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Board of Education made right choice with Nations
To the Editor:
Congratulations to the Jackson County Board of Education for recognizing the ability and contributions of Sue Nations. It is certainly noteworthy that Nations was educated in and graduated from Jackson County schools. With degrees from Western Carolina University, her work history spans years of exemplary teaching, principalships, promotion to assistant superintendent, and now appointment as superintendent of schools.
This is not an easy position for anyone to occupy. She must provide a firm hand, a helping hand, a teaching hand and a guiding hand to all concerned with Jackson County education - school district staff, parents, students, board members, county commissioners and citizens in general.
The need for a multi-handed approach to educational leadership takes a heavy toll on a person's energies. It is essential that she be provided with the support staff needed to perform her assigned responsibilities efficiently and effectively. Congratulations to Nations.
Finally, Chancellor John Bardo and Western Carolina University should be proud and honored that Sue Nations' advancement and development is a shining example of what a foresighted university should provide - nurturing, educating and preparing its students for future leadership and accomplishments.
Vernon Dausch
Sylva
WATR director appreciates river's caretakers
To the Editor:
Keeping our Tuckasegee River clean takes fellow citizens who care for the river and who are willing to take the effort to call attention to possible pollution.
Carol and Ken Schlaker, who live in River Bend Retirement Park in Cullowhee, showed real environmental stewardship and persistence on Monday when they saw an old tank stranded in the Tuckasegee River at the edge of their property.
Carol called around to find out what agency is responsible for removing the potential source of contamination. After more than a half dozen frustrating calls, she contacted us at Watershed Association of the Tuckasegee River. In turn, we called the Jackson County Manager, who contacted Mike Ensley of Jackson County Emergency Management.
Mike was out there within minutes. He enlisted the help of the Jackson County Rescue Squad and the Cullowhee Volunteer Fire Department. Together they hauled the 300-gallon old tank out of the river.
It was already punctured and so any fuel or chemical in the tank had been released earlier, either as it deteriorated next to the stream or after it was washed into the current.
Bad chemicals just add more stress to the stream "critters" who have to endure suffocating loads of sediment, big changes in flow and temperature, and trash that we allow to get into the Tuckaseigee.
We urge you be a good watershed citizen and to report potential pollution violations. If there is an apparent toxic spill, call Jackson County Dispatch at 586-1911 and they will relay the information to Mike Ensley.
If you would like to join WATR or know more about us, give us a call at our new number, (828) 488-9630.
Roger Clapp
Bryson City
Latino issues are important community discussion
To the Editor:
I am writing to commend Carey King and The Sylva Herald for the recent series related to the emerging Latino population in Western North Carolina. The series provides much-needed information to citizens, highlighting problems unique to these recent immigrants as well as the contributions Latino families make to the local economy. Through this series of articles, we also see how generous local citizens are with their time and resources as Latino families learn English and learn to adjust to a new culture and new laws.
I especially appreciated the series on education in which King presented a balanced look at basic educational needs and strategies: adjustments that public schools must make; the needs of adult learners; an intimate look into one early childhood classroom demonstrating that a language-rich classroom works best for all children; and what happens to good students once they graduate from high school.
It is obvious that the local school system has taken a proactive stance in planning for the growing numbers of Spanish-speaking students. It is heartening to learn of the efforts to reach adults, tailoring classes to meet their needs and building community among Latino families, churches, Southwestern Community College and other community groups to assist with adult-learning needs. It is also heartening to learn that North Carolina allows local systems to develop programs based on the numbers of English as a Second Language students as well as local resources.
The legal and financial barrier that high school graduates meet when they desire to further their education remains the major obstacle to creating equal opportunity. It appears that this is the first time in America's history that an underclass is going to quickly appear if the nation does not collectively solve this problem. Last year, the Asheville Citizen featured a high school graduate, an honor student, who was working at minimum wage because of her undocumented status. She is just one example of the hundreds of outstanding high school graduates in North Carolina who find that higher education is a closed door. College administrators, legislators and Latino organizations are working hard on this issue. They need our support.
