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Now what will we do with the transparency? Dallas City Hall is opening up, and it’s our responsibility to keep our elected officials honest, says Victor Medina

A scoop of commerce

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ayor Tom Leppert is changing the way City Hall conducts business. Even though the faces of our representatives have changed over the years, the same “politics as usual” existed, which has led to what seems to be a never-ending stream of accusations and charges of corruption and favoritism downtown. The changing culture — as seen in rules changes proposed by the mayor and discussions about a tougher ethics ordinance — is good news in particular for the southern sector, which has been ignored, misrepresented and denied a chance to progress for decades. Credit Leppert for taking the initiative and proposing more accountability and transparency. Perhaps he is spending some of that political capital he earned on the hotel referendum. In small steps, he is beginning to end the culture of privilege in which a select few often benefited from the actions of the City Council. One council member recently complained about a new Leppert-proposed rule that makes attendance at meetings mandatory in order to be paid. Her argument was that such a restrictive requirement would interrupt personal errands like picking up a child at school. Somebody cue the string section at the Meyerson. The rest of us have to find a way to juggle personal and professional obligations in our 9-to-5 jobs. It’s nice to see our elected officials have to, as well. Another proposal would require lobbyists at City Hall to register. This move toward transparency was largely uncontested, with many reasoning that most folks knew who the paid lobbyists were anyway. Not so. For most of us, whose votes and opinions are not greeted at City Hall along with financial rewards, it’s nice to know who we are up against. All of these moves for accountability and transparency will mean nothing if the rest of us do not do our part. We need more leadership from the minority communities, and if we don’t get it, we must rally to vote in leaders who will. In southern Dallas, for example, we have gotten used to the notion that any development or financial investment must coincide with some sort of “tribute” being paid, usually in terms of minority involvement in the enterprise. Unfortunately, that tribute never makes it down to folks who need it. It always seems that some friend, supporter or relative of the elected official receives it. We need to start expecting more out of our officials, starting with a little more professionalism. This means staying away from even the smallest hint of impropriety or conflict of interest. It means no more having friends or spouses serving as “consultants.” It means no side dealings with those who would seek your favor or influence. It also means finding a carpool for your kid like the rest of us do, so you can do the job we hired you to do. Dallas Morning News staffers Tod Robberson, on the editorial page, and reporter Rudolph Bush deserve a lot of credit for bringing these issues to the forefront. Leppert and the City Council are doing their part to increase transparency, and they seem to be on the right track with tighter ethics rules. Now it’s up to us to bear the burden of oversight. Let’s keep them honest. There can be no more excuses, no claims that we didn’t know what was going on. The state of our neighborhoods, the actions of our elected representatives and the direction of our city government are in our hands now more than ever. The credit, and the blame, lies with us.

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Keep your self-righteous fingers off my processed food, says Charlotte Allen

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ust in time for the worst economic downturn since the Depression, here comes a new crop of social critics to inform us that we’re actually spending too little for the food we eat, the clothes we wear, the furniture we sit on and the gasoline that runs our automobiles. Dire economic circumstances don’t seem to faze these spending enthusiasts, who scold us for shopping at supermarkets instead of at farmers’ markets, where a loaf of “artisanal” (and also “sustainable”) rye bread sells for $8, ice cream for $6 a cup and organic tomatoes for $4 a pound. The latest cheerleader for higher prices is Ellen Ruppel Shell, a professor of science journalism at Boston University who has just published a book titled Cheap. It’s not a guide to bargain-hunting. The theme of Shell’s book, subtitled “The High Cost of Discount Culture,” is “America’s dangerous liaison with Cheap.” Shell’s argument goes like this: Shopping at discount stores, factory outlets and, of course, Wal-mart (no work of social criticism is complete without a drive-by shooting aimed at that chain) exploits Chinese factory workers (who would much rather be back on the collective farm wearing their Mao suits) and degrades the environment because much of the low-price junk wears out and ends up in landfills. Even IKEA comes in for a drubbing in Shell’s book. Yes, the Swedish chain’s inexpensive, assemble-yourself furniture may look tasteful, but behind every Billy bookcase lies a gruesome tale (in Shell’s view) of Siberian forests ravaged for all that pine veneer and gallons of fossil fuel burned by couples motoring to IKEA’s remote locations, strategically chosen for their rockbottom land values. Most damaging of all, says Shell, is the cost to America’s soul. “The economics of Cheap cramps innovation, contributes to the decline of once flourishing industries and threatens our

proud heritage of craftsmanship,” she writes. In her view, we should all save up for “responsibly made quality goods,” preferably from shops accessible by “public transit.” The most zealous of the spend-more crowd, however, are the food intellectuals. Michael Pollan, author of the best-selling Omnivore’s Dilemma, coined the mantra “Eat food, not too much, mostly plants” that is on the lips of every foodie from Bainbridge Island to Martha’s Vineyard. Pollan has rejoiced at the idea of skyrocketing prices for groceries, hoping they might “level the playing field for sustainable food that doesn’t rely on fossil fuels.” Pollan is a “locavore,” one of those people who believe that in order to be truly ethical, you should eat only foods grown or killed within your line of sight (for me, that would be my neighbor’s cat). Lately, Pollan has set his sights on Haagen-Dazs ice cream, not because it contains corn syrup (it doesn’t) but because it’s a commercially made product, and if there’s one thing Pollan hates, it’s commerce. His latest pronunciamento: “Don’t buy any food you’ve ever seen advertised.” Demanding that other people impoverish themselves, especially these days, in the name of your pet cause — fostering craftsmanship, feeling “connected” to the land, “living more lightly on the planet” or whatever — goes way beyond Marie Antoinette saying, “Let them eat cake.” Professor Pollan, eat all the “plants” you like — but don’t try to pry me from my Haagen-Dazs dark chocolate ice cream. I bought it at Safeway, and it’s sitting on my IKEA kitchen table. — Excerpted from a column Charlotte Allen wrote for the Los Angeles Times. Allen is the author of “The Human Christ: The Search for the Historical Jesus” and a contributing editor to the Minding the Campus Web site of the Manhattan Institute.

Victor Medina of Oak Cliff is a freelance travel and sports writer and a Community Voices volunteer columnist. His e-mail address is vic@ victormedina.com.

Haagen-Dazs

The true confessions of a library junkie Our local branch was one reason my family stayed in Dallas, says Elaine Kollaja

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arly on, my mother realized that my appetite for books would far surpass anything our family’s tight budget could satisfy, so we made the trek to our small town’s library. I can still see its upstairs kids area, with its rows upon rows of books, all free, waiting just for me. I am sure that if I visited today it would seem small, but to my 6-year-old eyes it was huge and the most wondrous place I could imagine. Mom led me to the children’s biography section, where I started at one end of the shelf and read my way to the other. I took out the maximum number of volumes allowed, which I recall to be 10. The stack was quickly devoured, and my voracity kept Mom driving me back weekly for another book fix. I consumed biographies of many famous Americans, but my favorite

was Abraham Lincoln. Something about his hardscrabble beginnings, his too-tall, bookish self and his bouts of melancholy resonated with me. My love affair with books soon branched out from biographies to fiction. I loved the stories that came in series, because you could really get to know the characters and get inside their worlds. My favorite was the Little House books. I didn’t just read Little House on the Prairie, I lived it and believed it. I wanted to be Laura, to ride in the covered wagon with Ma and Pa and their good old bulldog Jack. I read those books so many times that my mother finally wouldn’t let me check them out anymore, insisting that I try something else. For several years after my children were born, I stopped reading for myself. The repetitive nature of The Very Hungry Caterpillar and The Cat in the Hat — both great books, to be sure — left little energy for grownup literature. But in time the kids grew up and out of board books, and we progressed

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to more advanced reading. When Alex was 5, I took him to the then-new Southwestern Branch library to get his own library card, and I took Sophie on the same errand a few years later. Somewhere, I still have those library cards with their crooked little kindergarten “signatures” on the back. I loved introducing them to the world of reading, but the best part of taking them to the library was the joy I felt in reconnecting with my own neglected love of books. These days, there’s almost never a week that I’m not picking up a new book, or three, at my local library, either for my grad-school work or just for some fun reading. I truly don’t think I would be the person I am today if it hadn’t been for the wealth of resources the public library has made available to me. Several years ago, we were shopping for a new home, and our decision to stay in Dallas rather than move to a nearby suburb was based largely on the strength of Dallas’ library system.

Now I hear that that the city is going to cut the branches’ hours and reduce the materials budget to save money, and this panics me. I am blessed be able to afford my own books now, but even Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble don’t give me the same rush as walking into a library and being surrounded by books, floor to ceiling. The sheer possibility of all those stories, real and imaginary, gives me a feeling of hope and wonder. We must keep libraries open and well-stocked — especially for the kids like me and Honest Abe, who might find their wings, and their passion in life, in the pages of a book. Elaine Kollaja of Dallas is a graduate student in the SMU Master of Liberal Studies program. Her e-mail address is [email protected]. Visit her blog at www.scratchpaper-eck. blogspot.com.

Saturday, September 5, 2009

23A

Movie tips from robot overlords Maybe the future of artificial intelligence is already here, says Annalee Newitz

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f machines ever become sentient, science fiction movies have conditioned us to expect one thing: Our new mechanical masters will try to take over the world and destroy us all. But the reality of artificial intelligence is a lot weirder than even the machines vs. humanity Matrix movies suggest. When AI finally emerges, it will be a lot more like an erudite video store clerk than a superpowered killer. If you’ve ever bought something at Amazon.com or rented a movie from Netflix, you’ve interacted with a software program that owes its existence to over half a century of research into artificial intelligence. That program composes sentences such as: “Because you enjoyed the movie Godzilla, we think you would enjoy Ultraman.” It’s called a “recommender system,” and it’s designed to learn about you and your fellow humans by gathering data about you and drawing conclusions from it; eventually, it will know more about what you like than you do. Until this century, “machine learning” was a field that excited mostly academics and sci-fi authors. But today’s recommender systems aren’t on the theoretical fringe — they’re part of a lucrative industry. Netflix is about to award $1 million to a team of researchers who improved the accuracy of the company’s recommendation tool by 10 percent. Some 51,000 contestants from all over the world entered the competition, and two $50,000 “progress prizes” were awarded over the past three years. All this to improve a system that is already pretty good at predicting what movies people will enjoy: 60 percent of Netflix rentals are a result of what a piece of software suggested. As we live more of our lives online, we depend on computers to give us the kind of advice that other people once did. Movie critics and well-read librarians are being replaced by algorithms — well-tested, well-funded algorithms, but pieces of software code nevertheless. It’s possible that somewhere within our super-convenient video rental systems and online stores, we’re incubating a form of artificial consciousness. Could we be witnessing the birth of AI without realizing it, every time we rent a movie? Surely, intelligence must be more than the ability to recommend good links or enjoyable movies — but what exactly is it? AI researchers have been asking that question since the 1950s. To find out how the mind of a recommender works, I talked to AT&T Labs scientist Robert Bell, a member of the winning team in early rounds of Netflix’s contest. Trying to predict enjoyment based on so little feedback is like trying to pick out a present for a friend — you have some information about what she likes, but it’s not as if she’s ranked every item in the store. So you extrapolate. If your friend likes detective novels, she’ll probably like other detective novels. Bell and his team taught their recommender system to think about the Netflix problem in roughly the same way. Then the team trained the software using a method that sounds almost like intuition. Called the “latent-factor approach.” “Because the factors are determined automatically by algorithms,” Bell said, “they may correspond to hard-to-describe concepts such as quirkiness, or they may not be interpretable by humans at all.” So it’s not at all like a human, but it has good taste. Which could make it the next step in the evolution of artificial intelligence. Or just a superaccurate data-crunching software program. It all depends on how you define intelligence. Luckily, neither answer gives you a new robot overlord. It just helps you pick what to watch once you’ve cleared The Matrix from your Netflix queue. Annalee Newitz is the author of “Pretend We’re Dead: Capitalist Monsters in American Pop Culture” and the editor of the science fiction blog io9.com. Her e-mail address is annalee@tech sploitation.com.

