LETTERS
|
Sex Ed Needs Parental Input, Guidelines Just a thought on the recent events in the public schools. Shouldn’t parents push for a code of conduct for teachers while on school grounds? Sex is a subject that requires parental input and should be dealt with according to established guidelines. Thanks for a nice change from the "Media." - Liam A. McMahon
Thanks, on behalf of my husband and myself who are residents here in the Bay State. Your newspaper has informed us of weird things that go on involving our children and has given us the insight to be proactive in protecting our children from "misinformation" out there. We are glad we found you. You will find our subscription check shortly. - Mrs. Ro Sutton
I want to thank Massachusetts News for the "Children’s Sex Conference Tape" recently sent to me. How easily we are conned. We put our faith in the system and the system isn’t working for the benefit of society or family. You are a breath of honesty in a sick world and have the courage to say it as it is. It is disturbing that parents, who for the most part are the ones who know what is best for their family, are seldom listened to by politicians or the news media. The Boston Globe seems to have jumped on the bandwagon of the three out-of-state backers of free needles to addicts — whose ultimate goal is legalization of illegal drugs. With signatures being purchased, this vote will come up. Money talks. The public needs to be informed. We need your help on this issue. I have a suspicion that my letter to the Boston Globe will not end up in print. - Mary Smith
Law Requires Reporting Child Abuse What constitutes child sexual abuse? Mr. Whiteman was present in a meeting that was paid for by state funding and he witnessed children being sexually exploited. Did he not have a mandatory duty to report such abuses? This judge that silenced him is way out-of-line. If this same exploitation were being conducted in a different setting and Mr. Whiteman reported it, would the police open an investigation? Would the adults be charged? Most likely. It is my understanding of the laws that if a child is being abused we must report that crime. I feel this judge has shot the messenger. The judge may be afraid of being outed, has ties into Tufts University or is plain dumb. When my daughter was kidnapped and raped by same-sex individuals, I was gagged by a judge and told I could not mention my daughter’s name to anyone, not even to my family members. I left that 32-story office building of the Attorney General, went to the lobby and gave the reporter sitting in the lobby the story (she was not allowed in the meeting). Later that night I went on national media with the story and I was not arrested. In fact, the hounds held themselves at bay from that point on. When the media can be bought, sold and prostituted, we have no media. Back to the two faces of the judge; perhaps this judge should listen closely to the tape and give us his ruling on what sexual exploitation of a child is. - Alma J. Kidd
Homosexual Indoctrination Instead of Music You have no idea how ecstatic I am about getting my hands on this tape. Several weeks ago, I attended the court hearing in support of Brian Camenker and the Parent’s Right Coalition. I was completely beside myself when I learned the gag order remained in place. My two children are currently in the public school system and it is terrifying to believe that this indoctrinating "Safe School Program" could have been going on without my knowledge. In addition to that, many of the State of Massachusetts’ public schools have eliminated their music departments because of lack of funds while our government appropriates $1.5 million to gay education. This is a no-brainer. When will people get tired of this? I am glad I found your organization. This has restored my faith in patriotism and decency. Thank you! - Christine Orsie
Sex Ed Instructors Should Not Disclose Personal Info I read an article about local teens learning graphic instructions in homosexual sex. Not only am I disgusted that adults would present that kind of information to little children in that manner, I am more disgusted that the school system would allow that to go on. I am not against teens learning about homosexuality. I think that homosexuality should be included in the curriculum for health and sex education, but the way that session was conducted, and the behavior of the teachers was distasteful. According to the article, the teachers were making personal comments about their own sex lives, which I find unnecessary. In all the sex education classes I had, which was only in 1990, the instructor never disclosed any personal information to the students. I find that completely unethical. That changes the instructor/student dynamic. - J. Carr
