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Viewpoints
Our Opinions
Action Was A Big Mistake
School Board Chairman Zell Blackmon Jr. has seemed to have the magic
touch when il comes to public relations since he took office.
He is a favorite with the press because he has kept everything he could
on the table. When he didn't there was a good and legal reason why.
He has been a good source of information for this newspaper. He has
been open and forthcoming. In other words, we like him.
But be and other board members are on die hot seat with Perryans
because they have decided to build two new middle schools in the Warner
Robins area while saying Perry can get by with some additions to the
present middle school.
Last week a meeting was held at which a large number of Perryans
showed up to present their case for a new middle school south of Highway
96.
Someooe noticed that WMAZ-TV (Channel 13) did not have anyone at
the meeting and called the TV station and asked why. Allegedly someone
at the station said that Mr. Blackmon had asked them not to cover the
meeting. You can imagine bow this went over with Perryans.
Fortunately, one TV Station-Channel 24—did cover the meeting, but
Channel 13 is the big boy in Middle Georgia news.
It was, in our opinion, a public relations mistake on the part of Mr.
Blackmon if he did, indeed, ask Channel 13 not to cover the meeting.
Perryans had a right to have their views receive the widest of coverage.
Mr. Blackmon has submitted an explanation of the board's reasons for
selecting the Warner Robins area for both middle schools. But these
reasons are not being received well here.
The issue is one that will be pursued vigorously, according to local civic
mid business leaders who have contacted us.
And They Did Right Thing
Some area daily newspapers have been coming down hard on the county
board of education for discussing persons for whom they might name a
school in executive session.
The board's attorney has advised them that they should discuss these
people in private, because it would do harm to the people whose names
might come up and be rejected.
We agree.
Individuals who might have no knowledge of being considered should not
have their names bandied about loosely...nor should they be subjected to
publicity and perhaps ridiculed if board members decided they were
unworthy of the honor.
Some things must..and should...be done in private and this is one of
them.
So What? ffs Only Money
Congress has been told that the Social Security Administration is paying
disability payments to millions who have gone back to work.
The administration has ignored a 1980 law requiring annual reviews of
between 400,000 and 500,000 persons receiving these benefits every year.
So far in 14 years the Social Security Administration has ignored the law
and has conducted a total of 50,000 reviews. _
Consequently a total of $1.4 billion has been paid out to people who are
heafiKy and have gone back to work. Doesn't it make you proud of these
people?
Something to think about: There will be many agencies just like this
one handling your health care if President Clinton's plan is adopted.
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Editor
Houston Times-Journal
P.O. Drawer M
Perry, GA, 31069
Houston Times-Journal
P.O. Drawer M • 807 Carroll Street • Perry, Ga. 31069
Phone: (912) 987-1823
Member Georgia Press Association-Na ional Newspaper Association
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‘Dumbing Down’ Of-Education Outrageous Idea
IF THEY won't or can't learn
enough to make good grades, just
change the way you give
grades...that’s the message being
sent by the College Board, which
oversees the Scholastic Aptitude
Test (SAT) scores.
The College Board has decided to
inflate grades so that today's
students will look better in
comparison with their predecessors.
It is just another step in a long
term trend to lower educational
standards to the lowest common
denominator.
At a time when there should be
more emphasis on a search for
excellence, the message being soil
to today's students and teachers is
that they should worry less because
they are making better grades than
ever before...even if you have to
tinker with the grades to make it
come out that way.
Chester Finn, former assistant
U.S. secretary of education, had this
to say about inflating SAT scores:
"The College Board is
administering the largest dose of
educational Prozac in the history of
the country."
From now on students will score
higher than their predecessors while
actually knowing less.
It's all in the name of diversity
and, as the Board says, "making
scores easier to understand."
Those of us who consider a good
education the most important thing
we can give to our children
recognize this as a major setback to
quality education. It bodes badly
for the future of public education
when it becomes national policy to
give "feel good" education more
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Your Opinion
Local Dream Team Members
Say: ‘Get The Olympic Spirit’!
Dear Editor:
Today we are one day closer to the 1996 Summer Olympics. Just think
about it, the Olympics are coming right here to our own Atlanta, Georgia.
I guess they couldn’t resist that Southern warmth and charm. I, along with
Britt Barrett, who is also a junior at Perry High School, am a member of
the 1993 Olympic Dream Team. There are also 98 other students who are
members around the state.
The Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games chooses 100 students
each year from Georgia’s high schools. The purpose of the Olympic
Dream Team is to help promote the Olympics and "spread the word”.
Everyone should become involved and get the Olympic spirit.
