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Letters to the editor |
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Reader appreciates Herald web site
To the Editor: I have been watching with interest as The Sylva Herald has ventured into the world of high technology. Now anyone anywhere can keep up with Jackson County news and happenings. Congratulations to Kyle Huff and Scott Denmon on their quick response to the recent tractor trailer accident. By utilizing technology, including a digital camera, this important story was available to your "cyber-readers" within minutes of the event. Even television viewers had to wait until the afternoon to get the story. It seems that you guys have figured out how to be a "daily paper" without running the presses any more than usual. Great work! Covering spot news on the Web is a wonderful service for your readers, and for your advertisers as well. I can't wait to see what your staff will come up with next. Until then, I'll be checking thesylvaherald.com daily. John A. Sutton Sylva School board made a mistake To the Editor: I am not one who writes letters to the editor on a regular basis. In fact, this is the first such letter. I am outraged over the latest tactics of our school board and school administration. I had heard several weeks ago of this situation and did not want to believe that it was true. I thought surely this matter would be resolved before it became public knowledge. I wanted to believe that the school board would not allow innocent kids to be punished for actions of others. I am sorry that this is not the case. We try to teach our children to be honest and give their best effort to each and everything that comes their way in life. No doubt A.J. Rowell has worked hard to obtain his grade average and academic standing during these past years. And after seven grading periods at Smoky Mountain High School his records indicate that he is the salutatorian and that in the very least should be the case. It is my opinion that this student should be the valedictorian of the class. If the student who was ranked first in the class had moved at Christmas, would this have prevented the senior class from having a valedictorian? No! The student ranked second would become the first ranked student and the third ranked student would be ranked second. If a student is suspended from school for the rest of the year, then he or she is no longer a member of this senior class and looses his/her class ranking. What if the student who is ranked second in the class had been a child of the principal or a child of a school board member? Do you think there would have been a legal agreement preventing their own child from obtaining valedictorian or salutatorian of the class? Absolutely not! To not include other students and their families in this process who have been affected by this incident is clearly an injustice. I would clearly take action if this incident involved either of my daughters and so would any other parent. A high school graduation without a valedictorian or a salutatorian or commencement exercises without an address from the top student of the class sounds absurd, doesn't it? That is exactly what the class of 2000 at Smoky Mountain High has to look forward to unless some changes are made. We who consider ourselves natives tell everyone that Jackson County is a wonderful place to live and raise a family. Our local schools and teachers provide an excellent education for our children. Fairview Elementary has been a wonderful experience for my daughters. The actions of our school board and administration in this incident truly puts a scar on our school system. I hope that enough people voice their displeasure in this incident to make our administration rethink this entire process and do the right thing. Sincerely, Mark Haskett Sylva School board shows lack of common sense To the Editor: The lack of common sense by the school board and administration on this matter of school valedictorian is almost beyond my comprehension. Talk about making an issue about something that need not be an issue. Thank goodness the Rowells have decided not to stand by and allow the school board to strip their son of his hard earned honor. The plight of the Parker family should have nothing to do with the honors A.J. has earned. The school board has cast a negative vote making a cloud over this year's graduation. Maybe it needs counsel with a better understanding of this community - one who can give advice on how to fix this mess before too late in the school year. The graduates of 2000 have the right to a positive ending to their senior year and a traditional Smoky Mountain graduation. Tom West Cullowhee School board should reverse "ill-conceived" decision To the Editor: At a minimum, school officials and the board of education should have included the Rowell family and the senior class officers before making a decision to eliminate the valedictorian and salutatorian positions from this year's graduation. Comparing "no policy" to have these positions to the tradition they have always added does not compute. This decision warranted much more consideration of the consequences and should have involved more of those to be affected. Last year, we had controversy surrounding negotiations with one family and one student that impacted the entire senior class. The message that this sends is that exceptions are made for some to rules that apply to all. Hopefully, the up side of all this will be that school officials and the board will give more careful thought to closed-door business. Generally, I am very supportive of the Jackson County school system and counter negative comments with all the positive points we have. Schools here are providing high quality education for my son and grandson. I have an older son and daughter who are doing well, in large part to the education they received here. All who care about and support this school system would like to see less of the veil of secrecy except when it really applies. It did not apply to this matter of whether or not the Class of 2000 would lose a major part of its graduation program. I urge the board to reverse this ill-conceived decision before further legal action is taken. Sincerely, Henry Dowling Webster Board's decision was "great injustice" To the Editor: Upon learning of the terrible decision the school board made regarding Smoky Mountain High School's graduation exercises this year, I feel compelled to write this note. Most everyone