TPS doesn't teach kids disrespect

12/26/2008

This is in response to the recent letter in the Readers' Forum headlined "Put focus on students, not school names."

The writer, who calls Toledo's children and teens "the products of Toledo Public Schools," implies that Toledo Public Schools teaches students to litter, talk hip-hop, wear sagging pants, and display disrespect.

I feel compelled to point out that in Toledo schools, children are taught to clean up after themselves, and even help others unable to do so.

Students are taught proper language and grammar and are expected to use such in school. Sagging pants are not permitted and violate a strict uniform policy and dress code followed throughout the district. TPS has several programs in place to help students learn respect for themselves and others so that children may make responsible choices as they mature.

Admittedly, we do not live in a perfect world and not every child is always a model student. Sometimes, adults who are responsible for these children would also not meet dress code or conduct standards of TPS.

As a TPS parent, it is my conclusion that children are products of their homes and are "projects of Toledo Public Schools."

It is still considered an enormous honor to have a school building bearing one's name. That is yet another way to show that the Toledo Board of Education has not lost its focus.

Ellen Luster

Thoman Place

In A Christmas Carol, Ebenezer Scrooge is approached by two men collecting money for the poor:

"At this festive season of the year, Mr. Scrooge," said the gentleman, taking up a pen, "it is more than usually desirable that we should make some slight provision for the poor and destitute, who suffer greatly at the present time. Many thousands are in want of common necessaries; hundreds of thousands are in want of common comforts, sir."

"Are there no prisons?"

"Plenty of prisons," said the gentleman, laying down the pen again.

"And the union workhouses," demanded Scrooge. "Are they still in operation?"

When they point out that many would prefer death to such institutions, Scrooge replies:

"If they would rather die, they had better do it, and decrease the surplus population."

In tracing the history the Christmas tree and Santa Claus, Leonard Peikoff in his Dec. 20 commentary noted that these customs were derived from pagan practices. He further notes that Americans embraced the materialistic trappings of Christmas "as the product of reason, science, worldliness and egotism, i.e., the pursuit of happiness" and that we should turn Christmas " into a guiltlessly egotistic, pro-reason, this-worldly, commercial celebration."

No doubt Christmas has become precisely what Mr. Peikoff describes and it would add to the joy of merchants if Christian and non-Christian alike took his advice and embraced the season in an orgy of capitalism. What I find troubling, as would Scrooge's visitors, is his exaltation of such ignominious human attributes as selfishness and egotism. Whatever became of concern for people who, through some misfortune of birth or circumstance, are destitute?

If Mr. Peikoff can be transported back the mid-nineteenth century, he should look Scrooge up; rumor has it that since Marley's death he's been looking for a boarder.

John David Dignam

Perrysburg

The Bush Administration has just pulled off the biggest robbery in American history.

It started with a surplus and stole every cent in the U.S. Treasury, putting the United States in debt to every country in the world, and along the way broke every law of the land. Oh yes, it just gave away the last $700 billion, no strings attached.

On top of that, it will probably get off scot free.

Gerald W. Karow

290th Street

Marilou Johanek has been stuck on bashing Sarah Palin and the President. It is time to move on to other things. I don't think she knows the election is over. Cheer up, Ms. Johanek, something new is on the horizon.

Once again we have a female candidate with little experience wanting to fill a very high-profile political office. I just know that Ms. Johanek and the rest of the "girls" who write opinion columns cannot wait to have Caroline Kennedy answer a few important questions. What city and state government has she administered? How much does she spend for wardrobe, hair stylists, and eyewear? Does she fly commercial? How can her family survive while she is in Washington?

These are just a few of questions that need to be answered. Go for it, girls. Get some of that pit bull lipstick on her resume.

Karen M. Johnston

Wauseon

The problems with our economy are a direct result of U.S. government policy.

Our government rewards companies that outsource with tax cuts. For years, we have watched as American manufacturing has closed plants, put American workers on the unemployment rolls, and moved their plants overseas.

Twenty years ago I predicted what would happen and I had a solution. I wrote to politicians but my solution fell on deaf ears.

My solution: If a company closes a plant, puts Americans out of work, and moves that plant overseas, then the United States would not allow that product to be imported back into this country.

How many companies would have moved overseas if they could not sell their product here in America?

Think about it.

James Markin

Sylvania

Ben Konop is to be congratulated on finding ways to save the taxpayers $4 million. I am looking forward to a tax reduction. Instead, he wants to use my money to pay for someone else's college education.

I paid for five children to go to college. We do have a problem with the "brain drain." None of my children live in Lucas County because they got better jobs elsewhere. I would love to see them in Toledo running companies like Autolite, Champion, Toledo Scale, etc., but thanks to the unions, their lackeys, and the elected Democratic officials, these companies are no longer here.

Ed Garvin

Heatherwood Drive

The recent issue to study a merger of Sylvania Township to Sylvania City was defeated at the polls Nov. 4. The United States Postal Service in a letter to me on March 8, 2000, indicated that the use of Sylvania Township is an acceptable mailing address for its residents. This is approved for all Sylvania Township residents regardless of ZIP Code. An article in the Neighbors Section of The Blade was published about that soon afterward.

The City of Sylvania annexed land that had been part of Sylvania Township despite efforts by the township to block it. That was a land grab. The November election clearly indicated the residents of Sylvania Township did not want a study for a proposed merger. I certainly hope all the residents of Sylvania Township who oppose a land grab by the City of Sylvania proudly use the approved mailing address for Sylvania Township and send a clear and united message that we are separate and apart and want to remain so. Perhaps if more residents were persistent and tenacious to make sure computer databases are truly changed at all places, there would be more consistent use of our status separate and apart from the City of Sylvania.

Elvina L. Bergmann

Sylvania Township

Thank you for the Dec. 20 op-ed from Leonard Peikoff on the different aspects of the holiday season. Some of his information is little known to most and difficult to share.

Nancy Segan

South Westwood Avenue