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Shred it or savor it? My home doesn’t have to become a repository of all my family’s history, says Nancy L. Ruder

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ach trip to visit my elderly father makes me contemplate what I can only call our “human accumulation tendencies.” Dad’s basement contained enough National Geographic magazines to construct a small pyramid in his driveway. Neither your public library nor Half Price Books wants your old magazine collection, so why not build something special with them? Have you needed to consult your 1953 federal tax returns lately? Anything that was ever marked “Please retain for your records” during my parents’ long marriage remains in its archaeological stratum. My sister and I have begun the massive work of clearing out our childhood home. We’ve shredded canceled checks from the ’40s, along with those tax returns. Humor is absolutely required in this job. A sense of wonder helps, too. We found four coffee makers complete with receipts and instructions in their original boxes, each taped closed with a note, “Doesn’t work.” Why, why, why did they save them? For the same reason they never threw away a ketchup packet from McDonald’s or the twist tie from a loaf of bread. At Dad’s, I unearthed what can only be called the “Grudge Dossier.” This file held the complete background information for every family feud, scandal, inheritance injustice or unpaid loan, back to the Great Depression. Our family is lighter with that record shredded. The summer wasn’t all mind-numbing hours with the paper shredder. Did Mom know the fun my sister and I would have finding favorite clothes from our childhood? The evening my niece modeled those outfits for us was a blast. So was our discovery of a box of elbow-length gloves that inspired Supremes imitations of “Stop! In the Name of Love.” I’ll have to cut my grown sons some slack about all the things they have warehoused in my condo. This summer I finally moved my college artwork out of Dad’s house, just 32 years after I flew the nest. In 2039 my sons will gather to clean out my condo and finally cart away their childhood treasures. They won’t care that I have dutifully preserved family photos and documentation of their ancestors who came from Bohemia to make a new life in northeast Nebraska. When the guys stop by to visit my assisted-living facility, they’ll grill me about where I stored their treasured “good wood rifles.” It’s true. I let my young sons run around the back yard with toy guns. The boys turned out just fine, thank you, and they are sentimental about their toy guns. Those small objects hold the key to their sense of what it was like to be children. Maybe my daughters-in-law will be interested in the current collector’s value of Grandma’s crystal, but I’ll be preoccupied ranting about the lumpy gravy and cold mashed potatoes in the nursing home. The crystal is precious because of Dad’s stories about the village where it was made, and how he sent it to Nebraska for his dear mother and future wife. I heard those stories sitting around Grandma’s dining table at her famous midnight suppers. Grandma could whomp up “a little something” with homemade steamed tamales and sugar cookies. It was the best eating on earth. Sadly, no one will remember those occasions, or use the expression “whomp up.” Maybe it is time to let go of the rocking chairs that belonged to ancestors I barely remember. My home doesn’t have to become a repository. I don’t want cleaning it out to be a burden hanging over my kids’ heads. I just want to save the small keys to their memories, seasoned lightly with family history and served with a midnight supper. Let’s see what I can whomp up.

New things may be convenient, but old things have real value, says Hailey Sowden

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love junk. Jars, tins, trunks — all of it. There’s something about used (“antique” if you want to get fancy) things. They’re lived in. They’ve seen history spinning by. They come complete with built-in memories. This summer I moved to my attic and found estate sales and salvage stores absolutely invaluable in the transformation of an impersonal space in a fairly new house into my own room. Junk stores were my treasure troves. Garage and estate sales my mainstays. I lived for the thrill of the hunt, so most Saturdays this summer I perused the classifieds for garage and estate sale ads, then drove all over Dallas, strategically planning the houses I’d visit. I’ve purchased practical clothes and belts, historically rich Life magazines, records and plenty of already annotated books. Once, inside an old magazine, tucked behind a photograph of the Dalai Lama, I found handwritten notes recording — in great detail — the meaning of life. Now this may not be the universal meaning of life (and if it is, I wish the person who wrote it had spent more time on his penmanship), but it is wonderful to have the privilege of holding something that was once so meaningful to someone else. That brings me to old photographs. Nearly every estate sale has them, and yet every time I see a box of faded photos, it fills me with a wistful melancholy. They are usually carefully labeled and dated in cursive, and it’s so easy to imagine families sitting together on a sofa somewhere, leafing through pages and pages of memories. Now they’re for sale. I can’t bear to see these photographs go unsold and into an unnamed Dumpster somewhere. Some may find it strange that I have stacks of sepia portraits and family pictures from days gone by and families I have never met, but I feel as if I’m saving something that matters. I put their framed faces on my walls because I want to keep their memories at hand. Buying new things may be convenient, but old things are so much more valuable. They’re steeped in the flavor of all the events that have transpired over years and years. And while used items can play to a person’s sentiments, a lot of their value often lies in cold, hard numbers. Used goods are

almost always less expensive than new ones, and you can get more for your money by buying an old sweater, that’s probably of better quality anyway, than by buying a new one. Besides, buying used is better for the environment. I have to admit that this isn’t my main reason for buying used, but it is definitely a bonus. There is so much that, while old, works like new. And by buying these items and not those sold heavily packaged from some giant chain store, we can help cut down on unnecessary production (that incidentally spews all sorts of chemicals into the atmosphere) and unnecessary products. Best of all, we can help keep stuff already headed for the trash out of the landfill. Why waste resources and money buying something new when we have something old that works just as well? Now with my new room almost finished, I have used clothes hanging in my closet, a desk I made from the knotted floor boards of an old house, annotated books filling my shelves, an antique trunk as a table and old photographs on the walls. With all of this “junk” sitting in my new attic, I feel as if the room wasn’t put together in mere weeks but that it has a hundred years of history. I am surrounded by the memories of a hundred people folded inside every book, photograph and floorboard. Hailey Sowden is a senior at Highland Park High School and a Student Voices volunteer columnist. To respond to this column, e-mail [email protected].

Nancy L. Ruder of Plano is a preschool teacher and a Community Voices volunteer columnist. Her e-mail address is [email protected]. FILE 1998/Staff photo

The rainbow in my neighborhood is fading When neighbors cease to be neighborly, things get ugly, says Keith A. Brown

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n a recent evening, I sat watching a sunset at Lake Ray Hubbard. A person was flying a kite with an attachment that looked like a large, round windsock. It was striped in rainbow colors and swiveled as the wind blew. As the sun set and the colors of that rainbow began to fade, I could not help but think of a couple of neighbors and the ongoing conflict between them. Two of the neighbors are gay men who have rainbow-colored windsocks on their porch, stickers on their automobile and so on. Next door is the family they have the conflict with, a man and woman, perhaps 60-ish, with two grown sons living with them. One of the gay men is infected with HIV and was placed on disability through the VA Hospital. For

therapy and health, he works in his yard several hours each day. He mows, trims trees, landscapes, waters the flowers and uses an edger to neatly trim around their half-acre lot. On the boundary between these two neighbors, in addition to trees planted directly on the property line, there is much overgrowth, small spindly sticks and weeds that developed from years of letting them grow. One day the gay man began clearing some of these weeds. That sparked a nasty exchange between him and one of the grown sons living next door that resulted in the grown son assaulting the gay man, bloodying his nose. I pulled onto the street just as the he was walking down it with blood oozing from his nose, before the ambulance arrived. On a subsequent occasion, the gay man was using his riding mower. The same neighbor bloodied his nose once again. The assaults were reported to authorities, but the

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young man disappeared and has not been seen on our street for the last couple of years. The father of this son subsequently installed video cameras outside his home, one of which is aimed directly at the gay men’s house. He can now monitor the “lawn-manicuring situation,” to ensure that no weeds, overgrowth, twigs or tree branches are trimmed so much as a centimeter over his property. One day, the implausibility of this situation became clearer when this neighbor told me: “You know, Keith, God don’t make people like him,” referring to the gay man. Although I could discern no visible outward commitment to a religious observance on the part of this man or his wife, apparently they grew up in a very conservative environment and retained at least enough of their spiritual heritage to have disdain for an HIV-infected gay man. Recently, I saw the police in the neighborhood once again. This

time they were cuffing the gay man, taking him to the Lew Sterrett Justice Center. It seems the neighbors used one of their videos of him yelling to persuade legal authorities to issue a warrant for his arrest, after some minor damage to a rickety fence on their back property line. As the he was led off in cuffs, humiliated and embarrassed, with his partner sitting on the porch crying, somehow the rainbow colors on their property representing personal pride and freedom from oppression seemed to grow dim. Sadly, even today, there are those who ascribe more value to a weed growing out of the ground than to a man, especially if that man happens to be gay. Keith A. Brown of Pleasant Grove is an aircraft machinist and a musician. His e-mail address is [email protected].

Saturday, September 12, 2009

19A

A veteran of Iraq, now unemployed Vets need more help getting back into the workforce, says Ramiro G. Hinojosa

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s a veteran of the Iraq war, I still remember how it felt to be in Kuwait — the temporary staging area for military personnel headed into and out of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. I just wanted to get on with the next phase in my life, whether it was going to war or going home. Being unemployed makes me feel the same way. It has been seven months since I left the U.S. Army after a four-year stint. I was confident that I could pick up where I left off as a former newspaper reporter, or continue to serve my country in a different manner. I’m single with no children or debt, so I felt at a fiscal advantage to take such a leap. But I’ve lost count of how many re´sume´s I’ve sent with no replies or the number of times I have gotten my hopes up with a call back, only to be let down. My first sergeant warned me it was a tough time to give up the job security the military offers, and my company commander asked if I had plans before I got out. I stubbornly wrote off their concerns as a last-ditch effort to get me to re-enlist, but now I realize that both were looking out for my best interests, just like they would have looked out for their soldiers in the battlefield. Unlike many of my recently separated Army buddies, I am not able to take advantage of the post-9/11 GI Bill and weather the recession learning valuable skills in school. I graduated from college before enlisting in the Army and took advantage of its College Loan Repayment program. Despite that preparation, I join the company of my other brothers- and sisters-in-arms who make up the 11.3 percent of jobless Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans. That’s compared with the 9.7 percent unemployed among the general population — itself a 26-year high. There are 185,000 unemployed Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans, only 9,000 fewer than the number of service members currently deployed overseas, according to a recent article in Army Times. In a period where such a small percentage of the general population has overwhelmingly shouldered its country’s sacrifice in a time of need, more must be done to help veterans re-adjust into the civilian workforce. The government bailed out failed banks and automotive companies, yet veterans received little help in the economic stimulus bill passed earlier this year, other than the expanded work opportunity tax credit encouraging employers to hire unemployed veterans. All this comes at a time when the federal government needs to fill 270,000 positions in the next three years, according to a recent survey by the Partnership for Public Service. The Army’s career transition program was very helpful in putting my military skills on paper, but I have found that marketing those skills to civilian employers is far more difficult. And although the veterans-hiring preference is a plus for federal jobs, networking is usually a more effective tool to get a foot in the door in the private sector. I understand that it’s a tough market and that the veteran representatives at state workforce commissions are doing the best they can to help veterans find a job, but there has to be a more effective system to match employers with uniquely skilled and qualified veterans. My most recent job referral was for a sewage maintenance position, requiring frequent out-of-state travel and temporary lodging. I’m tired of “temporary housing,” and I have no experience with that kind of maintenance work. I passed on the referral. Veterans are a proud group. We are not asking our government for a handout, just a helping hand. Ramiro G. Hinojosa of Dallas is a former paratrooper and a veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom. His e-mail address is ramiroghinojosa @hotmail.com.

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Make the most of your

MUM

Schools should seize the energy of homecoming for good causes, says Ashleigh Heaton

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love it when people move to Texas and experience our way of celebrating homecoming. Their eyes narrow at the mention of these mysterious objects known as “mums,” only to widen to the size of golf balls when some unfortunate fellow attempts to explain what they are. It’s probably the biggest culture shock they experience, besides the 100 degree heat.

My mother, who prefers crafts much more than I, is a master at making mums, but even in her enthusiasm, she realizes it’s out of control. I’ve seen her bend over a pile of spools of ribbon and stick-on letters, muttering to herself something about “what’s wrong with society…” while punching the stapler, securing the place of another string of red ribbon, and attaching a shiny bell. Homecoming in the Lone Star State is fairly ridiculous. Scratch that, it is the very definition of ridiculous. Sure, the game, parade and dance are all pretty standard, but you won’t find any mums or garters up in Minnesota. Why? Because it’s a Texas thing, y’all, and everything is bigger in Texas — including homecoming. But my question is, how did simple corsages evolve into tacky ribbon displays? And when did boys ever start consenting to wear them, as well, in the form of garters? I’ll admit, I love receiving and wearing a mum just as much as the next hormonedriven teenage girl, and I hurt just as much if I don’t get one. To us, mums aren’t the ultimate display of school spirit — they are the ultimate display of your relationship status. If you get a mum, you are loved; if you do not, you aren’t. It’s a sick, sick form of high school torture, worse than peer pressure and gossip combined. The sad thing is, homecoming is supposed to be a celebration of school pride. But it’s become one massive public display of affection. Maybe things are changing. Two years ago a senior at my high school started a club called Hope for Africa. The club’s main goal was to raise money and awareness to benefit the African people, and it was a great success. The biggest fundraising triumph was the “This Is My Mum” campaign. In a nutshell, the club created buttons with a picture of Africa for people to wear in place of an actual mum. The idea was that students would donate the hundreds of dollars they would have spent on a gaudy display of ribbon and glitter. The proceeds would go toward providing clean water in

Coppell and Flower Mound High school students traded their mums and garters for buttons and raised funds for a water program to benefit villagers in Sudan.

