Attendance woes need attention
2/28/2013Blade Editor David Kushma’s excellent Feb. 24 op-ed column, “TPS fortunes depend on board’s juggling act,” highlighted the transient problem in Toledo Public Schools that is part of overall attendance policies.
As a former attendance teacher, I am acquainted with trying to find children who show up for class about half the time.
Teachers rightly say: “How can I teach the child who is absent more than present?” We used to refer to such problems as “the secret issue” of academic progress, because it wasn’t adequately addressed by the school system.
This problem is compounded by testing children and evaluating teachers based on the prospect that many of the children in class today were not there last fall.
This problem will persist unless parents, teachers, administrators, and the school board address the situation and develop a plan to solve it.
EDWARD NUSSEL
Sylvania Township
Sequestration? We’ll still be here
Sequestration is all hype and no substance (“Cuts’ impact on Ohio, Mich., to be wide, deep; Contingency plans few, officials say,” Feb. 26). Any government agency can sustain a 5 percent cut with minimum or no effect on its mission.
The sun will rise March 1. Social Security checks will be issued. Airplanes will fly. The military will protect us.
Nongovernment entities cut budgets whenever the economy or their business goes down. When the decision is made to cut, ways are found to do it. The same will be true of government.
JOSEPH PFLAGER
Maumee
Good guy with gun met demise
If any event should counter the National Rifle Association mantra “The best defense against a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun,” it is the death of famed sniper/author Chris Kyle on a shooting range by a veteran he was trying to help (“Ex-SEAL, 1 other slain at gun range; Iraq war veteran accused of turning weapon on pair in Texas,” Feb. 4).
The element of surprise trumps the ability of anyone with multiple guns and large magazines to be defensive. There should be an assault weapons ban, a limit to the size of gun magazines, and universal background checks.
This would not preclude the right to bear arms, but I hope it would limit assault.
SANDRA FRANK
Scottwood Avenue
Illegal entry parallel drawn
If somebody illegally enters my home, I’m within my rights to kill that person. But those who enter my country illegally are given citizenship (“Obama puts immigration fixes on table; Plan would offer millions path toward citizenship,” Jan. 30).
Using that logic, the government will make burglars members of our family and force us to accept them.
RON MARSHALL
Islington Avenue