Governor Must End Indoctrination Dear Governor Cellucci, I am writing because I have learned that members of the Mass. Department of Education have been involved with advocating the homosexual lifestyle and describing it in intimate detail to minors. One example of this would be the "10th Annual GLSEN/Boston Conference" held on Saturday, March 25, 2000. Tapes from that conference indicate that persons paid by our tax dollars are promoting homosexuality to school kids. This seems to occur without the parents being aware of the content of these meetings and it must not continue. Promoting a true attitude of tolerance in which persons are taught not to hate those who make different lifestyle choices is one thing, but this is a recruiting drive. The Massachusetts News has done an excellent job of informing the public concerning these events and I doubt they will cease to do so as long as it continues (I will be sending them a copy of this letter as well). Governor, consider what the proper use of tax dollars should be and end this indoctrination. I look forward to your reply. - James C. Lindsay
Vouchers are in the Near Future People are wondering why George W. Bush has increased his lead over Al Gore by a strong eight points in recent polls. It is interesting to note that this lead is manifesting itself based on issues the electorate usually trusts to the Democrats rather than the Republicans. A good example of that is education, expected to be the number-one issue in November. After 30 years of failure and 15 billion in federal funds annually, it now appears the electorate is ready to abandon Al Gore and the Democratic Party. It is apparent the electorate now realizes that big government and federal funds are not the solution. They have seen the futility of this policy and are now ready to act to enhance the educational process. A complete overhaul will be required, and that includes implementing a voucher system favored by Governor Bush. People now realize conservatives have been right all along with their advocacy of private and parochial education as an escape from the awful public schools, particularly in our urban centers. Vouchers should be provided to parents and not to the institutions themselves. This would then become an issue of freedom of choice, rather than direct federal aid to private institutions. It would be the parents making the determination as to how the vouchers are spent and not the government. Assuming Governor Bush becomes president and the Republicans can maintain control of both Houses of Congress, the voucher system could become a reality in the near future. Mention should be made that polls now show a solid majority of 58% of the electorate and 62% of blacks favor the voucher system to better enhance the education of their children. The days of dominance by the teacher unions and their obstructionist principles now seem to be in jeopardy. For those who fear vouchers would be overturned on a court challenge, I remind all, Congress has the power to limit the Supreme Court and completely remove the jurisdiction, original and appellate, of the entire federal judiciary. - Edward P. Shallow
I have never been able, even remotely, to fathom how DSS could consistently perform its duties so poorly. Enlightened by Ms. Moore’s detailed account, I now see how financial incentives drive the policies of our state government and influence the decisions made by DSS personnel. One of the catch-phrases of the Watergate era was the admonition, "Follow the money." If you look at how some of the taxpayers’ money for social services is disbursed you can understand why the DSS ruthlessly rips children from the arms of loving, if not perfect, parents and places them in foster care. You can also understand why the horrors, inflicted on so many of these innocent children by their foster parents, continue apace. Numerous incidents in foster care of sexual assault, physical abuse including murder and accidental death due to negligence arouse little more than perfunctory acknowledgments of regret by DSS, which are always accompanied by fierce affirmations of the department’s integrity and competence. I used to wonder why Governor Cellucci tolerated a department that is so obviously inept. I am now starting to realize that he must be aware of what is going on and why it is going on. Special interest groups in the state bureaucracy, whom Moore identifies, benefit from breaking up families. Governor Cellucci should be ashamed of himself for condoning such heinous behavior. In the wake of a spate of bad publicity generated by a dramatic series of DSS blunders and abuses, Governor Cellucci appointed Jeffrey Locke as Commissioner. Any hopes we might have had that a new leader would improve DSS have been quickly dashed. In dealing with parents who have been accused of child abuse on the basis of flimsy evidence, Locke has acted more like a prosecutor than a social worker. Rather than discipline his incompetent and vindictive social workers, Locke has preferred to defend a department that desperately needs a complete overhaul. It is time for Governor Cellucci to take responsibility for what his state employees are doing to destroy viable families, in no small part because they are caught up in the frenzied chase for federal money. - Howard Davis