I happen to know that many people take the fact that the Olympics are
coming to Atlanta for granted. This is very unthoughtful and
inconsiderate, as much hard wok and determination wait into bringing the
Olympics to Atlanta. The Olympics can also bring increased commerce
and tourism to Georgia. Now is our chance to show the world what
Georgia is all about! As far as supporting the Olympics, there is a lot that
we can do. Much of the Olympic clothing that is available in stores is
intended to draw revenue for the Olympics. Buying these clothes is not
only a way of supporting the Olympics, but wearing them so that
everyone can see them is another important way of proudly supporting the
importance than learning.
In reality, it is a carryover into the
educational system that has been
happening for years in the
workplace, where businesses must
hire people because of race,
religion, infirmity, age, etc., rather
than on the basis of abUity..odl
imposed on business by federal
laws.
• • *
THIS IS just another step along
the road that some educators have
been advocating for years.
The controversial Outcome Based
Education fits into this trend.
It, too, considers "feel good" more
important than real learning.
I have been keeping an eye on
Gwinnett County, where the OBE
program has been in effect for some
dme.
The controversy continues there.
Parents who consider schools a
good place for baby sitting their
children of all ages could care less.
As a matter of fact they probably
like OBE because their children get
passing grades without parental
involvement.
There is a large segment of
parents in Gwinnett County who
feel differently. They contend that
OBE "can be used to undermine
parental authority as well as
traditional moral and religious
beliefs." •
These outspoken and indignent
parents are demanding that
education return to the basics. One
parent, at a public meeting recently,
said, "Eitough of this touchy-feely
stuff. Just challenge my son with
good academics."
There are many educators across
Houston Times-Journal
Wednesday, March 16,1994
the country who jump at every new
idea that comes along as a
substitute for basic education. This
is just another in a long list of
programs that is supposed to take
the place of basic education.
It is being received well by many
parents because it groups
students...the outstanding ones with
those barely able to get by...and
results in more uniform grades for
all.
One complaint expressed in
Gwinnett by many parents is that
their children, who have been on
the fast track toward college
scholarships, now find themselves
with grades below their abilities
because of grades based on group
performance rather than individual
accomplishments.
* • *
MANY parents in Gwinnett are
outraged that their children are
being deprived of a challenging
search for excellence.
"How anxious are you to have
your children instructed in
politically correct values," one
parent asked, "and then graded on
how well they comply with those
values?"
OBE has been equated with
"dumbing down" of education,
which has been in vogue for a long
dme.
As one parent in Gwinnett wrote
in The Atlanta Constitution, "None
of us is so lacking in compassion
that we want to disregard the slower
student But to prevent the best and
brightest, and even average
students, from striving for high
plateaus of success is a detriment to
the individual student and
Olympics.
1 would also like to encourage everyone to tell someone you know
about the Olympics. Open their eyes to the opportunity that awaits us.
So go ahead, get the Olympic spirit! You'll be glad that you did.
Brent Collier,
Perry
Preventing Abuse, Keeping
Promises To Be April Focus
Dear Editor:
As parents we are in awe when a child is bom. We often make
promises to that newborn that we will love and protect him or ha and
provide a nurturing, loving environment. As caring citizens of a
community, we also make promises to children to keep them safe and
healthy.
These promises are what the theme for April, Child Abuse Prevention
Month, is all about. Promises to Keep” means that we will pledge to
help parents learn to cope with the stresses of raising children, use positive
discipline, build self esteem in our children and seek help when needed.*
During April, the Rainbow House Children's Resource Centa will
focus on child abuse and neglect and the positive prevention programs that
can help break the cycle of child abuse and make life better for the children
of Houston County.
As Executive Director for the Rainbow House, I know that child abuse
prevention programs are an effective and cost efficient way to stop child
Pleas# see Laffers, page 9A
Page 4A
wf FoyS. j
Evans
ultimately to our nation.”
A principal in Gwinnett was
quoted as saying, "Schools no
longer do what's best for the
children...they do what is best for
the parents.” And many parents, it
seems, are not closely involved
with their children. More and more
expect school teachers to take the
place of parents.
The cry goes up from concerned
parents to let each child strive for
his or her greatest potential and
grade all children, regardless of
ability, on the basis of what they
know.
There should be outrage at the idea
of dumbing down education and
sending more who cannot read out
into the world or to college.
* * *
WHAT ABOUT Houston
County?
I have talked with Zell Blackmon
Jr., chairman of the Houston
County Board of Education, and
school Superintendent Tony
Hinnant, and I have good news.
Both of them recognize Outcome
Based Education as just exactly
what it is.
They don't like it And they say
they will not introduce it into our
school system.