Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/41937
6A Daily News – Tuesday, September 13, 2011 Opinion Testing Editor: D NEWSAILY RED BLUFF TEHAMACOUNTY T H E V O I C E O F T E H A M A C O U N T Y S I N C E 1 8 8 5 I am concerned about the California Standards Test (CST) being used as the mea- surable model of success with- in our education system. Every child has a gift. How- Greg Stevens, Publisher gstevens@redbluffdailynews.com Chip Thompson, Editor editor@redbluffdailynews.com Editorial policy The Daily News opinion is expressed in the editorial. The opinions expressed in columns, letters and cartoons are those of the authors and artists. Letter policy The Daily News welcomes let- ters from its readers on timely topics of public interest. All let- ters must be signed and pro- vide the writer's home street address and home phone num- ber. Anonymous letters, open letters to others, pen names and petition-style letters will not be allowed. Letters should be typed and cannot exceed two double-spaced pages or 500 words. When several letters address the same issue, a cross section of those submit- ted will be considered for publi- cation. Letters will be edited. Letters are published at the discretion of the editor. Mission Statement We believe that a strong com- munity newspaper is essential to a strong community, creating citizens who are better informed and more involved. The Daily News will be the indispensible guide to life and living in Tehama County. We will be the premier provider of local news, information and advertising through our daily newspaper, online edition and other print and Internet vehi- cles. The Daily News will reflect and support the unique identities of Tehama County and its cities; record the history of its com- munities and their people and make a positive difference in the quality of life for the resi- dents and businesses of Tehama County. How to reach us Main office: 527-2151 Classified: 527-2151 Circulation: 527-2151 News tips: 527-2153 Sports: 527-2153 Obituaries: 527-2151 Photo: 527-2153 On the Web www.redbluffdailynews.com Fax Newsroom: 527-9251 Classified: 527-5774 Retail Adv.: 527-5774 Legal Adv.: 527-5774 Business Office: 527-3719 Address 545 Diamond Ave. Red Bluff, CA 96080, or P.O. Box 220 Red Bluff, CA 96080 ever, I feel most of those gifts cannot be measured by an annual standardized test. The CST seems to set many chil- dren up for failure. Not all children can ever achieve proficiency in acade- mics. Academics are not every child's gift. Furthermore, when children fail to meet the required standards, they feel like failures. When they feel like failures, they act like fail- ures. Yet, when children are proud of themselves, they act like children deserving of praise. Just because a test can measure academic success does not mean it can measure success. No child should ever feel less than another. Rather, we should teach our children to embrace each others' differences. Some children are strong academically, some physically, some artistically, some emo- tionally, etc. Without our vari- ous gifts, society would fail. Our education system is becoming standardized and so are our children. We are trying to test them all into the same measurable mold of academia. I grew up loving school because it was fun. School was full of variety. We loved to learn. I wasn't tested into a standardized mold and neither were my peers. Somehow, we acquired enough information to prosper at our desired trades. At the rate we are measuring our children with the CST, I foresee a future in the state of California where today's youth become so burned out on acad- emics and tests they decide not to go to college. I hope I am wrong because how is that suc- cess? Carey Koeberer, Red Bluff Priorities Editor: The irony of bureaucratic prior- ities. Deborah Suteliffe and Richard Griffith who's opinion let- ters appeared on Aug. 30 said so much with only a few sentences each. Thank you both. Folks, it is not lost on the many of us who lived through history's worst depressions, or learned the lessons that prevailed from them, the importance of keeping our eco- nomic priorities straight. When study after study has made it glaringly clear that we are already in real trouble with a short- fall of educating our current stu- dent population with the skills nec- essary to fill the many profession- al jobs that are mounting on the horizon. We have just not kept up with reality and now that the proof is in the numbers, we are in need of a stepped up concentration of skills and curriculum change, the bureaucrats holding the purse strings decide a new court room is more important use of $72,000,000. OK, all you in the legal jobs would point out that stopping that project won't put the money into the school coffers anyway. I say that thinking is self-serving, stupid and hogwash and exactly why our nation is in deep trouble. We have let each agency that is supposed to be formed to serve the taxpaying civilians of their dis- tricts become independent little consumers and survive regardless of the effect it has on the whole. We will reap what we sow if we decide that building courtrooms is higher priority than having our children educated by providing every tool we can provide. And if you say "but we cannot change the system of appropriation of funds" then you make my point exactly. Did it occur to anyone why we need so many courtrooms for our huge drug related cases? Could our kids be led to better priorities earlier and by example? Would more young people find jobs soon- er if they were armed with what the employers need today? Change gears and do it now like we poor jobless suckers have had to do since our Government and Wall street and greed has brought us to our knees Thanks Richard G. and Deborah S. and editor for placing their letters at top of the section. It woke up my anger at the stu- pidity of and disaster of a lack of priority. Carlene Pollard, Red Bluff Box tops Editor: Over the past few years, we have all watched the cuts that the state has made in education. Loss of library use, no physical educa- tion, classes of 30 or more stu- dents, without any help but par- ents, etc. Any more cuts by the government, and our children will not be able to attend public schools. I am the Box Tops for Educa- tion Coordinator for Metteer Ele- mentary. By now, I am sure that everyone is aware of this program, put on by