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The Official Legal Organ of Chattooga County Georgia
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Our Opinion
Dropout Rate Increases
It is sad news that the dropout rate in
the Chattooga County school system has
risen once again. It increased by a full
point from the 1989-90 school term to the
1990-91 school year, according to state
figures.
Chattooga continues to have one of the
highest dropout rates in Georgia, based on
the statistics compiled during the past
several years.
Counties with socio-economic statistics
worse than those of Chattooga County
have consistently posted lower dropout
rates. It is quite clear that those factors
alone are not responsible for our high rate.
The high dropout numbers are embar
rassing to Chattooga school officials. They
should be. The numbers are a clear indica
tion that our children’s future is slowly eb
bing away.
We have tried a part-time stay in
school coordinator. We have tried a high
powered educational consultant. We have
tried issuing library cards. Nothing seems
to have worked for long, despite an occa
sional blip downward. i
The current Delta alternative school
program may offer some hope for the
future. It seems to be aiming at a key
group: eighth graders. Recent statistics
have shown that the greatest number of
dropouts occur in the ninth grade, or
Is Civil Discourse Dead?
Is simple civility in public discourse a
virtue of the past?
That seems to be the case in Chattooga
County, based on recent exchanges.
Five to six individuals regularly use
WGTA'’s “Feedback” listener call-in pro
gram to make sarcastic, biting attacks
agfiainst many of the community’s public
officials and figures. Some have used that
program to attack private individuals or
non-elected people who merely work for
government.
Many recent public meetings have
degenerated into near shouting matches.
The threat of physical violence has mar
red a couple of sessions.
An ‘“‘us versus them” approach in
public disclosure is gaining in favor. It is
little wonder that most local officials look
on public gatherings as little more than op
portunities to be badgered and baited by
people with near-sighted, single-minded,
narrow personal agendas.
Based on national studies, this
degeneration in the quality of public
discourse is not unique to Chattooga
County. It is a growing problem in the
United States. In some areas, the lack of
civility and order has made the practice of
governing almost impossible.
But it is only within the past couple of
z:caros that verbal public lynchings have
me commonplace in Chattooga Coun
ty. That approach has hurt our communi
ty. It continues to harm all of us.
The substance of criticism is not the
issue. How criticism, proposals, concepts
and ideas are presented is the issue.
For much of our republic’s history,
disagreements could be presented in a civil
manner. Despite healthy, principled
disagreements on issues, most individuals
have generally been able to maintain a
courteous personal relationship with one
another.
Strict rules of discourse are in effect in
the U.S. House and U.S. Senate.
Regardless of how much one disagrees
with a colleague, personal attacks, baiting,
badgering and vicious and sarcastic com
ments are not sanctioned on the floor of
either house.
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Opinions Expressed By
Editorial Columnists Are Not
Necessarily Those of This Newspaper
Thursday, January 16, 1992
shortly after graduating eighth graders
enter the ninth grade.
The Delta program at Chattooga High
School was developed primarily by
teachers. They are close to the problem
and probably have a better perception of
the subtle issues that cause a child to walk
away from school than do many self
proclaimed “experts” and administrators.
We need to remember that the dropout
rate and numbers represent individual
students with names, faces, hopes, fears,
dreams, loves, dislikes and views. We
sometimes make the mistake of deper
sonalizing them with statistics. That’s not
uncommon with school officials. .. or
newspapers.
We have to do a better job of not only
keeping our children in school but in giv
ing them an excellent education. Ade
quacy is not enough. Excellence should be
our goal.
We encourage the Chattooga County
Board of Education and superintendent to
support the Delta program. We also en
courage them to keep a close eye on it to
determine whether it will be a long-term
success, or merely another failed good
idea.
Individual children. Remember them.
They’re behind the dry statistics.
A few local public officials have had
about enough of the abuse. But their reac
tions in a couple of instances cannot be
condoned. It is imperative that our elected
leaders maintain their calm and sense of
order regardless of what is going on
around them. They should not allow
themselves to be dragged into the mire of
childish rantings.