African villages for at least 60 years. People went crazy over the idea, and even if they didn’t want to give up their mums completely, they would make a small donation of at least $5 and then flout the button as part of their mum. It’s one of the best things that ever happened to my school, topped only by us miraculously beating Southlake last football season. It not only made us step back and question our sanity, it also gave us a good cause to direct our insanity toward. A few other high schools jumped on the bandwagon, and together we put aside our unneces-

sary need for materialistic things and helped over a hundred Sudanese villages get one of life’s basic necessities: water. Who knows, maybe homecoming will be restored as a sign of devotion to our schools and, at the same time, used as a reason to save lives. The change starts with us. Ashleigh Heaton is a junior at Coppell High School and a Student Voices volunteer columnist. To respond to this column, send an e-mail to [email protected].

Being a bad student made me a better teacher Summer program opened my eyes to some students’ struggles, says Faith Davis Johnson

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efore becoming a teacher, if asked how I felt about teaching children in a language other than English, I would have, with righteous, patriotic indignation, stated that not only should a child be taught in English, the law should make it so. My world view has changed a lot since then, but nothing impacted me as much as my recent experience in the Summer Immersion Program at the Instituto Mexicano de Espan ˜ ol y Cultura in Cuernavaca, Mexico. This was my first trip to Mexico, as well as my first experience participating in an immersion program with any language. During pre-travel briefings, I intently listened to all instructions regarding proper etiquette and precautions that were to be followed in the host country. I packed my Pepto Bismol (in preparation for Montezuma’s revenge), camera, walking shoes, sunscreen, Spanish/ English dictionary, etc. I was prepared for any and every

scenario — or so I thought. My travel companions were a group of 10 teachers with varying levels of Spanish proficiency — from beginner to advanced. I was a beginner, with the vocabulary development of a 2-year-old. The first couple of days in the program were the toughest. I found myself becoming less than a model student — both academically and behaviorally. Initially, I listened intently to my instructors, but as my frustration increased, my interest in the lessons decreased. I found myself becoming distracted. I started doodling on paper, thinking about after-class activities and fidgeting in my chair. My worst moment came by committing what I consider a cardinal sin as a student — I started talking to other students while the teacher was lecturing! “What time is lunch,” I’d whisper or “What time does this class end?” My personality changed. I love to talk and interact in a classroom setting, but I basically shut down. I could not formulate what I wanted to say in Spanish, and I was afraid to say it incorrectly. My breakthrough came by speaking with the program

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director. A very understanding and patient person, she was sympathetic and agreed to provide additional one-on-one instruction to help me feel more comfortable. I was provided with a Spanish primer to take home and study. The instructors would speak more slowly when speaking directly to me. Gradually, I felt more comfortable and began to enjoy my classes. My host family was also a great support system, as my “Mexican Mama” became my biggest cheerleader. One evening, when I was feeling particularly frustrated, she sat down and asked about my homework. I told her what the instructor wanted me to do. To my surprise, she pulled out many materials in Spanish and meticulously, for the next two hours, tutored me with my Spanish. “Mija,” she said, “if you are going to learn to speak Spanish, you must practice.” I felt just as I did when I was a little girl and my own mother helped me with my homework. As a result of my experiences, I learned much more than how to form sentences and phrases in Spanish. I learned that a little bit of empathy goes a long way. How do our newcomer students, from a variety of coun-

tries around the world, really feel, particularly those who are struggling in the classrooms? Does their frustration make them daydream, act out, or totally shut down as I did? As an adult learner, I was able to navigate and find a path that helped me become successful as a student in the classroom. Children, however, need our help in finding a path that works for them. As parents, educators and members of the community, we all have a responsibility to reach out to these students — to open the door of knowledge and opportunity for them. While I’m still fiercely patriotic and believe my country is the best country in the world, I better understand the benefits of creating a strong nation of learners who can develop into academic leaders capable of changing the world. Faith Davis Johnson is an eighth-grade U.S. Studies teacher at John B. Hood Middle School in Dallas ISD. She is also a Teacher Voices volunteer columnist. Her e-mail address is faithdjohnson @yahoo.com.

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One health care reform made sense for me Don’t discount birthing centers and midwives when expecting a child, says LaDawn Fletcher

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his whole health care discussion seems to bring out the worst in people who disagree on the finer points of whether something needs fixing and then how to do it. What I wish everyone would do is look for the ideas that make the most sense to all involved and work from there. Comparing costs and outcomes seems like an excellent, non-confrontational place to start. Advocating on behalf of those ideas that reduce costs and provide excellent outcomes is a win-win for all involved. What comes to my mind is the high cost of giving birth. Like most children in America, my first two babies were born in hospitals. Their births were extraordinary only to me and my husband. There were no complications, no Caesarean section. Our third pregnancy caught us by surprise. I had left my job at the college six months earlier and with it, my extremely affordable, comprehensive employer-sponsored health insurance plan. When we decided I would leave, we figured that an individual policy would suffice because the only things it didn’t cover were my pre-existing thyroid condition (which is affordable out of pocket) and maternity costs (and our family was complete — so we thought). The stunning news that we were expecting again sent me scrambling. I called obstetricians in the area to try to get an estimate on how much it would cost to have a baby paying out of pocket. I could never get a specific answer, so I turned to the Web looking for average costs. As best I could discern, it costs around $10,000. When I was pregnant with our first daughter, I was a reading machine. The more I read, the more convinced I became that I did not want to have our baby in a hospital. I had many reasons, none of which hinged on cost. My husband was not interested in even considering anything other than a hospital. Where did I come up with this idea anyway? Fast forward four years, two successful, uncomplicated births, and the prospect of an unanticipated $10,000 expense, and amazingly his mind was open to all kinds of possibilities, including the midwife and a birthing center I had unsuccessfully lobbied for with our first pregnancy. And so our family began the tentative embrace of the birthing center concept. Birth centers in Texas are regulated by the state Department of Health, but my husband had his own parameters. He wanted assurance that if something went wonky, the baby and I would be OK. I chose a center that was close to the hospital. It had an obstetrician on call who they worked with regularly in case of problems. They were accredited and insured. They screened me before accepting me as a client, and if I had any indication of risk, I would have been rejected. Studies included in the New England Journal of Medicine and American Journal of Public Health concur that the outcomes of birth center deliveries are comparable to hospital births, with many fewer C-sections. My husband was soon fully on board, and the money ended up being the least of the reasons he supported the birth center experience. For the first time, he was an integral part of our birthing experience. Two years later, he still recounts the experience with awe and joy. The birth center we chose, along with many others, accepts major health insurance plans if you have one. We were cared for by a certified nurse midwife, and for the $4,500 we paid up front, we received prenatal care, standard lab work during our pregnancy, management during labor and delivery, postpartum care, a 10-day visit and a six-week checkup. For women with life-threatening conditions for them or their babies, the hospitals absolutely the only choice they should make. But for the vast majority of women, midwives and birthing centers should be among the options considered. LaDawn Fletcher of Heath is a marketing manager and a Community Voices volunteer columnist. Her e-mail address is [email protected].

Raise Your Voice The Dallas Morning News is accepting applications for Community Voices, a panel of volunteer columnists who will be regular contributors to the Opinions page inside the Metro section. To get an idea of what kinds of topics Voices write about, visit dal lasnews.com/voices. Apply in four easy steps:

1. Write a little about yourself and put together a list of current and previous civic involvements. How would others in the community describe you? What is unique about your background and experience? Why should we choose you? 2. Share a previous writing sample or write something new on a current topic. A writing sample should be 600-650 words. 3. Jot down three other topics you would like to write about. 4. E-mail the application to voices@dal lasnews.com. Please include your address and phone number. Deadline: 4 p.m. Oct. 5.

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America’s crown jewels National parks are such a treasure, says Chuck Bloom; Texas should play bigger role

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he initial sight takes your breath away. It doesn’t appear to be real — more like a master artist’s painting, with multiple layers of colors bombarding your senses. Move a few hundred feet to either side, and you see a completely new revelation and people simply standing there in jaw-dropping awe. Anyone unmoved by the eternal beauty of such a view will never generate reciprocal feelings for anything. That’s what I remember feeling the first time I saw the Grand Canyon during a trip this summer. While this particular corner of the country is the crown jewel of the U.S. National Parks System, and the most symbolic natural formation, not every national park site is the Grand Canyon. Some tell a different story and preserve a different lesson from our history. But each location is important to the American experience — from Civil War battlefields to the remnants of past occupants before anyone called this land a “nation.” National parks cut across the spectrum — they aren’t all mountains, valleys, caves, volcanic formations or forests. Some are man-made spectacles (the Statue of Liberty, Golden Gate Bridge, St. Louis Arch); and some honor literary giants (Edgar Allen Poe, Eugene O’Neill, Carl Sandburg), American heroes (Clara Barton, Frederick Douglass, Martin Luther King Jr.) or heroes who helped keep our independence (Jean Lafitte). Some sites spotlight historical highs (Brown vs. Board of Education, the Wright Brothers) and some tell of the darkest episodes in America (Manzanar, Little Big Horn, Oklahoma City and Flight 93 memorials). Texas has 15 connections to the national system but could easily include others. President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s birth place, in Denison, should join the six other birth sites of presidents protected by the National Park System. And with Texas starving its own parks for funding, it might be wise to allow Palo Duro Canyon (the country’s second-largest canyon) to be transferred under the federal umbrella. I’ve also believe that the Alamo, one of the five most recognized American symbols of freedom, should join the other San Antonio missions as a national park site to bring it under the public’s province and pull it away from the highly secretive control of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas. It should belong to all of America — not just a select few. These treasures need our consideration, attention and support, including adequate funding for park expansion, facilities upgrade, maintenance and acquisition. Each of us can do several things to help preserve our national parks. First, you should visit as many as possible — to educate yourselves and your children. Start in Texas with the aweinspiring Big Bend National Park, within the Chisos Mountain region of West Texas. People say a picture is worth a thousand words, but one glance at the area known as “The Window on the World” will inspire a thousand pictures — especially at dawn and dusk. Second, you can join support groups, such as the National Parks Conservation Association (www.npca.org), dedicated to the preservation of the national parks and increasing public awareness of the need for federal protection. Third, starting tomorrow night, you can learn more about our national parks on PBS when acclaimed filmmaker Ken Burns premieres his new documentary, The National Parks: America’s Best Idea. Burns, as he has so expertly done in the past on the Civil War, baseball and America during World War II, will examine the current state of the National Park System and tell the story of the people (such as John Muir and Theodore Roosevelt) whose visions led to the eventual preservation of these special sites. Finally, you can pen a note to your congressman and U.S. senator, stressing the need to maintain proper funding for the National Parks System — because it is important to pass along these symbols of our heritage to our children, grandchildren and future generations. They deserve the chance to have their jaws drop at the Grand Canyon, too.

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A paperless Shorthorn would sell UTA short

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And even if her boyfriend had come to cuss us out the next day, I’d be glad I followed my gut. Of course, not all situations are so obvious or clear-cut. But we should not let that stop us from reporting questionable situations that need to be investigated further. Many of the agencies responsible for making those investigations (i.e. the police, child and elderly protective services, the SPCA and humane society, etc.) are overworked and understaffed, but that does not justify looking the other way. Put yourself in the place of the abused and neglected, the ones who cannot fight for themselves. Listen to that voice in your head. Do the right thing.

top the presses!” is the cry heard at the University of Texas at Arlington. It isn’t a specific news story that somebody wants to kill — it’s the whole newspaper. It seems a few members of student government have their hands hovering over the kill switch, with ambitions of creating a greener campus free of that pesky newsprint. They would like to see The Shorthorn, UTA’s campus newspaper, cease its print operations and publish exclusively online. The UTA Student Congress could vote on the proposal this month. The Shorthorn, with a circulation of 8,000 print copies, is published four times a week on the Arlington campus. An additional 1,500 readers view the paper’s Web site every day. The studentrun newspaper has been in operation since 1919, and its healthy advertising revenue is essential to the school’s journalism program. The Shorthorn brought in more than $430,000 in print ad sales during the 2008-09 school year — and only $11,000 in online sales. True, not printing a campus newspaper would save paper, just as banning cars on campus would solve parking problems, but the student congress threatens to throw the baby out with the bath water. The proposal by UTA’s student leaders is short-sighted. If passed, it would create a huge void in the campus experience. For 90 years students have had the ability to pick up a newspaper and learn about their campus community. While an online version of the paper is available, and is a quality news product in its own right, it does not offer the tactile experience of grabbing a paper from the racks in between classes and getting to know more about the UTA community. Ironically, The Shorthorn could be one of the student congress’ greatest allies on campus. Students don’t all have the time or inclination to attend student government meetings. Covering the congress’ movements is something The Shorthorn is uniquely positioned to do. As in all communities, a healthy government and a strong, free press are essential. Proponents of the resolution should know that a campus newspaper is more than a means of informing the campus community. A school newspaper is a teaching tool. It exists to teach journalism students, allowing them to build skills and experience that will carry them into professional careers. They won’t all work at a daily newspaper, but having the background to gather news, interview subjects and display a breadth of information in a coherent manner will serve them in many related careers. Learning to design a print newspaper is a key component in a journalism education. The existence of a print version of The Shorthorn is essential when it comes to teaching students the ins and outs of design, photojournalism, editing and copyediting. The value of this teaching tool far outweighs any environmental benefits gained from not having a print edition. Some say that publishing strictly online is where all newspapers are headed. A few large newspapers in the United States have been shoved from page to pixel, mostly for financial reasons. But campus newspapers generally are healthy. Advertisers know they can target a difficult-to-reach demographic in campus newspapers, but campus papers are often partially funded by their universities, too. There is hope for The Shorthorn. Even if the UTA Student Congress passes a resolution suggesting it cease its print operation, the resolution is just a suggestion. Fortunately, it is nonbinding and would require University President James Spaniolo to take action to stop the presses. Spaniolo was editor in chief of his college daily. That bodes well for The Shorthorn.