I've been in contact with this past week has expressed outrage at the unfair stand taken by the board. It's like throwing out the baby with the wash water to punish the entire student body because of the wrongful acts of six students. I do concur with the board's strong disciplinary action rendered to those who (allegedly) did wrong. But no amount of explanation can justify not naming the next two students who meet the requirements to be valedictorian and salutatorian of the Class of 2000. Local, state and federal attention is being directed to improve our school systems. Higher standards for both teachers and students are being required. Among the many initiatives being taken are financial relief in order to have smaller classes and recruiting of volunteers to work in the schools has been stepped up, etc. As a private citizen, I applaud all efforts to upgrade our schools. The results at the end of their schooling, hopefully, will be responsible young citizens who will succeed in life. How discouraged the Smoky Mountain High School students must feel at this turn of events. I believe a great injustice has been rendered, not only to them and their parents, but to the entire county by his wrongful decision. Elmer Hooper Cullowhee All should not be penalized for a few To the Editor: The school board's cancellation of recognition of the two students graduating with the best averages is a sellout and disgrace to Jackson County. The two students graduating with the required grade level should be recognized, as is the usual practice. Why penalize all students for the (alleged) illegal actions of a few? This is not the normal American way to run a school. The students (allegedly) involved with the pipe bombs and other unlawful activities were some of the smartest students in school. They thought they were above the law. They knew they were breaking the law. Had they continued this activity into college and later in life, they would have ended up either being responsible for killing people or being imprisoned for other types of illegal activity. Thank you, Frank Young Cullowhee Accomplishments should be rewarded To the Editor: Bombs have a way of exploding lives. I know, my brother was killed by the Unabomber. I am sure that Miss Parker's life will never be the same and that her suffering has spread in an expanding ricochet large enough to include the lives of many others. Explosions cause fear and confusion and decisions are affected. My concern in writing this letter is the decision-making process that has negotiated away the act of rewarding positive achievement. As the mother of four academically-gifted children and a recent inductee into the Honor Society, I have a strong belief in rewarding accomplishments. Believe me, I believe in punishing the guilty in an effective way. I hope our actions as a community raising our children are responsible, i.e., responding with the light of understand. It appears the Jackson County Board of Education, the principal and the superintendent have made an uninformed decision and have now adopted an arrogant attitude by refusing further discussion. Sincerely, Barbara M. Murray Sylva No defense for this decision To the Editor: As an educator, I am often asked by family and people in the community to defend or explain the actions taken by the school board. This time I'm not even going to try. So don't even ask. Dona West Cullowhee Appalled by school board action To the Editor: I am appalled by the action of the school board in their secret meeting that let Jennifer Parker off the hook and eliminated A.J., second in the class. I believe that she was top of her class until her stupid mistake; however, she will not complete her work at SMHS, missing the entire second semester of her senior year. She has not been convicted and she is innocent until trial, but she is not at SMHS and thus not part of the student body. She can have the pride to know that academically she was first in the class until December. The principal and the school superintendent have used very bad judgment in their disallowing a bona fide student, Mr. Rowell, who will complete his academic work at SMHS, valedictorianship. The other students must feel that they are being disadvantaged and discounted by their leaders. I would. Robert Oliver, M.D. Sylva Acting without thinking To the Editor: We feel that the school board acted without fully thinking through the consequences of its action of eliminating the titles of valedictorian and salutatorian for this year's Smoky Mountain High School graduating class. This action should generate a public outcry. Because the top ranked student has been accused in the recent pipe bomb incident, the school board rightly chose not to name her valedictorian. Taking away the valedictorian designation of a student who has been accused of a crime is appropriate. However, an innocent young man has also been punished for the actions of a few of his classmates. A.J. Rowell has worked very hard throughout his academic career to earn the salutatorian rank in his class. The school board also took away his salutatorian title for no valid reason. There are two sensible alternatives. The school board could do as the Rowells suggest by designating A.J. as the valedictorian and the next-ranked student as the salutatorian. The logic behind this action is the implicit requirement that to earn these honors a student should stay out of trouble as well as maintain high grades. Alternatively, they could designate A.J. as the salutatorian while not having a valedictorian. This alternative would recognize the fact that Jennifer Parker has not been convicted of a crime, just accused. A.J. Rowell is a fine young man who should not be punished for the actions of others. Sue and Paul Heckert Cullowhee Decision should be reversed To the Editor: I, as a taxpayer, was appalled about the decision of the Jackson County Board of Education not to have a valedictorian or salutatorian for the senior student body at Smoky Mountain High School. This, in my opinion, is not a decision a board should make in a secret and closed session. It appears from the board's action that the person deserving of the award has been found guilty before she has stood trial. I don't feel the school board has the right to change regulation. Why do we have a valedictorian or salutatorian if it is not going to be carried out. If the person accused cannot fulfill the requirements of being the class valedictorian, then the next in line should be