Two other thoughts occurred to me as I read King's articles. Deeper meaning and full comprehension is tied to the primary language. Therefore, honoring and supporting the use of the primary language is critical as children and adults learn English. Oral language may be acquired within two to three years. However, the level of proficiency needed for advanced academic understanding may take four to six years when learning a second language. Students should be encouraged to maintain their primary language, not only for their own benefit, but for the benefit of society, as well. Bilingual professionals are needed in education, medicine, business, and all aspects of American life. Seeing bilingualism as an asset would also help us to view children entering with a primary language other than English as a positive thing. In other words, they do not enter school 5,000 words behind, but rich in 5,000 words in another language to which they will add 5,000 words in English.
The second thought I had relates to recent research on how young children acquire a second language compared to high school students and adults. It has always been assumed that "the younger, the better." However, recent research shows that this may not be the case. A quicker aptitude to pronunciation may be true for young children; however, the ability to truly learn another language seems to be equal among adults and children. This is encouraging for adults, but more importantly, it indicates that care is needed so as not to place unrealistic expectations on young children.
Linda Watson
Sylva
Cat, dog listing is new way to meet pet friends
To the Editor:
The Sylva Herald now includes Pets of the Week. This is a weekly column listing, with photos, of some of the stray dogs and cats held at local shelters. All of these animals are in need of new homes and this is a great service.
If you are interested in adopting a pet, please look for this column and make arrangements to meet one or more of these animals. All three local groups, Catman2, ARF and the Jackson County Animal Shelter, are working together to find these animals safe, loving and lifetime homes. Phone numbers of the shelters, Web pages, and e-mail addresses are listed.
Harold Sims
Cullowhee
Social workers strengthen WNC
Dear Editor:
March is National Professional Social Work Month and I would like to tell you and your readers more about how the social work profession is playing a vital role in our local community.
Professional social workers make a meaningful and humanitarian contribution to Western North Carolina and in communities the world over. The theme of this year's campaign, "The Power of Social Work: Pass It On‚" is intended to help the general public better understand the profession of social work, how it provides for individuals who need help, and how this process benefits everyone in society.
Through training and dedication, social workers tackle some of America's most difficult problems: drug addiction, family violence, joblessness, homelessness, mental illness, prejudice and many other conditions that have an impact on millions of people with no voice and few options. Social workers help open doors of access and opportunity to those in greatest need.
Roughly 600,000 social workers are dedicated to ensuring that people of all ages, creeds, sexual orientation, and nationalities have access to adequate resources and services. Their efforts often make all the difference to individuals and families who might otherwise fall through the cracks into hopelessness and despair. Success is measured by helping people achieve their goals on their own terms.
In schools, hospitals, clinics and community action programs in and around WNC, social workers have made and continue to make the world a better place, one person, one family, one challenge at a time.
It is fitting that all Americans pay tribute to the skills and determination of social workers during this time.
Heather Gray
Cullowhee
New low shown in theater marketing
To the Editor:
Theaters have always offered cut-rate tickets for blocks of seats but never have I heard of this before. It's a new low.
From page four of the March 9, 2004, issue of the N.C. Christian Advocate (published by the United Methodist Church) I found the following, "The voice on the telephone explained that the movie The Passion of Christ is generating great interest around the country. Surely, the male voice said, the church would want to be a part of this remarkable event - the showing of the movie during Lent.
"If we would enter into a marketing agreement with his company, we could sell out theaters around the country and share in the benefits, including a portion of the take. He said he was sure we would want to be a part of this event and his offer was so generous there was no reason to refuse. His closing remark was ominous, 'If we failed to take a stand in support of the movie, the world would know...' Know what?"
I am interested in knowing if any churches here were approached with such an arrangement.
Protestant churches have a cross on the altar without Jesus' dead body still hanging on it because we believe that Christ has risen. The focus is not on death, but on life after death, not on the medieval demons in hell, not on pain, grief, guilt and fear, but on the joy of the resurrection and on Jesus' main message that we learn to love one another.
I found the move an insult to the reason God sent us his son.
Carolyn Rauch
Sylva |