Tina Sanchez of Pleasant Grove is a taxpayer advocate at a federal agency and a Community Voices volunteer columnist. Her e-mail address is [email protected].

Casey Cavalier of Argyle is a freelance writer and film critic. He is also a Community Voices volunteer columnist. His e-mail address is [email protected].

CHUCK BLOOM/Special Contributor

The Grand Canyon, in all its stunning majesty.

Heath Dollar explains how Yellowstone

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ellowstone National Park permanently changed my life. Convinced that I was the new Jack Kerouac, at the age of 23, I left the suburbs of my native Fort Worth to live in Yellowstone, where I worked for five seasons. Though I made very little money slinging boxes and working as a payroll clerk, I was a proud heir of one of America’s greatest treasures. Even now, almost two decades later, the experience still pays my heart an abundant recompense. In America’s first national park, I stood in awe of our country’s crown jewels. I found myself enraptured by the palette of Yellowstone Canyon, the strange beauty of Morning Glory Pool, the virulent power of the geysers. Today, as a professional educator, I delight in the fact that my students usually possess some knowledge of this land that I so love. I am happy that they know that Yellowstone is the home of Old Faithful and that it is a special place, and I try to help them understand that by staying in school and making wise decisions, they, too, can one day live out their dreams. They, too, can visit — and even live in — the beautiful places that charge their imaginations. Living the good life in the park, the place of my dreams, I was strong, healthy and free. I breathed good air and drank from mountain streams. Life was tranquil. I remember watching young elk, their sandy-brown coats shining in the morning sun, graze beneath the lodgepole pines. Far, far from the pavement, I enjoyed the small streams, basalt columns and colossal waterfalls, feeling as if I were Meriwether Lewis or William Clark. Such experiences inspire a curiosity in the natural world. While I had my share of adventures, sometimes, on my day off, I would not even leave the meadows near my cabin. I would sit on the ground and enjoy the incredible diversity of Yellowstone’s plant life. With a field guide in hand, I would identify larkspur, columbine and monkshood. I would find

heather, paintbrush and yarrow. On such days, I would explore the minutiae of the landscape. More than anything, living in Yellowstone National Park gave me hope and excitement, and I try to pass that hope and excitement on to my students. While hiking into the backcountry, adventure waited over every hill. The promise of an unexplored world could be found when the trail became a ribbon and then graduated to nothing. In Yellowstone, I felt that I had reached a place that Manifest Destiny had not forgotten, but had left as our endowment. Though America was settled, mapped and gridded, Manifest Destiny had designated this sacred ground as the place where future generations could explore and understand an America that has been lost to interstate highways and development. In Yellowstone, anyone interested in leaving the pavement may claim his or her inheritance. He or she may become an explorer ebullient with the joy of discovery and adventure. In my heart, Yellowstone National Park will always be a cherished home and a windfall inheritance. Thus, I believe that we should not only preserve our legacy, but foster its growth. We should make efforts to protect more pristine wilderness so that future generations can also enjoy the wonder of discovery. They, too, should experience the thrill of climbing the next hill and not seeing power lines and tract houses, but untouched forest. They, too, deserve the infinite joy I experienced while living in a world of gentle footsteps. They, too, deserve to wake up seeing those young grazing elk. All of our children, every last one, deserve the promise of this heaven on earth. Heath Dollar teaches ESL at Schrade Middle School in Rowlett, in Garland ISD. He is also a Teacher Voices volunteer columnist. His e-mail address is [email protected].

Follow your gut, and report abuse and neglect hocking news stories of starved and neglected children and animals seem to be proliferating at an alarming rate. And it is truly a shame — for all of us. And before anyone utters that time-honored retort, “It’s none of your business,” allow me to unequivocally state that it is indeed my business. It is all of our business. The signs are almost always there: small children wandering about with no apparent adult supervision, children who are dirty and not properly clothed for the weather, small children alone in locked cars, dogs tied up for days on end, horses with their ribs showing from malnutrition, the constant loud screaming and fighting coming from neighbors. Sometimes the signs are different. But they always trigger that strange

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Print version critical for journalists in training, students, says Casey Cavalier

Chuck Bloom of Plano is a former columnisteditor for several North Texas newspapers. He can be reached at [email protected] or through his Web site at chuckbloom.blogspot.com.

Don’t allow a fear of being wrong outweigh doing right, says Tina Sanchez

Saturday, September 26, 2009

feeling that something is not quite right. The hard part is allowing that feeling to make us take action. We don’t want to be wrong. The thought of inconveniencing or alienating our friends and neighbors is not a pleasant one, and that is always a possibility. But it is a small price to pay to possibly save a life or stop abuse. We must be willing to pay that price. If we allow ourselves to put our fear of being wrong ahead of our sense of doing what is right, we are lost. It was over 25 years ago I had to make such a decision. Some neighbors who had just had a baby lived next door to our apartment. The young mother obviously had some mental health issues that caused her to yell and fight incessantly with her boyfriend. Sometimes she would walk the halls of our apartment building, talking to herself for hours on end. One night there was loud screaming coming from their small apartment. I called 911. The operator

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asked me whether I thought she was abusing the baby. I said that what I was hearing was indeed abuse, since there was no way anyone, including a newborn, could sleep through all the noise. The police showed up, and the baby was placed with Child Protective Services. The next day the woman’s boyfriend came to thank us for calling the police. He said he could not control the baby’s mother but was afraid to make the call he knew needed to be made. We never did find out what happened to that baby. Maybe the mother got the professional help she needed and the baby was returned to her. Maybe the baby was placed in a foster home and later adopted by a family who could give her a stable, loving home. I’ll probably never know. I’d like to believe that baby grew into a healthy, happy young woman who is alive and well today. What I do know is that I intervened that night in what could have been a tragedy.

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Community opinions

The Dallas Morning News

A forum for readers in Dallas County

They’re raising their voices Today, we introduce our 2009-10 Teacher Voices and Student Voices volunteers. They will write columns and be featured in Sounding Off on Sundays.

Daley Epstein

Valirie Morgan

Kelsey McKinney

Faith Davis Johnson

Senior, Yavneh Academy of Dallas

Junior, Hillcrest High School, Dallas

Senior, Booker T. Washington High School, Dallas

On having a full plate of activities: “My life is one giant balancing act, and I rarely ever stop to rest. I would never have it any other way, as I believe in embracing life and living it to the fullest.” That means mock trial, debate, basketball, canned food drives — you name it. A future in journalism: “After graduating college, I plan to pursue a career in journalism. While others attempt to dissuade me with the reason that it is a dying industry, I know that the journalism world is evolving, not dying, and there always will be a place for news.”

Runaway resume: In addition to being editor-in-chief of the school paper and writing for the literary magazine, she stays busy: Art Club, Green Club, the Preston Hollow Presbyterian Church youth group and Youth Council, the varsity swim team and a four-year student biomedical research program at UT Southwestern Medical Center. On diversity: “As a student in the DISD, I spend most of my time in an extremely diverse environment, and I love interacting with people of all different backgrounds and opinions.”

Artistic focus: Three-dimensional sculpture. Other activities: “I’ve always been a ‘busybody,’ because there are so many activities that hold my attention. Along with creating art work for school, I like to bake at home, read through stacks of books, blog on occasion and participate in NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writers Month).” Column idea: Do AP classes do a better job at making students actually want to learn — rather than just memorize facts?

Eighth-grade U.S. Studies teacher, John B. Hood Middle School, Dallas

You did what? “Five years ago, I made a career change and chose to become a teacher. My friends thought I was nuts. Has it been an easy choice? Not at all. Am I financially comfortable? Not quite there — yet. Do I love my job? Positively!” Do-over? “If I had to do it again — would I? Absolutely!”

Connor Mighell

Kristy Gudmundsson

Candace S. McAfee

Karen Kimball

Junior, Cambridge School of Dallas

Junior, Hockaday School, Dallas

Substitute Teacher, Richardson ISD

Activities: Connor has a full plate, but this one stands out: “I lead music and teach Sunday school for the Laotian youth through Park Cities Presbyterian Church’s Lao Presbyterian Fellowship.” Working man: “In seventh grade, I started my own lawn care business. I work with my brother during ‘mowing season,’ which in Dallas is most of the year!” Also works for Jon D. Williams Cotillion, Dallas Chapter. “Cotillion is a wonderful organization that teaches courtesy and social skills to young men and women throughout the country, and I feel privileged to work with them.”

Runaway resume: She does more than just write for the school newspaper. “I row varsity crew in the fall and spring and play varsity basketball in the winter. About once a week, I tutor kindergarteners and fifth graders at Gooch Elementary.” What else: Latin club, ORFF club (percussion/xylophone band) and a student ambassador organization called H-Club (giving tours to prospective students). Column idea: “Is summer break still a time of relaxation and fun or has it become the ultimate time for resume-building?”

12th-grade A.P. U.S. Government teacher, Skyline Center, Dallas

Sales pitch: “Teaching is the hardest job I ever loved! Want a challenge? Come make a difference.” Local perspective: “As a graduate of South Oak Cliff High School I have seen many changes in the district over the years.” Did you know? “Most people don’t know that many teachers go back to school in the summer to become even better teachers. We apply to institutes and seminars to know more about what we teach. Good teachers never get three months off.”

Background: A Lake Highlands resident, Karen retired three years ago from the Dallas ISD, where most of her career was spent as the music teacher at Lakewood Elementary School. Perspective: “After two years of retirement, I realized how much I missed the students. Although I substitute in all grade levels and subject areas of elementary schools, my first love has always been music. I am continually inspired by the teamwork and skills exhibited as students sing and play together. The disciplines learned in music transfer to other areas of study and are a vital part of student success.”

Hailey Sowden

Susan Wildburger

Victoria John

Cynthia Herschkowitsch

Senior, Highland Park High School, Dallas

Brookhaven College adjunct faculty/ESL teacher

Teacher, South Oak Cliff High School, Dallas ISD

About that resume: “Maybe I tend to come off as being just another resume-packing, grade-grubbing Highland Park kid. Yes, I’ve taken 12 AP classes, do a lot of volunteer work, am in five honor societies, play an instrument and have a leadership role in a couple of clubs, but everything I do, I do because I love it.” Thoughts on pressure: “The increasing pressure heaped on kids at younger and younger ages IS becoming more and more relevant in our society, and I think the shift needs to be addressed. Growing up in Highland Park, I know what pressure feels like, I know what it looks like, and I know how to write about it.”

Why she teaches: “To empower young minds with self-sufficiency skills, thinking and logical skills, as well as self-respect to succeed academically.” Background: Born in Peru to German parents, she grew up fluent in three languages. She now speaks five languages. “I’m a diverse and multicultural person. I have a broader view of multicultural and diverse education issues and thought processes.” What works with her own kids: “Being attuned with our cultural differences (since my children were born in America) and challenging them every day, thus motivating them to succeed without overdependence.”

Middle school Latin, drama and musical theater teacher, Lakehill Preparatory School, Dallas

Background: More than 35 years of teaching and administrative experience: teaching middle school Latin and drama in Texas; Development/Adjunct Humanities faculty for the Dallas County Community College District; and teaching preschool, middle school drama, and adult continuing education in Indiana. Perspective: “Maya Angelou’s words, ‘A bird doesn’t sing because it has an answer. It sings because it has a song,’ capture the essence of my teaching. Each student has a voice that needs to be heard. I seek the best in each and am privileged every day to hear the music they create.”

Background: DISD Teacher of the Year, 1987-88. “This is my 35th year at SOC; I teach because I care about the kids and want them to leave my class every day knowing something they didn’t know before.” Why she teaches: “I teach because I can’t change the whole world, but I can change a little corner of it through my students. My greatest concern is building confidence in my students. If they know they can accomplish their goals, then the academics will naturally follow. I can fill the roles of teacher, mentor, counselor, friend, disciplinarian and, in some cases, be the person in a student’s life who really cares if he comes to school.”