Families in your neighboring state of Connecticut are also experiencing nightmares with social workers, called DCF here. I wrote a letter on May 23, 2000, which appeals to Connecticut legislators, our Governor and the Chief State’s Attorney, concerning a number of serious problems we encountered as a result of DCF interference. Thought you might appreciate being informed of the problems with DCF in Connecticut as well. By the way, my mother lives on the Cape and we frequently stay at our cottage in West Yarmouth, so we do have occasion to read and hear about the news from your paper too. - Marcia R. Ancona
DSS Gives Children No Protection Suddenly we find that DSS is being taken over by an alien ethic, a permeable rot. Where in all human history has there been less protection of the young and more profiteering by the leadership since 1992? The Clinton rhetoric of ‘For the Children’ seems to be more duplicity. Trusting that better provision for the young is in the agenda, we find instead that our social decencies are being pillaged. Time was when we prided ourselves on protecting our values from violation. Have we trusted too well? Is DSS burrowed too deeply to be dug out? Probably. - Margaret Goduti
Communist Party to U.S. Members, 1943. "When certain obstructionists become too irritating, label them, after suitable build-ups, as Fascist or Nazi or anti-Semitic; and use the prestige of anti-Fascist and tolerance organizations to discredit them. In the public mind constantly associate those who oppose us with those names which already have a bad smell." - Lisa Larkins
Kennedy Frightened of Republicans It is politically obscene for Senator Kennedy and the Democratic Party he leads to attempt to prevent courageous Jack E. Robinson from staying on the November ballot by using legal technicalities to disallow 170 signatures. Kennedy is not only the surest candidate for reelection the Democrats have nationwide; but he also has a three-million-dollar-plus war-chest, primarily from out-of-state Democrat moneybags contributions, and the best campaign organization money can buy which secured over 23,000 signatures on his nomination papers. Could it be that Kennedy fears having to debate an articulate, black Republican? For Carla Howell, the Libertarian senate candidate, to mount a similar challenge to Robinson’s signatures is arrogant and politically stupid. If a Republican is not on the ballot, Kennedy will certainly thumb his nose at the suggestion of a debate with only third-party candidates and the lapdog Massachusetts media will tag along! With Robinson on the ballot, Kennedy would not have the guts to refuse a debate and third-party senatorial candidates might have a shot at participating with Robinson’s support. - Jack E. Molesworth
I received a copy of your newspaper in my PO Box a week ago and I thought, "Is this paper on the level?" I have been fighting this state’s Probate Courts for five years on behalf of my son. The political hacks that are appointed as judges should not even be appointed to first grade. They all appear to be brain-dead, except when some pol says jump. You talk about the Dept. of Education? How about the child-support-grand-theft of most of the father’s wages? This law is the most unconstitutional law that has ever passed in this state or the country. And to add insult to injury, there is a federal law that gives states the right to pass a similar law for bounty money on each father, or sometimes mother, they can convict. - Frank Davidson
Socialist Congressmen involved with Elian I found the subject article very good in content and coverage. However, I believe there are additional players that should be included in the "Cast" to help complete the circle. First, as you know, many Congressmen and women have also been involved in this scandal. Most of these people are, in fact, members of the 106th Congressional Black Caucus. They are as follows: Sheila Jackson Lee, Alcee Hastings, Earl Hilliard, Jesse Jackson Jr., John Lewis, Carrie P. Meek, Major Owens, Charles B. Rangel, Bennie Thompson, Maxine Waters. Jerrold Naddler was also involved in the media rhetoric about Elian. I am sure you are aware of the fact that all the above mentioned Congressional Members are also either members of, or supported by, The Democratic Socialists of America. To verify this please see the following: http://www.dsausa.org. This organization is linked to Socialists International. If you will recall, visitors to Elian’s father, soon after his arrival in the U.S.A. (at an office or residence belonging to The National Council of Churches) included Randall Robinson of TransAfrica and Tavis Smiley of Black Entertainment Television. Mr. Robinson has made several trips to Cuba along with Maxine Waters. Please see http://www.afrocubaweb.com/TransAfrica.htm. Mr. Robinson is the owner of TransAfrica and Essence Communications. Maxine Waters is also on the board of directors of Essence Communications and Essence Travel. Randall Robinson also has very strong ties to Juan Bertrand Aristide of Haiti. That is a different story. I appreciate the opportunity to communicate with you and I hope you will permit this constructive addition to your great article. I wish more people could be exposed to it. - Gary Tardiff
