worst kind and creates harm that cannot be undone.

The Sunday article left me with the impression Mr. Garner thinks that because he does so much good for certain individuals perhaps his ethical problem should be overlooked. This is not unusual. We see it every day.

Martha Stewart should be free because she has particular talents - free Martha!

Barry Bonds should not be investigated for steroid use because he has hit over 700 home runs - go Barry!

Not to mention how President Clinton's behavior furthered the talent versus ethics debate.

However, Mr. Garner's professional code of ethics and licensing rules are clear. It does not matter how many therapy patients he helps, if he has sex with clients and/or supervisees he will lose his license. It already happened to him before. He was aware of the consequences and continued to exhibit unethical and unprofessional behavior.

I don't know if Mr. Garner should be in jail. As a practicing therapist in Michigan, I do know he should not be a practicing therapist. I feel for his clients. They are the real victims. But they are victims of Mr. Garner's inability or unwillingness to comply with required rules. The clients should be angry with him, not the system.

MARK HASKINS

Lambertville, Mich.

During an interview with author Clint Mauk on The Editors Dec. 24, Blade editor Tom Walton asked Mr. Mauk why, with all the resources available to Toledo, this town did not develop to be a Detroit or Chicago. Mr. Mauk said that he was not sure.

I would like to offer the following:

Toledo took too long to develop its harbor. In the 1860s and 1870s the water channel into Toledo was too shallow for the heavy shipping traffic and the bigger ships that were being built to accommodate that traffic.

Furthermore, the operating channel of that time had many curves. Big ships would frequently get stuck in the curves only to be rammed by another ship if the disabled ship could not work free and clear the channel.

The Army Corps of Engineers was ready to dig the channel deeper and recommended a straight route from Lake Erie. However the recommended route was not approved by the project committee. Toledo took almost 20 years to finally decide and plot the route of the channel into the harbor. By that time, Pittsburgh had already established itself in steel manufacturing.

Hesitation on the part of Toledo's city fathers has been a tradeoff to progress on many historical occasions.

MARY ANN FLANNAGAN

Oregon

Isn't it too bad that our country has so much money and manpower tied up in Iraq that we are consequently limited in our response to the tsunami disaster? For the Indian Ocean countries to achieve sanitary conditions and pure drinking water will be a huge job, not counting everything else that must be done.

With their public health systems over-extended, the survivors weakened, and international travel highly developed, is there increased danger of a deadly bird-flu or some other worldwide epidemic?

RILMA BUCKMAN

Creek Run Drive

So John Harris thinks he knows Fred Davis.

Mr. Harris says that Fred Davis is "used to getting his way," and "not used to people telling him no."

You'll have to excuse me if I question his perceptions, which appear to be based on nothing more than stereotype. Because Fred was arguably the most highly recruited athlete from our area in recent years, Mr. Harris assumes that he fits the mold of the temperamental, bigger-than-life jock.

Fred Davis is kind, considerate, and more than willing to take direction and instruction. He addresses his elders with "Sir/Ma'am" and quite truthfully, had not one grain of ego in him during his senior year of high school, even when colleges were knocking down doors to speak with him. I should know. I was one of his teachers.

Where many teenage boys might have flaunted his ability, Fred rarely even spoke about his talent, his future, or his dreams of success in football.

Perhaps Mr. Harris has forgotten what it feels like to be 18 and far from home for the first time.

Perhaps Mr. Harris should extend some sympathy to a boy (not yet even a man) who didn't ask to be thrust into the spotlight.

Perhaps Mr. Harris should contemplate what it feels like to be shy and nervous about leaving his close-knit family and friends.

Rogers High School is as much a family as a blood one, and it should be hard for him to leave. Fred certainly should not be made to feel guilty for his heart pulling him home.

If more of us followed our hearts, instead of our paychecks, this world would be a better place. We could all learn a lesson from Fred.

KATIE PETERS

Rogers High School

Recently you published a letter from someone who said he was tired of people complaining about President Bush. At least this person still has a job. I lost my job after working for more than 30 years. When I tried to get another job I was told that I was too old. I went down hill after that. My wife and I went through hell. That's uncalled for. We lost our jobs; then we lost our house; then we lost our self-respect.

So if this person is tired of people complaining about our so-called President, come and walk in our shoes for a while. George Bush took my job overseas and left us to suffer.

MARTIN RIGG

Wauseon