LETTERS Lawsuit fears limit play

WILLIAM “BUBBA” FLINT/Special Contributor

Re: “Field of dreams or field of fees? City discourages impromptu games, says Brian Brown of Plano,” last Sunday Student Voices column. We continually see concern over the current generation being obese. Yet we deny them the chance to get outside and work it off. Likely part of the Plano Park and Recreation’s reason for requiring reservations on the fields is to prevent litigation. Reservations entail someone signing for responsibility, thus relieving the city. That speaks poorly for our current mind-set. We are denying our younger generation what we had growing up. I, and most other octogenarians, grew up in an era when just

about every small town and city had vacant lots where children played. There would be a scrub ball game going every day the sun shone during school vacation. Any kid could come in and start at left field and work up to batter anytime, regardless of athletic ability. That was not organized athletics, but it sure kept a lot of kids out of trouble and in good physical condition. So, giving back some of the old ways might well be a benefit. How about a state law exempting property owners from litigation if they agree to allow children to play on their vacant property? Might just decrease child obesity and delinquency. Bob Derryberry, Dallas

Another liberty lost What a wonderful, intelligent and articulate opinion by Brian Brown regarding having to reserve and pay for an unused field in Plano for a ballgame with friends. What possible harm could come from a group of young men or women playing a game on property maintained by the taxes of the city of Plano? I suppose the city would rather they “hang out on a corner” with nothing to do, perhaps initiating mischief they would never have otherwise thought about. Another liberty lost to the government. Are we still able to walk through the parks without a permit? How about the cityowned sidewalks? Ridiculous! G. Lanzone, Plano

HOW TO SEND A LETTER TO THE EDITOR Letters should be 200 words or fewer and include the writer’s name, address and phone number for verification purposes. Only the name and city of the writer will be published. Letters will be edited for length, clarity and style. Send by e-mail: [email protected]. By Fax: 972-263-0456. Or by Mail: P.O. Box 655237, Dallas, Texas 75265. For more information, contact Michael Landauer, assistant editorial page editor for Community Opinions, at 214-977-8258 or [email protected].

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Community opinions

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A forum for readers in Dallas County

Celebrating the quirky, delightful Cliff We are diverse, eclectic — and mostly harmonious, says John Guilford of Oak Cliff

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lthough it’s been 106 years since Oak Cliff was a city in its own right, somehow a sense of being different from Dallas still permeates its neighborhoods and hangouts. Eyebrows are still raised at my office when the conversation gets around to where everyone lives. Among the dozens of people I interact with every day at work, I am the only one who lives in Oak Cliff. There is a sense of mystery, of wildness, even of danger when the area is mentioned. Granted, there is a lot of Voices violent crime attributed to Oak Community Cliff, especially on its fringes. Some confusion lies in the definition of the boundaries of Oak Cliff. Early Oak Cliff was bounded roughly by Illinois Avenue on the south, the Trinity on the east, Fort Worth Avenue on the north, and Cockrell Hill on the west. Many people who have lived in the area for

decades are reluctant to include the area close to Interstate 20 or east of Interstate 35 in the Oak Cliff designation. Many first-time visitors to Oak Cliff are amazed at the natural beauty of the area. While much of Dallas County is as flat as a board, Oak Cliff has some of the steepest hills and prettiest creeks around. Many neighborhoods have adopted medians or adjacent parks and creeks, regularly pulling weeds and planting and watering flowers. Kiest Park and Lake Cliff Park are some of the largest and most well-used in Dallas. The restaurant scene is also unique. Instead of ordinary, predictable chain restaurants, we have mostly local, colorful places to eat, which are usually reasonably priced. Many of these draw customers from every ethnic group. One of my favorite spots is Aunt Stelle’s Sno Cones on Clarendon Drive. Since 1962, this local landmark has served up the best-flavored snow cones anywhere, as evidenced by the long lines

on hot summer days. One of the most attractive aspects of Oak Cliff’s character is the eclectic diversity of its residents. On any given street you will find great diversity of education level, race, gender, social status, income and political views. Even among its individual neighborhoods, there is immense diversity. There are very wealthy neighborhoods, very modest ones and everything in between. The amazing thing is that everyone coexists, usually in harmony. I couldn’t help being struck by this waiting for a traffic light at Davis Street at Llewellyn Avenue. On one corner, a swanky restaurant with a world-class chef was packed with wine-sipping, mostly Anglo clients, enjoying the cooling mist of the patio area. In the parking lot, there were mostly new sports cars, hybrids, BMWs. Across the street, a taqueria had a line of at least 15 people, mostly Latino, waiting for their orders. In the parking lot, pickup trucks and large SUVs with oversize chrome wheels

were haphazardly parked, many with numerous young kids and babies waiting patiently. I couldn’t help but wonder what the taqueria crowd thought as they glanced across the street at the wine crowd and vice-versa. Since I have spent time among both crowds, I can say that I have never seen any antipathy or anger directed from one group to another. Instead, there is a “different strokes for different folks” attitude. Some people spend a lot of money on chrome wheels. Others spend a lot of money on wine. To me, that’s a vivid example of what makes Oak Cliff special. Instead of letting differences tear us apart or spark violence, we recognize differences, accept and even celebrate them.

Hate speech from the pulpit

RAISE YOUR VOICE The Dallas Morning News is accepting applications for Community Voices, a panel of volunteer columnists who will be regular contributors to the Opinions page inside the Metro section. Voices volunteers write opinion columns every four to six weeks and are the “stars” of the weekly Sounding Off feature that appears on Sundays, in which the Voices and other readers respond to a question of the week. To get an idea of what kinds of topics Voices write about, visit dallasnews .com/voices.

It’s easy to scorn someone you don’t know, says Berta B. Sisemore

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here has been no shortage of news stories driven by fear in the late days of this summer — all painted with a dark palette of ignorance with the end result being a picture of unfounded paranoia. The reaction to President Barack Obama’s plans for a speech to schoolchildren got the most attention, but two recent news stories about churches (and I use the term loosely) got my eyes rolling and my head shaking in such disbelief it made me dizzy. The first story was of two sisters being sent home from school because they wore T-shirts issued by their Florida-based church, the Dove World Outreach Center, which boldly stated on the back, “Islam is of the Devil.” It was surreal to watch these girls, with their father in the room, answer questions from the media with Voices either drilled Community answers about being saved or shrugged shoulders. They really weren’t sure why they were better than their Muslim classmates; they just knew they were. Senior Pastor Terry Jones, a primary source of this callowness, is so embedded in ignorance that he refused to take down a billboard with the same message despite plenty of negative feedback from the community. It’s easy to demonize someone you don’t know, I guess. Then, did you hear the one about the Arizona pastor, Steven L. Anderson of the Faithful Word Baptist Church, who expressed to his congregation his death wish for President Obama? The title of his sermon was actually “Why I Hate Barack Obama” and he said, “I hope that God strikes Barack Obama with brain cancer so he can die like Ted Kennedy, and I hope it happens today.” Just for the record, I’m

John Guilford of Oak Cliff is an engineer and a Community Voices volunteer columnist. His e-mail address is [email protected].

pretty sure most Baptists and other Christians won’t agree with this crazy rant. This reminds me of the old saying, “God wants spiritual fruits, not religious nuts.” Again, it’s just so easy to demonize when we don’t even look to see what we have in common. I very recently had my own moment of jumping to paranoid conclusions. I live in Richardson and noticed that our old YWCA had once again changed ownership. I’d seen the new “Turquoise Center” sign and wondered what the heck this new entity could possibly be. My curiosity was elevated by the constant presence of at least a couple of cars in the parking lot, be it during my evening walks with my daughter or on my pre-dawn runs. I’d see the silhouettes of people coming and going at what I thought were odd hours. I thought there had to be something shady going on. I even contemplated the possibility of a swingers club. Lo and behold, I felt like quite the fool when The Dallas Morning News ran a story on this very place. It turns out that the Turquoise Center is owned by Raindrop, an immigration service that houses offices for the Institute for Interfaith Dialogue and the Dallas Islamic Center mosque. The gist of the news story was that the mosque had invited Presbyterians, Methodists and Unitarians to join them at the dinner table, a gesture of unity and understanding. I quickly changed my tune from not wanting this in my neighborhood to “Wait a minute! What about us Catholics? I want to come!” Funny what just a little information can do for your outlook on life and your fellow human beings. Berta B. Sisemore of Richardson is a CPA and a Community Voices volunteer columnist. Her e-mail address is bertasisemore @yahoo.com.

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Myths of the military As the wife of a Marine, I’ve experienced all of these and more, says Shirlene Lucy

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uring most of my 47 years of married life, I have been the wife of an officer in the U.S. Marine Corps, which took us to live in five states and one foreign country. And during that time, I have been amazed at how little people know about the military. For example, most people use the term “soldier” to refer to anyone in the military. Actually, a soldier is in the Army only. You probably know that someone in the Marine Corps is called a Marine, but did you know that a serviceman or woman in the Air Force is an airman or Air Force officer, and someone in the Navy is either a sailor (enlisted) or a Navy officer? Oh, but there are other myths and misperceptions: Officers have to “re-up” every few years. That may be true in the enlisted

ranks, but among officers, at least in the Marine Corps, officers remain officers even after they retire or resign their commission. Yes, they do have obligations of service once they are selected for promotion to the next rank, but that is a matter of a few years, and only if they want to Voices retire at that higher Community rank. All uniforms are provided free of charge. True for enlisted, not for officers.

And having dress uniforms, which are very expensive, is not optional for officers. The military offers a generous vacation allowance. This is partially true,

but do understand: 30 days of leave per year means not 30 work days, but 30 calendar days. There is no advantage in taking your leave around a weekend or holiday, because you must include those days in your vacation the same as any other day.

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Military housing is furnished free of charge. Well, sort of. You receive a housing

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allowance that you forfeit if you live on

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base. Wives take on the rank of their husbands. Not true! Well, mostly not true.

Wives of higher ranking officers are given the same courtesies you would give the wife of an executive of a civilian company. I have heard a story about several spouses gathered for a briefing. As the story goes, someone asks all them to change seats based on their ranking. After a confused and frantic 10 minutes, the person returned, only to remind them that spouses hold no rank, and we must always remember that. Great story, but probably a military urban legend. But rank is important in all aspects of military life — from housing to retirement. That’s part of the culture others find hard to understand. Something the wife of one of my husband’s superior officers always said was, “Junior officers should never forget the difference in rank, and superior officers should never remember it.” A good rule to live by. But the biggest myth might have to do with tours of duty abroad. They say that each separation gets easier to endure, but that is simply not true. At least it wasn’t for me. Back when my husband served in Desert Storm in 1991, I counted the number of separations of eight weeks or more that we experienced throughout his career. It was at least seven, from 13 months in Vietnam to as few as five months after the bombing of the Marine barracks in Beirut in 1983. Being retired and back in Texas, I have reflected on our time away, and have concluded that even during the difficult times, I wouldn’t have traded the experiences we had for anything. Shirlene Lucy of Carrollton is a retired portrait photographer and Community Voices volunteer columnist. Her e-mail address is shirlenelucy@msn .com.

1. Write a little about yourself and put together a list of current and previous civic involvements. How would others in the community describe you? What is unique about your background and experience? Why should we choose you? 2. Share a previous writing sample or write something new on a current topic. A writing sample should be 600-650 words. 3. Jot down three other topics you would like to write about. 4. E-mail the application to [email protected]. Please include your address and phone number. Deadline: 4 p.m. Oct. 5.

LETTERS Slower speed advised I am a regular Bush Turnpike driver who believes that increasing the speed limit from 60 mph to 70 mph was a bad idea. The increased pollution and gasoline consumption alone are strong arguments against it. However, the main reason I think it was a bad idea is due to decreased safety. In the city, particularly at rush hour, 70 mph is simply too high. Often traffic backs up at major highway interchange exits so the right lanes are at a nearstandstill. It is obviously not safe having vehicles fly by these cars at such high speeds. Stopping distances and accident severity increase greatly with speed. Nearly every day since the increase, I find myself having to brake hard due to traffic suddenly slowing ahead. I advise that the North Texas Tollway Authority reconsider the current speed limit and at least reduce the maximum to 65 mph. William Henze, Irving

HOW TO SEND A LETTER TO THE EDITOR Letters should be 200 words or fewer and include the writer’s name, address and phone number for verification purposes. Only the name and city of the writer will be published. Letters will be edited for length, clarity and style. Send by e-mail: [email protected]. By Fax: 972-263-0456. Or by Mail: P.O. Box 655237, Dallas, Texas 75265. For more information, contact Michael Landauer, assistant editorial page editor for Community Opinions, at 214-977-8258 or [email protected].

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Community opinions SOUNDING OFF Comment on the following topic on our blog: dallasnews.com/opinionblog.

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A school without a zone Booker T. students need some pedestrian protection, says Kelsey McKinney

Documentary filmmaker Ken Burns’ latest epic work — The National Parks: America’s Best Idea — debuts on PBS on Sept. 27. What do you think has been America’s best idea?

Susan Sanders Wansbrough Attorney, Lake Highlands I am a huge fan of the our national parks, but I think America’s best idea is that everyone is entitled to a free basic education. I just wish all students appreciated the mind-blowing possibilities a good education would give them, and not refuse to study unless they are being entertained.