deserving of the award. I know the next in line is very deserving and duly qualified to fill that position. If the board's decision is not reversed, a travesty of justice will remain. Randy Cabe Savannah English more important than football, teachers say To the Editor: In response to Martha Queen's comment that "English is very important, and is equally important as football" (from "School board selects search committee for SMHS football coach," Feb. 10), we, the English teachers at Smoky Mountain High School, would like to clarify why we believe English is actually more important than football. English is a required course for graduation in North Carolina. In fact, English is the sole subject required for all four years of public high school. Furthermore, the state testing program mandates testing in English (including writing, reading and communication skills) at more grade levels than any other subject. The current accountability requirements for English exemplify its importance on the state level. We are dismayed to learn that our school board chairman doesn't regard English with the same level of respect. As teachers, mothers and Jackson County residents, we wholeheartedly support the athletic program at Smoky Mountain High. We have taught every football player who has walked our halls. We have supported and encouraged them both in the classroom and on the playing field, and we will continue to do so. However, to intimate that football is equal to any course offering at our high school is disappointing and hurtful. As a final note, we were also offended by Queen's comment that "people in other counties can name our football coaches, not our English teachers." We are proud that our expertise has been solicited for workshop presentations across North Carolina, as well as in other states, proving many people in many places know our names. English Department, Smoky Mountain High School (Terri Bell, Mary Helen Clement, Julie Gentry Dee Grantham, Alice Pendergast, Pam Preston, Tinnie Salzano, Richelle Sampl and Inga Sutton) Open letter to Jackson County Board of Commissioners Dear Commissioners: I am writing to voice my appreciation for the opportunity to serve our county over this past year. Several plans were advanced and I found the Planning Board to be most diligent in searching for the best interests of our county as they worked on each and every plan. I do need to point out they deserve better support than they received by the "three" commissioners for the Off-Premise Sign Ordinance. Your Planning Board was tasked by you to develop the ordinance. Upon in depth research, seeking out the best available advice and a study of similar ordinances, a most appropriate ordinance for our county was produced. When the ordinance was presented, not only was it not respectfully received, three commissioners had already accepted a proposed ordinance by a singular special interest group. The "three" obviously had decided the content of the ordinance without benefit of research and study. No amount of logic or a focus on what is in the best interests of our county held any interest for them. During the weeks following the meeting, members of the Planning Board and citizens representing up to several thousand others stepped forward one by one to point out the merits of our work. Each also voiced strong requests to not allow one special interest to dictate policy for our county. Minds had been set and no re-thinking or re-examination was about to take place. A three-to-two vote trashed months of work by your Planning Board for one special interest that obviously places money interests above the appearance of our roadways. Signs can be most effective when artfully displayed and constructed to fit in with their natural surroundings. I hope our local businesses will request such signage in the future. This action by the "three" was, in my opinion, an opportunity lost. I will put forth a request before I give up on this effort. Please revisit and pass the ordinance as presented to you dated Oct. 20, 1999, or take the necessary steps to place the ordinance on the next ballot. This would provide a vote on this issue at no cost to the county and taxpayers. This would also clearly show your citizens that you would not allow a special interest to take control of our county government. I would be remiss if I failed to voice my deep appreciation to Mr. Denton and Mr. Buchanan for their continued heroic efforts to work with the controlling "three" commissioners. I assure you the quiet leaders of our county are aware of what is happening and corrective steps will come at the first opportunity. Lastly, I would point out it is time for me to focus on other things having completed the one year I elected to serve. I'm sure you know I had lost some level of interest after the Off-Premise Sign Ordinance activities. I do not like negative exchanges as I have long experienced that teamwork is the better way to go. I felt strongly that a challenge on this issue was in the best interest of our county and did not hesitate to step forward. I only hope the full board will realize challenge is in the best interest of everyone. I have always been told if a plan or a group cannot stand up to a test, the outcome will likely not be as strong as it could be. I urge you to not get rid of everyone who will dare to question and those who will speak out for the best interests of our county even when they know the odds are not in their favor. Decisions for political pay offs or favors is not good for our county; in fact, these type actions set our county back several years. I ask for the courtesy of a written response to this request for action. Sincerely, Hugh Moon Sylva Students appreciate Deputy Jamison To the Editor: The fifth-graders at Smokey Mountain Elementary recently graduated from D.A.R.E. We are glad Sheriff's Department Deputy Libby Jamison came to teach us how to say no to drugs. Drugs can harm you in many different ways. They can even lead to unhealthy or short life. Without Deputy Jamison to teach us about drugs and alcohol, we might have never had most of our future questions answered. We are writing this letter to show our appreciation to Deputy Jamison for teaching us and to the citizens of Jackson County for their support of this great program. Let's all work together to keep our community drug and violence free. Sincerely, Traci Allison, Christina Howard, Ashley Taylor and Konawv PostOak |
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