General Mills. Last year General Mills gave out $60 mil- lion in Box Tops submissions. With each Box Top submitted by the school each year, General Mills donates a dime. This sub- mission occurs twice a year. This may not sound like a lot of money, but for every child in Tehama County it means something tangi- ble like a field trip, new play- ground equipment or school sup- plies. With all of the cuts thrust upon on us from the state, we need every dime we can get. Since this is the beginning of the school year, General Mills is being extra generous with Box Tops. If you don't have a child in school, we need your Box Tops. Please save them and submit them to your school of choice. It doesn't need to be Metteer — although we would greatly appreciate it. It may be your school of choice that is collecting Box Tops. As far as I'm aware, that is any school in Tehama County. Before you toss out the Box Tops off your participating brand item, please think of the children and our future. We need those Box Your Turn Tops to support basic education, field trips and other related needs. If you are not sure what to do with Box Tops, bag them up and take them to the school of your choice. I believe all children deserve every opportu- nity. Box Tops is one of those opportunities. As parents of children in the public school sys- tem, we appreciate your help. Kelly Heise, Red Bluff Houston prayers Editor: I wish Mr. Wilson's GodTalk column about Gov. Perry's "Call To Prayer" had included men- tion of the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR). I encour- age people to visit their home- page. It was an open desire of many in attendance at the rally, in the audience, speakers and those behind the scenes, to see this country become a theocracy. A religious government for a reli- gious citizenry. Sound familiar? The NAR use the phrase "Spiritual Warfare" often, which translates to "Jihad." Sound familiar? This country was founded by Deists, not Theists, and any steps this government takes towards theocracy leads only one direction: Backwards. Mr. Wilson mentioned some T-shirts he admired. I like this one, "Science flies us to the moon. Religion flies us into buildings." I don't agree with their Jihad, and we lower our- selves to that level with any Spiritual Warfare of our own. Since Gov. Perry's prayers for rain have gone unanswered, he's now asking people to pray for his state's wildfires to end. Two thousand years ago prayer went hand in hand with offerings and bloody sacrifices. People simply didn't know any better then, and today only religious extremists, and jihadists, hold to this view. Is this the direction we need to take? William Cadman, Red Bluff Your officials STATE ASSEMBLYMAN — Jim Nielsen (R) State Capitol Bldg., Room 6031 Sacramento, CA 95814 (916) 319-2002; Fax (916) 319-2102 STATE SENATOR — Doug LaMalfa (R) State Capitol Bldg., Room 3070 Sacramento, CA 95814 (916) 651-4004; Fax (916) 445-7750 GOVERNOR — Jerry Brown, State Capitol Bldg., Sacramento, CA 95814; (916) 445-2841; Fax (916) 558-3160; E-mail: gover- nor@governor.ca.gov. U.S. REPRESENTATIVE — Wally Herger (R), 2635 Forest Ave. Ste. 100, Chico, CA 95928; 893-8363. U.S.SENATORS — Dianne Feinstein (D), One Post Street, Suite 2450, San Francisco, CA 94104; (415) 393-0707. Fax (415) 393-0710. Barbara Boxer (D), 1700 Montgomery St., Suite 240, San Francisco, CA 94111; (510) 286-8537. Fax (202) 224- 0454. Rebuttal to letter regarding Grand Jury Commentary I am writing a rebuttal to the Aug. 31 letter written in the Daily News from Pat Massie Johnston. I support people and their rights to their opinions, but if they associate my name with those opinions, please get the facts right. I will not address the specific contents of the letter, but will address the incorrect or misquoted statements. Mr. Wilkerson, the deceased Grand Jury Foreperson and I spent many hours reviewing all of the complaints brought before the Grand Jury. He never shared any concerns over a fraudulent election or cover-up. After his death I recused myself, since I am the next door neighbor of Mr. Nielsen, (as is proper protocol) of any involve- ment with the investigation, but the final report reflected the findings and the facts, and the Grand Jury should be commended for its effort. While Judge Garaventa did appoint me as foreperson, I was the Pro-Tem, which was the logical and proper move. Being the next door neighbor of Jim Nielsen has nothing to do with the appoint- ment. As for the "low rent mobile" statement, perhaps Ms. Johnston should tour the area and see his house, mine and the surrounding homes before summarizing the physicality of the area. The letters which were passed to me after Mr. Wilkerson's death were copies of correspondence that he was in the process of making at the time of his death. He kept no secret files, nor did he keep any information from the Grand Jury, as was implied. I coordinated with the secretary of the Grand Jury to make sure that we responded to those complaints. Furthermore, I published all of the citizens' com- plaints in the Final Report. The only ones not published would be those determined not to meet the criteria for further action on the part of the Grand Jury. County Counsel pro- vided legal support to the Grand Jury. They reviewed those matters and cases brought before them by the various Grand Jury Committees. They would advise us on cases that were turned over to the District Attorney's Office for criminal action or on those cases that lacked merit or were matters out of the scope of the Grand Jury. In the case regarding Mr. Nielsen, County Council provided the specific California law which was used in the summary of the investigation which sited "a resi- Guest View Richard Sol dence is a domicile and a domicile is a residence." After its thorough review, the Grand Jury report con- cluded there was "no merit" to the claims made regarding Mr. Nielsen. Lastly, as a good citi- zen, I took my job seri- ously as Grand Jury Foreman. I felt it was my civic duty to do the best job possible. Dur- ing the turnover from the outgoing 2010-1011 Grand Jury to the incoming 2011-2012 a statement was made to the incom- ing members that, in fact, a Coun- ty Grand Jury has no jurisdiction over state employees and cannot investigate a state employee. The statement was not made by Judge Garaventa and was quoted out of context. Richard Sol lives in Gerber.