Connor Mighell Junior, Cambridge School of Dallas While the national parks are indeed beautiful (I have visited several), the political system that was expressed in the Constitution and the Bill of Rights is so elegant and beautiful that it cannot be ignored.

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ast week, a friend of mine got hit by a car. Now, in all fairness, the car barely bumped into her, only hit her hard enough to throw her balance a bit awry. The driver had made a right turn on red from Routh Street onto the feeder for Woodall Rodgers Freeway, and he simply didn’t look. Had he, he would have seen a mass of both students and teachers trying desperately to cross the feeder. I am a student at Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts. Every day, I drive in a carpool from Denton County because I really believe this nationally acclaimed Voices school to be worth it. But Student it is a school without a school zone. Despite our acclaim, we are being denied a fundamental addition to our safety. As drivers, we all recognize school zones. We are annoyed by their frequency, their low speed limit and their crossing guards. We resent the new law that says we must get off our phones within their hated flashing lights. We sometimes even drive longer

distances in order to avoid them. Yet, we notice them. Like them or not, school zones are very effective. Booker T. Washington sits on the corner of a very busy intersection. Routh Street is undergoing construction and is blanketed by construction workers and backhoes. The feeder to Woodall Rodgers is packed with downtown drivers trying to honk their way into a spot to merge onto U.S. Highway 75. Our intersection is both terribly busy and extremely aggressive. That some man in a blue Corolla hit my friend last week is easy to understand — for him or for her. The traffic is terrible, and I can easily understand his anxiousness. However, I’m not sure drivers appreciate what it must be like a student trying to cross a street with a speed limit a good 30 miles an hour over a typical school zone limit. A student braving aggressive, tired, drivers talking on their cellphones. A student forced to walk between cars blocking not only the crosswalk, but also the entire intersection. It is time for some type of reform. Last week, I averaged the amount of time the small walk-sign man said I could walk. Seventeen seconds. Without a backpack, or a piece of art, or a conversation, we could probably cross the feeder in our allotted time — if we ran.

Texas law states, “A pedestrian who has partially crossed while the ‘walk’ signal is displayed shall proceed … while the ‘Don’t Walk’ signal is displayed.” Yet, if you were to watch the students and teachers crossing the feeder on a Friday at 4 p.m., they do not seem to believe these laws are in effect. The approaching cars disregard the pedestrians for their green lights, and it results in the running footsteps of our students. They fear they too will be bumped by a distracted driver. Is it fair for students to be afraid trying to walk to their cars every day? Is it fair that they are forced to play a real-life version of Frogger after a long day at school? I am not striving for any special attention or special privileges for Booker T. Washington. Instead, I am asking — well begging, really — for what the majority of schools already have. We want a school zone. Kelsey McKinney is a senior at Booker T. Washington High School in Dallas ISD and a Student Voices volunteer columnist. To respond to this column, send an e-mail to [email protected].

It’s all about the subgroups Karen Kimball

Nandita Singh

Substitute teacher, Richardson ISD

Sophomore, Hebron High School, Carrollton

National parks are certainly one of America’s best ideas, although the Interstate Highway System also ranks near the top. Preserving some of the our greatest areas of natural beauty for the enjoyment of future generations was an excellent decision.

America’s best idea has been the creation of the National Football League. Every Sunday people sit down to watch one of the most entertaining and competitive sports around.

We’re measuring the wrong thing in school accountability, says Debbie Gallagher of Cedar Hill

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Voices: The above Voices volunteers are regular contributors to this forum.

J. Kyle Rains of Lakewood: America’s best idea

has been the moon landings. Lin Barbee of Dallas: The National Park System is certainly in the top few of America’s best ideas but it ranks below (1) The Constitution and all of its ideas and institutions, (2) the Interstate Highway System and (3) the building of thousands of reservoirs that supply life-critical water and are essential to electricity production. Therese Henry of Dallas: Our very best idea was our very first idea — to form a government in which all men are created equal, with certain unalienable rights, including life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Everything else is secondary. Ellen Raff of Dallas: Freedom of religion is probably the best, and most profound, idea. National parks remind us why human beings are inspired by nature to worship a creator.

egregation is alive and well in Texas schools. The results from the 2009 TAKS scores once again divide students into “subgroups” — African-American, Hispanic, White, Asian, Native American, Economically Disadvantaged, Special Education, Limited English Proficiency, Female and Male. All data is over-analyzed using these labels. Integration began in 1954 with Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Voices but for some reason the Teacher federal government still wants to create divisions. As teachers we are expected to teach all our students without any prejudice. We take classes on cultural awareness and teaching to a diverse student body. It’s hypocritical to expect teachers and administrators to look beyond race and economic status, but then hand us our scores divided by these very

same factors. When I am teaching I look at the students, not their race and not their economic level or any other identifying factor measured by the state. A principal in Grand Prairie recently called in 60 black students for a meeting to challenge them to do better on the TAKS test. Some students and parents were offended. A similar incident happened in the Katy school district. Separate assemblies were held for white and Hispanic students. It was explained that the meetings were separate because that is the way the state reports achievement. The No Child Left Behind Act requires schools to track the performance of these subgroups. Interestingly enough, the schools that are integrated the most are the very schools that can be more heavily penalized. If a school has more subgroups than another, it is easier for the less integrated school to demonstrate “adequate yearly progress.” I cringe when I hear about how a school would have achieved higher recognition if only a specific subgroup had performed better. And it gets complicated. Many students are in several subgroups. For example a special education, white student from a poor family who speaks a language other than English fails; his score counts more than other students in determining whether a school meets federal guidelines. Also, NCLB requires each subgroup’s results to be statistically reliable, and it lets states choose the minimum size of the

Sandra Steinbach of Dallas: My husband and I have visited every national park over the course of our marriage; Teddy Roosevelt is largely responsible for our happy marriage. Arranging for generations to enjoy the natural beauty of our land is America’s best idea.

subgroups that will count. Schools that choose higher numbers for their groups indeed leave some kids outside the count. We have some students counting more than once and some not counting at all. It’s as if they do not exist. When teachers look at test results, all we need are the scores for each student and overall pass/fail percentage. We need to see which test questions were missed the most and which students need help in a particular subject area. There’s nothing offensive about identifying the students who need help with “finding the main idea” in a reading passage or “using division to solve a word problem.” Standardized tests are very useful for identifying students that need remediation. We can then place these students in tutoring classes and target those skills. We do not need to be informed about their economic status or race. True integration will occur when test results are based on individual achievement, not how specific races, special education students and economic groups perform. Instead of the No Child Left Behind Act, we need an Every Child is Treated Fairly Act. Stop labeling and let us teach. Debbie Gallagher of Cedar Hill is a computer teacher at Daniel Intermediate School in Duncanville ISD and a Teacher Voices volunteer columnist. Her e-mail address is [email protected].

RAISE YOUR VOICE The Dallas Morning News is accepting applications for Community Voices. Voices volunteers write opinion columns every four to six weeks and are the “stars” of the weekly Sounding Off feature that appears on Sundays, in which the Voices and other readers respond to a question of the week. To get an idea of what kinds of topics Voices write about, visit dallasnews .com/voices.

Anita Titone of Dallas: America’s best idea is still

that we are a real democracy. The “real” part is secure because we have a free press, not only in name but in reality. Our democracy and our press certainly are not perfect, but they are better than any other systems. Bob Dewberry of Dallas: America’s best idea was Dwight Eisenhower’s plan for our vast Interstate Highway System. Mrs. Marty Walker of Dallas: I must choose two: first, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and, second, the bright idea of making public libraries accessible to all who love to read.

Apply in four easy steps:

1. Write a little about yourself and put together a list of current and previous civic involvements. How would others in the community describe you? What is unique about your background and experience? Why should we choose you? 2. Share a previous writing sample or write something new on a current topic. A writing sample should be 600-650 words. 3. Jot down three other topics you would like to write about. 4. E-mail the application to voices@dallasnews. com. Include your address and phone number. Deadline: 4 p.m. Oct. 5.

Matt Brumit of Dallas: America’s best idea, though encompassed by the national parks, is our national monuments. Ranging from the Statue of Liberty to the Arlington National Cemetery, they have an incredible ability to instill patriotism in us, and undaunted patriotism will keep our country safe and prosperous.

SIGN UP These responses are from readers who have asked to receive the weekly Sounding Off question. To be added to the e-mail list, send your full contact information to communityopinions@dall asnews.com.

WILLIAM “BUBBA” FLINT/Special Contributor

HOW TO SEND A LETTER TO THE EDITOR Letters should be 200 words or fewer and include the writer’s name, address and phone number for verification purposes. Only the name and city of the writer will be published. Letters will be edited for length, clarity and style. Send by e-mail: [email protected]. By Fax: 972-263-0456. Or by Mail: P.O. Box 655237, Dallas, Texas 75265. For more information, contact Michael Landauer, assistant editorial page editor for Community Opinions, at 214-977-8258 or [email protected].

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What students need Our world has changed, but our children have not, says Karen Kimball

Documentary filmmaker Ken Burns’ latest epic work — The National Parks: America’s Best Idea — debuts on PBS tonight. Are public parks still relevant in an age of unlimited entertainment options? Why do public parks matter?

Susan Wildburger

Connor Mighell

Brookhaven College adjunct faculty/ESL teacher

Junior, Cambridge School of Dallas

Absolutely, especially for those who grew up traveling with their parents to appreciate nature and the beauty of preservation. However, even for parents who did not have that advantage, what a way to inform and educate them that there is more to life than videogames and Wii and Guitar Hero.

The sheer cliffs of the Grand Canyon, the huge glaciers of Alaska, the powerful rush of Old Faithful and the majestic forests of Yellowstone connect with the person experiencing them on a deeper level. No “favorite movie” or entertainment option can compare.

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began my teaching career more than 40 years ago in an elementary school in Oak Cliff. When I returned to full-time teaching in the early ’90s after a long break to raise my own children, I was told by friends and colleagues alike that “Kids have changed since you last taught.” After 15 years at that DISD school, two years of retirement and one year of active substitute teaching in the Richardson ISD, I continue to strongly disagree with that statement. The world has changed. Technology has changed. Family structures (and often family values) have changed. Children have not Voices changed at all. Teacher In these still-early weeks of the school year, it may be helpful for all of us who are teachers and parents to focus on those things that children have wanted and needed in the past and will continue to seek in the years to come. Children need to feel “special.” Al-

though I sometimes disagree with the overuse of that word today, I can think of no other that would more aptly serve the purpose. They gain security from knowing someone cares for them. A kind word or compliment and a real show of interest can make a significant difference. Call each child by name and make sure that all of them can feel their importance in your life. Children need to be challenged. Although students enter each grade with varying levels of prior knowledge and abilities, each needs to meet the challenge of learning something new. The smile on a child’s face as he masters a new concept is priceless. A colleague of mine has taught math to fifth- and sixth-graders throughout her career and loves her subject. She doesn’t make math easy, but she does make it fun, and her students excel. Children need to be inspired — by music, art, or the spoken or written word. As a music teacher, I’ve had many opportunities to observe this through the years. One third grade girl was asked by her teacher to bring a picture of something beautiful to class. She came to my room to take a photo of her favorite song in the music text.

Children need a time to dream — and a quiet place to do so. Another perennial favorite of my fifth-graders was “The Girl I Mean to Be,” from the Broadway musical The Secret Garden. We sang “The One I Mean to Be” because the words certainly fit both girls and boys: “I need a place where I can hide, Where no one sees my life inside, Where I can make my plans and write them down so I can read them …” Find that place for your child. In a world where noise is a constant and schedules are always full, carve out that time and place for your children to sit quietly and dream. It will play dividends in the future. Schools today no longer look the same. Technology and modern buildings have created a new climate for education. The students may look different, too. Deep inside, however, children are still the very same, and they deserve the best that we as teachers and parents can give them. Karen Kimball of Dallas is a substitute teacher in the Richardson ISD and a Teacher Voices volunteer columnist. Her e-mail address is [email protected].

Building minds with bridge Game keeps adults, children sharp, says Susan Sanders Wansbrough

Candace S. McAfee

Kim Barnes

12th-grade A.P. U.S. Government teacher, Skyline Center, Dallas

Head of Early Childhood, Greenhill School, Addison

National parks matter because camping is a wonderful bonding opportunity for families. Most cell phones don’t work there, so they talk to each other when the batteries on the electronic games run down.

Public parks allow families a “nature connection” that they might not otherwise pursue on their own.

Voices: The above Voices volunteers are regular contributors to this forum.