Disagreement on Math Instruction I would like to make a few comments concerning your articles on the state of math education. Although there are many points I could choose to comment about (Does your writer actually know what a GeoBoard is? Has he ever used one?), I will concentrate on your criticism of constructivism. Critics of constructivism, and this group obviously includes both your writers as well as Prof. Schmid, argue that the "standard algorithms" should be taught and that other methods are superfluous, whether they are taught or if students discover them on their own. Although the typical add-and-carry method always works for addition, there are many other methods which work just as well. The main problem with standard algorithms for addition, subtraction, multiplication and division is that they are not particularly "portable." Once you get beyond single digits numbers, you should have a pencil and paper handy. For example, we will use your own problem of adding 27 + 4. In the standard algorithm, one adds 4 + 7 = 11, then puts down the 1, and carries the 1, then 1 + 2 = 3. The answer is 31. Now, visit your local elementary school and try to explain that to a second grader without a chalkboard. Alternatively, one could consider 27 + 4 as 27 + 3 + 1. Second graders can understand this. It is easily demonstrated using any everyday objects that 4 is the same as 3 and 1 together. Now, take the 27+3 to get 30, and the one left over gives 31. The generalization of this process is easy. Students who understand their "doubles" will readily determine that 15 + 17 = 15 + 15 + 2 = 32. The standard algorithm does not generalize. You must always revert to writing the numbers out in columns, then adding and carrying. I challenge the writers of the articles, and anyone else for that matter, to multiply 11 times 12. Perhaps you will take out a piece of paper and a pencil, or possibly even a calculator. But by then, countless third graders have beat you to the answer. To multiply a number by 11, just separate the two digits and put their sum between them. That is, to multiply 12 by 11, split the 1 and 2, and put their sum between (1+2=3): 11 times 12 = 132. This is a non-standard method of solving a problem. By definition, it is not an algorithm, because it does not work for every conceivable problem. What if we want to multiply by a three-digit number? What if the two digits add to a number greater than 9? Happily, the rule does generalize, and a curious student, in a constructivist setting, will find out how. Certainly, the standard algorithm will always be there to break their fall, but education doesn’t need to be rigid. The student should not be forced to solve a problem a single way. Finally, I will point out how a rigid education produces a rigid mind. In the article which mentions the GeoBoard, the writer claims that the only way to prove that a triangle is not right is to use the Pythagorean Theorem or its converse. I would expect that someone who has so baselessly criticized constructivism would have such a narrow view of math. Considering the rectilinear arrangement of the pegs on a GeoBoard, it is only common sense to impose the rules of DesCartes’ coordinate (Cartesian) geometry on the figures constructed. Although you could argue that the distance formula and the Pythagorean theorem are equivalent, they are not, technically, identical. Alternatively, you could use the fact that three non-collinear points determine a circle. If we use the three vertices to construct (and for the educationally/mathematically ignorant, a geometric construction is completely unrelated to and independent of constructivism) such a circle we note an interesting fact: If the triangle is right, the longest side will form a diameter of the circle. If the triangle is not right, the longest side forms some other chord within the circle. This is about as far from the Pythagorean theorem as you can get. The point: there is more than one way to skin a cat. - Michael V. Ziniti
