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Letters to the editor: 07/06/00

Educators respond to editorial

To the Editor:

In response to the editorial of June 29, we feel obligated as educators to address statements made.

Your editorial outlined a merit system of rewarding good teachers, not a supplement. Jackson County educators are asking for a supplement, which is local support for attracting and retaining quality personnel.

Your editorial called for a system for evaluating teachers. Educators already have a state mandated evaluation process in place, which is linked to job performance.

Your editorial addressed the North Carolina tenure policy, stating that there was no mechanism short of criminal activity for dismissing a teacher. General Statute 126, The Personnel Act, provides such due process, which does allow for dismissal.

Your editorial said that Western Carolina University's education program and faculty's spouses will provide an adequate number of teachers in the future. But, information from Western Carolina University indicates that they do not anticipate an increase in education graduates. This solution will not replace the imminent vacancies caused by a high percentage of upcoming retirees.

Your editorial implied that the argument, "Everyone else has one," is not a valid reason for a supplement. Jackson County is one of eight local education agencies that does not show local support by providing a supplement. The other 109 local education agencies in the state do provide a local supplement.

Your editorial compared teachers' salaries with the county's average annual income. A teacher's salary is based on a minimum of four years of higher education with a degree and certification. Teachers are required to recertify their licenses every five years with continuous additional education, which is often obtained during the summer months at the teacher's expense.

In closing, your editorial had a divisive tone attempting to drive a wedge among the Jackson County school board, Jackson County commissioners, Jackson County teachers and the community. As professional educators, it is one of our goals to work collaboratively with all concerned. We need to march to the beat of the same drummer.

Respectfully submitted,

Alice Fox
President - Jackson County NCAE

Marcia Kotila
Vice President - Jackson County NCAE

Ray Menze
Co-Chairperson - Supplement Committee

Marsha Cameron
Co-Chairperson - Supplement Committee

Carolyn Wike
Teacher

Reader issues challenge to Forest Hills

To the Editor:

First Forest Hills said they needed to "educate" us. Then they said that they were uniquely qualified to be stewards of the land. Now Mr. Budahl would have us believe that the folks behind ETJ are the only ones capable of being appreciative and protective of the beauty in Jackson County.

It would seem that if Forest Hills was interested in starting a meaningful dialogue on land use planning and the future of their subdivision and Jackson County, then they might start by tuning down the arrogance and talking substance.

Contrary to Mr. Budahl's letter in last week's Herald, Forest Hills and ETJ are not going to save Jackson County from itself. The intention of this introduction of ETJ was never to provide a starting point for a dialogue on planning and growth management. Witness the fact that the ETJ study committee presented only a map with various areas designated for inclusion in extra-territorial jurisdiction. There was no in-depth study on possible applications of zoning to accommodate, enhance and preserve rural areas. There was no contact with members of the surrounding communities for the purpose of learning what their needs and concerns were. There was no attempt to join with other institutions in the area such as the university, other local governments, or community groups for the purpose of sharing information and trying to reach a common vision.

Pure and simple, ETJ was proposed to address the issue of apartments, fraternities and student housing that had developed alongside the Forest Hills subdivision. This isn't conjecture, this is based on statements made by members of the planning board, members of the ETJ committee and residents. ETJ was about driving unwanted development away from the Village. It was about enhancing property values. All the high-minded talk of vision and preservation was a smoke screen for saying "not in my backyard."

One might argue convincingly that the best place for student apartments, fraternities and housing would be as close to the university as possible. This type of arrangement would provide easy access to the campus. It would reduce traffic and consequently fuel consumption and pollution. This type of arrangement would reduce sprawl thereby preserving farm and timberland and our rural character. By maintaining off campus housing close to the university a sense of community would be easier to establish. Proximity of this type of housing would enhance the likelihood of increased participation in extracurricular activities, it would help ensure greater participation in programs such as concerts and lectures. And this in turn would allow the university to put on a higher quality and greater variety of programs. This would obviously be of great benefit to not only the university but the whole of Jackson County.

The current subdivision and zoning ordinance of Forest Hills does not even recognize the multi-family dwellings that exist in the community now. There is no reason to believe that a future version of the ordinance would be any different particularly in light of the fact that the stated intention for ETJ is to prevent the development of more apartments and off-campus student housing. The issue in ETJ is not and never has been about preserving the beauty of Jackson County. It is purely about preserving a quality of life for one small subdivision.

You can't fault Forest Hills for seeking to protect its own interests. You can fault them for failing to plan three years ago when they incorporated by not including some of the areas that concern them. You can fault them for their arrogance and insulting rhetoric, for portraying their neighbors as uneducated and poor stewards of the land, and for portraying those who oppose them as unappreciative of God's gift of beauty.

ETJ does have appropriate uses in some circumstances. This is clearly not one of them. Forest Hills claims that it wants to take a leadership position in exploring and defining a vision for the future of Jackson County. I challenge them to do just that. Put ETJ aside, apologize to your neighbors and take the lead in establishing a forum where all the voices of the community can be heard. You have characterized us as selfish and short-sighted for opposing ETJ.

We challenge you to put your self-interest aside and open a dialogue with your neighbors, the university and other communities in the county. Maybe by being inclusive rather than exclusive you can define a future that accepts everyone's vision not just yours. Maybe you can find solutions to your problems that do not come at your neighbors' expense.

Mark Jamison

Cullowhee

'Toy' should be taken off the market

To the Editor:

Some of our most popular department stores now carry a new toy you should be warned about. Called "The Cat In The Bag," it is one of the sickest, demeaning and offensive "toys" ever seen.

It teaches animal cruelty and pokes fun at our Appalachian language and heritage. The "toy" is a burlap sack with the tail of a cat sticking out the top, hair and a paw poke through the fabric.

When a child squeezes the bag, a man in hillbilly dialect calls, "Here kitty, kitty." The bag shakes and the cry of a cat is heard. On a second squeeze the cat continues to shake; cries turn to a bubbling sound and it is obvious the sack has been placed in water to drown the poor animal. A third action starts a recording of a woman calling, "Honey, have you seen the kitty?" and the sequence is repeated with subsequent pressing.

This is not a toy - it is the product of a sick mind. No decent person should spend $12.95 to buy the item or give it to a child. Anyone finding one in a store should take it to the manager and ask that it be removed from the shelf.

We need to teach our children to love and respect animals, not to harm them. ARF members and I have called stores that carry the item and urge you to do the same. It will also be reported to the Humane Society of the United States, ASPCA, and other animal welfare organizations.

The sooner we ship these sick toys back to China, the better.

Harold "Catman" Sims

Glenville

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