Sylvia M. LaRue of Dallas: Most Americans cannot afford luxurious vacations to distant lands. The national parks are within reach of almost every family. Pitching a tent under lofty pines and eating meals around a campfire create a bonding experience like no other. Sandra Steinbach of Dallas: If your life needs adventure, variety, communion with nature and with the community of people who care for the parks, affordable exercise, stars at night and the sound of rippling streams, all with a historical perspective, head out for awe. Janice Schwarz of Dallas: National parks are more important now than ever. My husband, young children and I travel to a different national park every year. This is the time we bond as a family. We are away from the TV, the Nintendo, the PC, the telephone and all of the distractions that keep us apart. Ellen Raff of Dallas: National parks provide a

sanctuary where we can find continuity with ageless landscapes and understand ourselves as part of something larger than whatever we manage to filter through our electronic screens and headphones. J. Kyle Rains of Lakewood: National parks are still relevant because they represent the soul of our country. It’s sad that I can be on a plane gazing down in awe on Monument Valley in the late afternoon with the peaks casting long shadows, and everyone else on board has his or her shades pulled down. Mrs. Marty Walker of Dallas: Our parks have been America’s treasures for years, especially for those city dwellers with smaller children who love to expose their young families to the outdoors, the beauty of flowers and trees, playground equipment, picnic provisions, and walking trails.

RAISE YOUR VOICE Be a “star” of the weekly Sounding Off feature that appears in this spot on Sundays. The Dallas Morning News is accepting applications for Community Voices, a panel of volunteer columnists who will be regular contributors to the Opinions page inside the Metro section. For more information, send an e-mail to voices@dallasnews .com.

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hen I was in college, a group of nerds was always holed up in a remote corner of the SMU student center, playing bridge until the wee hours. I didn’t know it then, but my future husband, Scott, was among them. Bridge is a card game with origins in a very old Russian or Turkish game called Biritch, or Whist. In bridge, you and a partner bid against an opposing pair for a “trump” suit (or for no trump), used to take “tricks.” Numerous systems, called “conventions,” have been developed to optimize communication of Voices information between Community partners. In the 1960s and ’70s, Dallas businessman Ira L. Corn organized and funded the Dallas Aces, one of the greatest bridge teams ever. Dallas Morning News bridge columnist Bobby Wolff was an original member, as was Dallasite Bob Hamman, now 71 and still one of the best bridge players in the world. “Party bridge,” sometimes called “rubber bridge,” is for fun, played in homes and recreation centers throughout the country. Duplicate, where you play for points toward a lifetime ranking, is seriously competitive.

Thousands of people in the Dallas/Fort Worth area play bridge regularly. Scott and I have a mixed marriage. He plays duplicate bridge almost every day. I play party bridge on occasion. He is a “bronze” life master and a student of the game, his proudest possession a scorecard signed by Bobby Wolff, after Scott and his partner outplayed Wolff and his. My joy comes from harvesting vegetables I’ve grown. We rarely play bridge together anymore, but early on teamed up against our mothers, who didn’t read bridge books but had guile, experience and card sense on their side. They usually won. When I was a kid, parents often hosted bridge parties, setting up card tables in living rooms and serving mixed nuts, chocolate “bridge mix” and mixed drinks. It was common for kids to play bridge back then, too. At age 11, my partner was my friend Larry Mattay. Bridge is a perfect game for young people; almost everything about it should appeal to them. It can be very intense and complex. Strategy is crucial. It requires cooperation with a partner, an excellent memory and an agile mind. And a merciless competitive instinct. Children can and often do beat experienced adults. And you can play bridge online with people in other countries 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

For a while, one of my husband’s partners was 10-year-old Zach Brescoll, an elementary school student from Euless who also played baseball. Zach so quickly mastered bridge that he soon dumped Scott as a partner. Last summer, at age 16, Zach represented the United States in the bridge competition at the International Mind Games in Beijing. Now 17, and living in Kentucky, he is one of the best young bridge players in the world, and recently brought home a bronze medal from the 2009 World Bridge Series in Istanbul, Turkey. Bridge players can become passionate about the game. Poor bids or card play have resulted in divorces and even murders. You need look no further than Agatha Christie’s Death at the Bridge Table. People of all races, nationalities, and economic classes play bridge; all it takes is a deck of cards, a scorepad and a pencil. Free lessons are available online or at most of the 18-plus North Texas clubs sanctioned by the American Contract Bridge League. It is fun, keeps minds sharp and provides a great network of friends. Susan Sanders Wansbrough is an attorney who lives in Lake Highlands and a Community Voices volunteer columnist. Her e-mail address is [email protected].

LETTERS Choose from city shelters first For anyone thinking about adopting a pet from a shelter, I strongly urge you to put your city’s animal shelter as your first choice. The animals at your city’s shelter are in much greater danger of being put to sleep. Animals you will find at shelters like the SPCA have already been rescued. They will not be put down unless they become too sick to treat or too dangerous to adopt out. Animals at your city’s shelter are just as sweet and as loving as those at other rescue shelters like the SPCA. But animals at Dallas Animal Services that make it into their adoption program, for example, have only 45 days to find a new home before they are in danger of being put down. While DAS tries very hard to place these animals, even when they go past their time, often they have no choice but to put them down because they become overwhelmed by new animals coming into the shelter. Shelters like the SPCA do God’s work, and our community is better for their efforts. But the animals at Dallas Animal Services and those at other city shelters need our help much more just to stay alive. Please think of them first. Larry Mendolia, Dallas

Signs and speed limits I have seen the new signs in the school zones: Speed limit, no cellphone, etc., etc.

WILLIAM “BUBBA” FLINT/Special Contributor

There were so many signs on the post, I would certainly have a problem if I were driving. Why don’t they have a sign about cellphone usage before the other warnings and put it in bright red? And then there is the new speed limit on certain highways: 70 mph. If the law says 70,

people are going to drive 75 mph to 80 mph. I travel on Interstate 30 from Dallas to Rockwall. I set my cruise to 60, and people whiz by me, especially 18-wheelers. They should be restricted to a lane of their own. Lucretia Green, Rockwall

HOW TO SEND A LETTER TO THE EDITOR Letters should be 200 words or fewer and include the writer’s name, address and phone number for verification purposes. Only the name and city of the writer will be published. Letters will be edited for length, clarity and style. Send by e-mail: [email protected]. By Fax: 972-263-0456. Or by Mail: P.O. Box 655237, Dallas, Texas 75265. For more information, contact Michael Landauer, assistant editorial page editor for Community Opinions, at 214-977-8258 or [email protected].

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Community opinions

The Dallas Morning News

A forum for readers in Collin, Dallas and Rockwall counties

They’re raising their voices Today, we introduce our 2009-10 Teacher Voices and Student Voices volunteers. They will write columns and be featured in Sounding Off on Sundays.

Maggie Funk

Kathryn S. Pabst

Jeri L. Chambers

Ana K. Molina Brea

Alexandria Hudson

Sandy Kulkarni

Bilingual gifted-and-talented elementary school teacher, Richardson ISD

English/language arts teacher, Lovejoy High School

Fifth-grade teacher, Plano

Sophomore, Jasper High School, Plano

Senior, Rockwall High School

Chemistry teacher, Allen High School

Student and a teacher: She has been working on a master’s degree from SMU and will graduate in the spring. Hometown view: “Coming back to live in the neighborhood where I grew up, and teach at the elementary school I attended as a child has been a fulfilling full-circle experience.” Rewards of the job: “The enduring moments are those times when a student further explores, reads, thinks, writes, draws, tells siblings about something you said in class or in passing that has sparked a new interest for them.”

Background: A native Texan with roots in Richardson and 16 years in Plano. “This is my third year back in the classroom after a 10-year hiatus as a mom. In my first round of teaching, I taught middle school math for eight years.” Rewards of the job: “The challenge of making a connection with each child in your classroom and playing a role in his or her light bulb moments. My role is to facilitate learning and inspire others to embrace lifelong learning.” Early choice: “It’s in the blood. My grandparents were educators, as was my mom.”

Perspective: “I teach to gather new voices to the process of creating, shaping and interpreting the meaning of our collective experience.” Background: Grew up the child of an immigrant in Chicago and moved to Houston after college. Has lived in the Dallas area for the past 20 years. Hometown view: “My husband and I decided to build a home and raise our four boys in an area that offered a big-country sense of space and schools that I could count on. We found them both in Fairview and Lovejoy ISD.”

Background: “I was born in Mexico but raised in a Texas suburb by parents from Honduras and Panama, so I have always been fascinated by the different cultures and their people. My life is a juxtaposition of diverse cultures.” Possible future studies: “I wish to have a degree in sociology, particularly in human interactions.” In her free time: Reading novels and plays, running, and yoga. “Lately, I have been working on a painting inspired by Mori paintings that we viewed in school.”

Persuasive approach: “I’m a local revolutionist who can stand strong in what I believe without becoming too narrow-minded and shutting out the ideas of other people.” Interesting mix: Editor-in-chief of the student newspaper, top mixed-doubles tennis team, American Sign-Language Club Defender of Rockwall: In a letter to the editor on Inauguration Day coverage in her city, she wrote, “It is obvious that we have a smaller minority population in Rockwall, but to assume that we are not open to the differences that make our country what it is, is unfair and wrong.”

Background: “After couple of years of successful cancer research, my heart was telling me to go back to teaching. Although sudden career change seemed challenging, my strong motivation got me there.” Perspective: “When I look back at my 12 years of journey on this path, it brings back nothing but fond memories and makes me smile.” Rewards: “It is amazing to see that someone who used to hate science is thrilled with the wonders of chemistry now. I was able to make a difference in the lives of these kids. And that is all that matters!”

Brennan Tanksley

O.S. Harper

Keturah Stewart

Tina Kelman

Karen Kimball

Mark R. Harrington

Senior, McKinney Boyd High School

Mathematics department chair, Lakeview Centennial High School, Garland ISD

Kindergarten teacher, Don Achziger Elementary, Mesquite ISD

ESL teacher, Faubion Middle School, McKinney

Substitute teacher, Richardson ISD

History teacher, Seagoville High School

Sounds hard: “I currently teach AP Calculus, Algebra II Honors/Pre-AP and serve as the mathematics department chair. I have previously taught eighth-grade mathematics, trigonometry, Algebra I and physics. In addition, I spent seven years teaching developmental mathematics (algebra for adults) at Brookhaven College and North Central Texas College.” Why he teaches: “I simply got hooked. I attempted to run from teaching, but everything else felt empty. Teaching offers the rare opportunity to impart critical knowledge, shape thinking and problem-solving skills, and offer advice on not just surviving in the world, but excelling.”

Why she teaches: “I remember every teacher I’ve had from kindergarten through high school, and even college. Most important, I remember what kind of impact they had in my life, whether it was positive or negative. I want to be the teacher that these kids never forget for a positive reason.” Experience: Attended school from kindergarten through graduation in Mesquite. Last year was her first in the front of the classroom. Possible column: How to separate the “real teachers” from the ones who are in it for the summer vacation.

Background: Tina lived for years in France, struggling to understand and be understood. “The experiences I had, both good and bad, fundamentally change who I am and how I see the world.” How she can relate: “Based upon my overseas experience, I had no other choice but to become an ESL teacher. I know the struggle that my students wrestle with every day.” Possible column idea: How our child can benefit from sitting next to a speaker of another language at school: Diverse languages and cultures in the classroom enrich everyone’s educational experience and insight, students and teachers alike.

Background: A Lake Highlands resident, Karen retired three years ago from the Dallas ISD, where most of her career was spent as the music teacher at Lakewood Elementary School. Perspective: “After two years of retirement, I realized how much I missed the students. Although I substitute in all grade levels and subject areas of elementary schools, my first love has always been music. I am continually inspired by the teamwork and skills exhibited as students sing and play together. The disciplines learned in music transfer to other areas of study and are a vital part of student success.”

Why he avoided teaching: His father was a teacher for decades. “I had seen my dad struggle with his teacher’s salary. Drivers ed, summer school, working at Kappy’s Liquors — dad had done all these, and I didn’t feel like following in those shoes.” Why he gave in: Teaching is an honor, he says. “Young, fresh, hopeful and caring people come into the teacher’s life each year and present themselves with a trust that is moving.” Possible column idea: “The inability of teachers to face the attacks made on the profession by those with little or no understanding of the challenges facing the modern-day classroom teacher.”

You need to know: “I love American comic books. Ever since I can remember, the idea of putting on a symbolic costume and saving the lives of ordinary people has appealed to me.” Realistic expectations: “I’ve always believed that if you have the power to help people and change things for the better, then you have the obligation. I also know the influence that the press holds in our country and around the world and have always seen it as the best source for inspiring change and hopefully aiding people. After all, I don’t have super powers and would feel pretty awkward running around in multicolored tights.”

Hanna Jacunski

Sneha Raghunathan

Avery Hurst

Junior, Plano East Senior High School

Junior, Plano Senior High School

Senior, J.J. Pearce High School, Richardson

Plan for surviving high school: “As long I can learn from my mistakes until 2011, I will have an edge over those who just lived day to day with no reflections or retrospect.” Why she likes English class: “It’s not all vocabulary lists and parts of speech and simple readings, but actual discussion and sharing opinions and figuring out deep symbolism in novels.” Why she might write about riding her horse: “The news can be a heavy, disheartening thing. And I like it when people smile.”