Issues should be discussed in public
discourse. Even when disagreements on
issues cannot be resolved to the satisfac
tion of either or both parties, simple
courtesy should be observed without
exception.
And that includes eliminating mindless
badgering. Repetition of the same cliches,
questions, and hackneyed expressions
won't resolve issues. Personal attacks on
ly harden resistance to what may have
started out as potentially valuable sugges
tions. That’s just the way it is.
If the current mood of visciousness and
lack of civility prevails in Chattooga Coun
ty, our community will soon regain the
poor statewide image it had just a few
short years ago. It may also make local
residents and officials wonder whether our
quality of public life is deteriorating into
primitive Neanderthalism.
No laws can be enacted that will make
people civil or courteous. It is up to each
individual to exercise the self-discipline it
takes to control one’s baser nature. We
have not seen much of that self-control on
“Feedback” or at most public meetings in
the past couple of years.
The people of Chattooga County must
decide for themselves what type of socie
ty they wish for themselves, their children
and grandchildren. We can encourage, of
fer our views and point in the direction of
civil discourse. But ultimately, it is up to
the residents of Chattooga County.
GIVE THANKS
Few of us get what we deserve, for
which most of us should be thankful. —
Cincinnati Enquirer.
AND SURN LOMWN
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Death Oof A Child
A LOT OF unusual happenings caught
my attention during the recent holidays.
A 22-year-old Dalton woman was ar
rested for killing her 1-day-old son and
dumping his body on a mountaintop road.
The perfectly formed little boy had been
struck on his head and his tiny body wrap
ped in a towel and placed inside a garbage
bag.
£ e
IF SHE HAD had an abortion a few
weeks or months earlier, she wouldn’t be
in jail. Pro-abortion activists would have
praised her ‘‘right” to abort her child.
Either way, the child is dead.
Isn’t it odd how a few weeks or days
can change one’s perception of what’s
right or wrong? Twenty million abor
tions . . . and counting.
REP. TOM BEVILL, who serves nor
thern Alabama, is a true Southern
gentleman. Very courtly and courteous.
And on occasion, he is moderately
conservative.
But he made a very poor decision
recently when he introduced a bill to
establish the Little River Canyon National
Preserve. No one knows how much it is go
ing to cost. But 15,000 acres won’t come
cheap.
The national debt is more than $2
B Julie’s Notes
%; By Julie Griffis
All Washed Up
WHEN I WAS in college I got hooked
on soap operas, though I knew even back
then, they were stupid.
I'd get in from class and have nothing
to do for a couple of hours. (I didn't want
to study, I'd just come from class). So, I'd
watch soaps.
I'm actually glad I dropped that habit.
For one thing if you watch soaps too
much, your life seems really boring
because you're not having an affair with
your sister's husband that everyone
thought died in a plane crash, that turned
out to be a terrorist bombing, five years
ago. Or you start wearing gold lamme for
the sole purpose of feeding the dog. (No
one wears sweats around the house in soap
operas or wakes up without their make-up
on).
* * *
AND OF ALL the soap operas I've
every seen (I've seen several) I've only
seen one woman cook food in her kitchen.
That was Ada on ‘“Another World.”
So now, especially since I have to work
for a living, I just read about the soaps,
sometimes.
5
Viewpoint
By Tommy Toles, Editor
trillion — an amount that can’t be conceiv
ed in the human mind. The 1991-92 deficit
is expected to be somewhere around S3OO
billion. And yet Rep. Bevill has come up
with another way to spend our hard-earned
tax money. It's a disgrace. :
TO BE politically “correct” these days,
one has to be an avid fan of recyling. Sup
posedly it saves money and natural
resources, plus reducing the need for land
fill space. I'm convinced of the latter but
there’s a lot of doubt in my mind about the
two former concepts.
For one thing, recycling is becoming
less and less profitable. The supply of
paper, plastics, etc., is much greater than
the demand. In fact, some ‘‘virgin”
materials now cost less than recycled
materials. And some things can't be
recycled.
s#.. 6 @
THE WHOLE process of recycling —
from beginning to end — is very labor in
tensive, which tends to escalate the cost
of the process.