Editor’s Comment: We appreciate Mr. Ziniti’s comments although we do not agree with them. He has a degree in math from Harvard and just finished teaching math for a year at Braintree High School. He writes, "Although I have decided that teaching is not the career for me, I will always be interested in making sure that our students are getting the best education possible." We share the same goals. We believe he demonstrates exactly why Massachusetts schools must once again emphasize the standard algorithms in math education and why we are falling behind the world in this important subject. His trick for solving 11 x 12, he admits, "does not work in all cases." In fact, it is a very limited formula. It fails if you multiply anything besides eleven. It even fails with 11 in many cases. In some cases where it does work, it becomes rather complicated and still requires knowledge of the standard addition algorithm. For example, if you multiply anything where the number in the middle is more than one digit, it will not work. Try multiplying 11 x 98 = 1078. Using his method, you would separate the 9 and the 8, place the sum of those two digits (17) in the space between and get 9178. In this example, you must carry the one and change the 91 to 10 in order to get the correct answer, 1078 . The worst effect of this method of multiplication is not that it wastes time but that it does not help children understand math. Any time and energy spent learning this method and the rules that govern its use would be better spent learning standard algorithms that work in all cases so that our children can catch up with the other countries instead of learning tricks that work only in some cases. As with all readers, if he would like to respond, we would be happy to hear from him. Needle Handouts Should Be Local Decision The following information has been sent to Governor Cellucci expressing our concern about Item #574 in the budget by Senator James P. Jajuga (D, Essex County) which would remove local control as it applies to needle handout programs. Although an attempt was made to pacify communities, it is very clear that the effect would remain as intended. It would take away local approval authority for needle-exchange programs. It is not a question of whether or not needle programs should or should not be made available. It is a question of communities having the powerto act in the best interest of their citizens. To allow such a devious circumvention of the will of the people opens the door to future use of the same tactic for other issues. It would be the same as having the federal government dictate how states should conduct their own internal affairs. When Sen. Jajuga began to be challenged by the communities that would be affected, he said he would never take away local control. Lo and behold, he is now attempting to circumvent the legislative process for the second time, removing local control by a bureaucratic process which still gives full power and control to the Dept. of Public health, which has been the prime promoter of these programs from the start! Is a man’s word no longer his bond? When New Bedford voted more than 2 to 1 against providing needles, the DPH threatened to remove local control. It took a while, but here we are! Communities should be informed of the pros and cons, and make their own decisions. Many such communities have not accepted needle exchange, realizing that facilitating and accepting the injection of illegal drugs can only cause more problems for both the addict and the citizenry. Legitimate scientific research does not accept nor support the claims of the proponents: such programs do not prevent the spread of AIDS/HIV, nor do they play a neutral role in drug use among the young. AIDS/HIV is primarily a sexually transmitted disease and should be treated accordingly. As a wife, mother of four, former teacher, naval officer and grandmother of three, I have been involved for almost twenty years trying to keep illegal drugs illegal and away from children. This "normalizing" of injection drug use would undermine all that we preventionists strive to prevent. The term "enabling" as it applies to Alcoholics Anonymous, also applies to those who promote or condone the use of illegal drugs. Is providing the means to inject potentially lethal drugs not the height of enabling? To give the governmental stamp of approval and the means to inject potentially lethal drugs is to say that the use of illegal drugs is okay. When the perception of harm is decreased, use increases; we cannot afford to risk having our children enslaved by drugs or to "normalize" such use. With the 21 to 18 vote in the Senate, it is clear that opposition is strong and legislators are reluctant to allow "Big Brother" to call the shots. I am enclosing material I feel is important as you consider accepting or rejecting this totalitarian, banana republic tactic which will render communities helpless to determine their own future and community well-being. If the House also passes it, I implore you to veto this budget item when it comes to you. - Lea Palleria Cox, M.A.T. |