We need to take a long look at political
ly “correct” fads and ideas before jump
ing into a morass from which we may not
be able to extract ourselves without a lot
of cost and aggravation.
These things don’t happen to normal
people.
For example, in “All My Children,”
Livia and Tom got into a romantic mood
when they were trapped in a deserted ski
lodge. But Livia held back, claiming she
didn’t want to get involved in an inter
racial romance. (Why was she there?)
Adam offered to get out of Erica’s life
if she had the nerve to tell Jack about their
remarriage. (Now, if she tells Jack she mar
ried Adam, Jack will get mad. Then she
won’t have Adam or Jack. What’s a girl
to do)?
s
ON “ANOTHER WORLD,” Paulina
confesses she shot Jake, but he said it was
an accident and the case was dismissed.
Olivia learned she’s only four weeks preg
nant, but Sam overheard her tell David
she’s three months along. Jake moved out
of the Cory home, but admitted to Aman
da how much he really cares for Paulina.
Vicky suggested she could be a surrogate
mother for Jamie and Marley, which caus
ed Ryan to walk out. Jake's Christmas gift
see JULIE GRIFFIS, page 5-A
Mike
Steed
We’ll Miss
Foreign Investments
SO, YOU’'RE worried about your job? So is George
Bush. George Bush has a tough job. Just now he is riding
on the horns of an economic recession in the U. S. and, in
the snapshot of public opinion, his job security is not too
good. This is somewhat ironic since there is precious lit
tle that a president can do to make a significant change
in the recession. His true power over the economy is more
of a lightening rod than a ground wire.
There is peril in either the administration or Congress
attempting a quick fix. There is more promise by beginn
ing an in depth reassessment of our approach to our
economic future.
* * *
BUSINESS AND industry is in a holding pattern and
is reducing debt rather than creating more. The various
levels of government should emulate this pattern rather
than rushing to increase deficits by generating ‘“make
work”’ programs for the sake of creating jobs.
We must recognize certain international factors involv
ed in this recession. Accept that the economic woes are
global and are not confined to our shores. A tremendous
factor not previously considered in our deliberations of the
U. S. recession is the demand for capital investment in
Eastern Europe.
* * *
IN AN ERA of socialism/Communism which lasted
three quarters of a century, there were very few oppor
tunities for capital investment in Eastern Europe nor were
there many markets for consumer products. That is all out
the window now. The dissolution of the U.S.S.R. has
changed the playing field forever.
Those who decried the investment in the U. S. by the
Japanese and other foreigners will soon wish we had some
of that capital investment. Now that money will be going
to Eastern Europe where the need is critical for infrastruc
ture, }nanufacturing and market development. The oppor
tunities are enormous.
* * *
. WHAT WE HAVE enjoyed in the form of foreigners
investing in the U. S. will become scarce in the decade of
the nineties. This will create a challenge for our own
economy as American investors join the opportunities
abroad.
In short, there will be challenges here but there will be
plenty of opportunity as well. Tfie current recession will
end, some say it has already bottomed. But, the world is
different. Our role in world economics is different.
* * *
_ WE FACE the challenge of rebuilding much of our own
infrastructure (bridges, roads, water, etc.) as well as a ma
jor overhaul of our approach to education. We must fun
damentally re-think our approach to business and industry
management. Our management/labor relationships have
become too adversarial. Our profit objectives have become
too immediate as opposed to long term.
_ln short, our economic enemies are more within than
without. Protectionism and isolationism are being ten
tatively espoused by ‘Segments of both major political par
ties. Once these positions are carefully evaluated with a
strategic, long term outlook, they will pale in their
attractiveness.
* * *
. IN THE MEANTIME, whether or not George Bush
will continue in office depends more on the timing of the
end of this recession than anything he may or may not
g:al :e\:lo:(l)d be guxte al({:omforting to think that a president
wer to make suc i i !
just not that simple. A kmportant ditteemos.Lich
DEFINITION
World — A big ball whi ; -
Newnteh .13 (fil s ;;hlch revolves on its taxes.
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