Hobbies: “I am most interested in reading (fantasy novels and historical fiction are my favorites), writing poems and essays, and singing (primarily Carnatic music, a classical music from India).” Background: Attended school in Plano from kindergarten to third grade, then moved to Chennai, India. Before returning to Plano last fall. “Having lived in both the U.S. and India for considerable amounts of time, I’ve had the best of two cultures, which has provided me with experiences and perspectives that many students would envy.”

Interests: “I have been dancing since I was 4. It is my passion and my need. I truly feel free and connected to life when I dance.” Goals: To receive scholarship in dance to the University of Texas or Kansas, but still looking at schools. Wants a degree in business, dance or “possibly pre-med.” Hopes: “That we can all respect each other and our differences.”

Michelle Vongkeo Ashmore Senior, Royse City High School

Most people who know her would say: “Michelle? She’s really nice, but too nice for her own good.” A passion for writing: “I’m very strong-willed and determined, I’m open-minded, and creativity is an extension of my arm.” And she plans to be no stranger to controversial topics, saying that she hopes to write about the “legal drinking age, liberalism and the importance of sex education for high school students.” College major: Why pick just one? Michelle plans to pursue computer science, English and education.

Brian Brown

Brianda Reyes

Kathleen Krumnow

Senior, Plano West Senior High School

Senior, South Garland High School

English teacher, Royse City High School

Persuasive approach: An independent thinker, Brian says he always strives to be observant and thorough. “Popular opinion doesn’t sway me easily.” Free time: “I play basketball outside of school, and for the past three years I have been a ball boy for the Dallas Mavericks.” Column idea: How issues that only seem to affect adults (the economy, lack of jobs, etc.) play a role in the lives of teenagers.

Runaway resume: Editor-in-chief of the newspaper, part of the yearbook staff, a Student Council executive, Class of 2010 treasurer, and a member of the Physics Club, National Honor Society, Garland Youth Council, and Superintendent’s Advisory Council. Birthplace: Mexico. “I fully understand both cultures.” Others would describe her … “as a leader, someone with determination, passion, perseverance and courage.”

Why Royse City: “Because the kids are awesome, and the atmosphere is reminiscent of Canton, where I grew up.” Enjoys her job because: “It’s the only job I’ve ever had that doesn’t feel like work; it feels like a reward.” Favorite quote: “I think there’s just one kind of folks. Folks.” — Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird

HOW TO SEND A LETTER TO THE EDITOR Letters should be 200 words or fewer and include the writer’s name, address and phone number for verification purposes. Only the name and city of the writer will be published. Letters will be edited for length, clarity and style. Send by e-mail: [email protected]. By Fax: 972-263-0456. Or by Mail: P.O. Box 655237, Dallas, Texas 75265. For more information, contact Michael Landauer, assistant editorial page editor for Community Opinions, at 214-977-8258 or [email protected].

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Community opinions

The Dallas Morning News

A forum for readers in Collin, Dallas and Rockwall counties

Hate speech from the pulpit It’s easy to scorn someone you don’t even know, says Berta B. Sisemore of Richardson

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here has been no shortage of news stories driven by fear in the late days of this summer — all painted with a dark palette of ignorance with the end result being a picture of unfounded paranoia. The reaction to President Barack Obama’s plans for a speech to schoolchildren got the most attention, but two recent news stories about churches (and I use the term loosely) got my eyes rolling and my head shaking in such Voices disbelief it made me dizzy. Community The first story was of two sisters being sent home from school because they wore T-shirts issued by their Florida-based church, the Dove World Outreach Center, which boldly stated on the back, “Islam is of the Devil.” It was surreal to watch these girls, with their father in the room, answer questions

from the media with either drilled answers about being saved or shrugged shoulders. They really weren’t sure why they were better than their Muslim classmates; they just knew they were. Senior Pastor Terry Jones, a primary source of this callowness, is so embedded in ignorance that he refused to take down a billboard with the same message despite plenty of negative feedback from the community. It’s easy to demonize someone you don’t know, I guess. Then, did you hear the one about the Arizona pastor, Steven L. Anderson of the Faithful Word Baptist Church, who expressed to his congregation his death wish for President Obama? The title of his sermon was actually “Why I Hate Barack Obama” and he said, “I hope that God strikes Barack Obama with brain cancer so he can die like Ted Kennedy, and I hope it happens today.” Just for the record, I’m pretty sure most Baptists and other Christians won’t agree with

this crazy rant. This reminds me of the old saying, “God wants spiritual fruits, not religious nuts.” Again, it’s just so easy to demonize when we don’t even look to see what we have in common. I very recently had my own moment of jumping to paranoid conclusions. I live in Richardson and noticed that our old YWCA had once again changed ownership. I’d seen the new “Turquoise Center” sign and wondered what the heck this new entity could possibly be. My curiosity was elevated by the constant presence of at least a couple of cars in the parking lot, be it during my evening walks with my daughter or on my pre-dawn runs. I’d see the silhouettes of people coming and going at what I thought were odd hours. I thought there had to be something shady going on. I even contemplated the possibility of a swingers club. Lo and behold, I felt like quite the fool when The Dallas Morning News ran a story

on this very place. It turns out that the Turquoise Center is owned by Raindrop, an immigration service that houses offices for the Institute for Interfaith Dialogue and the Dallas Islamic Center mosque. The gist of the news story was that the mosque had invited Presbyterians, Methodists and Unitarians to join them at the dinner table, a gesture of unity and understanding. I quickly changed my tune from not wanting this in my neighborhood to “Wait a minute! What about us Catholics? I want to come!” Funny what just a little information can do for your outlook on life and your fellow human beings.

How safe is your account?

RAISE YOUR VOICE The Dallas Morning News is accepting applications for Community Voices, a panel of volunteer columnists who will be regular contributors to the Opinions page inside the Metro section. Voices volunteers write opinion columns every four to six weeks and are the “stars” of the weekly Sounding Off feature that appears on Sundays, in which the Voices and other readers respond to a question of the week. To get an idea of what kinds of topics Voices write about, visit dallasnews .com/voices.

Identity theft episode frustrated me, says L. Edward Sizemore

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had not thought too much about identity theft until it happened to me. More than a month ago, my wife and I noticed that a company in Lebanon placed a $4,000 charge on our checking account using my debit card information. Apparently, someone had copied my debit card information, possibly at a restaurant or gas station, then sold the number to someone who eventually sold it to a party in Lebanon. Unfortunately, the bank accepted the charge and placed a “pending” on the account for that amount. This effectively wiped out our balance and put us into overdraft. I immediately protested that this was a fraudulent transaction. My debit card was summarily cancelled. The bank stated that they were unable to stop the transaction as it appeared to be a legitimate charge. They further Voices stated that the only way Community they could do anything about the $4,000 charge was to pay it, then have me sign an affidavit disputing the transaction as fraudulent. Several days passed and the “pending” charge eventually came through, and the bank paid it. Since it was my debit card that had been used, only I could dispute the charge. As I had been ill, I could not go to the bank. The document had to be faxed to me. Several days later, I received the document, signed the affidavit and faxed it back. Several more days passed before the bank received confirmation of the faxed affidavit. All this took time. Meanwhile, the bank paid checks we had already written, overdraft fees were charged, even though our account was

Berta B. Sisemore of Richardson is a CPA and a Community Voices volunteer columnist. Her e-mail address is [email protected].

unavailable for our use, frozen and empty. But of course, life went on. My wife had to make a trip to New York and needed access to cash. Fortunately, there was sufficient savings available and alternative arrangements were made. However, the hassle and inconvenience cannot be overstated. Several days later, the bank was able to return the funds to our account. They also refunded the overdraft charges. We certainly appreciate that our bank was able to replace our funds, even if we were frustrated with the process. The difficulties that ensued were a huge inconvenience on a personal level. In order to prevent this form of identity theft from happening again, I am considering several steps: Use the debit card for emergencies only; use cash to buy gas, restaurant meals and other small purchases; keep a low balance in the account, just enough to cover outstanding checks and a small cushion. Hopefully, taking these measures to safeguard the account will render it unavailable as a target for scam artists in the future. Most regular credit cards have a provision that limits the card holder’s loss to the first $50, but most debit cards offer no such protection. Most people probably assume they do, but they don’t. Having gone through this ordeal, now I know, and you do, too. Perhaps we should all rethink the way we handle our money — and maybe banks should consider more ways to better protect it for us. L. Edward Sizemore of McKinney works in sales and is a Community Voices volunteer columnist. His e-mail address is [email protected].

GET OTHER Voices columns from across North Texas and add your own comments.

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Apply in four easy steps:

WILLIAM “BUBBA” FLINT/Special Contributor

My name is HIV What happened to the urgency in the AIDS fight? asks Michelle Vongkeo Ashmore

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i there. I’ll be living in your body, but don’t worry. You probably won’t notice for another 10 years

or so. That’s how I work. My name is HIV, but later you may know me as AIDS. By the time you notice me, you may not know where I came from. Maybe from Adam from last week. It could’ve been John from last month. It could even be from your first love, Robert, in high school. Seeing as we shall be coexisting for the remainder of your natural life, I better warn you about some things. I may cause you to go blind. I may cause you to develop tumors. You know what? I might even cause tuberculosis. I will weaken your immune system, so you will be getting ill frequently. I would tell you that you can skip most of these symptoms with post-exposure prophylaxis, but you probably don’t even know what that is. I suggest that you don’t have children, seeing as if you do, I’ll be Voices living in them, too. If you Student can, limit your sexual partners. I’m quite sure that they do not wish to endure what you will be experiencing in a period of time. Just because I’ll be destroying your immune system doesn’t mean we can’t live together. Well, now, that we have all that settled, let me tell you about myself. I was born June 5, 1981, in Los Angeles. They found me in five homosexual men. Ignorantly, they named me GRID, which stands for gay-related immune deficiency. Later they called me “the 4H disease.” The big honchos assumed I was isolated to only Haitians, homosexuals, hemophiliacs and heroin users. They finally figured out that I’m not a discriminating character. Let me tell you about this one kid I lived in. He was a swell guy, a teenager in high

school. His name was Ryan White. Seeing as I wasn’t nearly as popular as I am now, people didn’t really understand me. (They still kind of don’t nowadays, by the way.) But I made him very sick. You people have these things called T-cells. You know, white blood cells. They fight off bacteria, viruses and whatnot. Well people without me have a T-cell count of about 1,200. I depleted his to 25. All the doctors said that Ryan would die in about six months, but he started to feel better and wanted to return to school. They didn’t let him, though. The teachers and parents didn’t want him there because of me. A court battle followed, which was nationalized, and he became my poster boy. I still killed him at 18. Enough about me, though. I’m curious to know about you. You seem to be an average person. You have a job and live in the suburbs of Dallas. Everything about your life seems pretty typical. You have friends. You drive a nice car. You want a family someday, just like all the other families you see in North Texas. What a great place to be a normal person. It’s funny, though, that normal, everyday people don’t believe I can live in other everyday people. It’s one of those “that can’t ever happen to me” deals. Your attention is probably waning. I understand, you have your life to get back to. So I’ll just start getting myself settled in. I do have a favor to ask, though: Stop giving so much attention to swine flu. Come on, 100 people die and everyone wants to wear a surgical mask, but I kill at least 25 million people, and people are still reluctant to use condoms or get tested? Where’s the logic in that? Michelle Vongkeo Ashmore is a senior at Royse City High School and a Student Voices volunteer columnist. To respond to this column, send an e-mail to [email protected].

1. Write a little about yourself and put together a list of current and previous civic involvements. How would others in the community describe you? What is unique about your background and experience? Why should we choose you? 2. Share a previous writing sample or write something new on a current topic. A writing sample should be 600-650 words. 3. Jot down three other topics you would like to write about. 4. E-mail the application to [email protected]. Please include your address and phone number. Deadline: 4 p.m. Oct. 5.

LETTERS Slower speed advised I am a regular Bush Turnpike driver who believes that increasing the speed limit from 60 mph to 70 mph was a bad idea. The increased pollution and gasoline consumption alone are strong arguments against it. However, the main reason I think it was a bad idea is due to decreased safety. In the city, particularly at rush hour, 70 mph is simply too high. Often traffic backs up at major highway interchange exits so the right lanes are at a near-standstill. It is obviously not safe having vehicles fly by these cars at such high speeds. Stopping distances and accident severity increase greatly with speed. Nearly every day since the increase, I find myself having to brake hard due to traffic suddenly slowing ahead. I advise that the North Texas Tollway Authority reconsider the current speed limit and at least reduce the maximum to 65 mph. William Henze, Irving

HOW TO SEND A LETTER TO THE EDITOR Letters should be 200 words or fewer and include the writer’s name, address and phone number for verification purposes. Only the name and city of the writer will be published. Letters will be edited for length, clarity and style. Send by e-mail: [email protected]. By Fax: 972-263-0456. Or by Mail: P.O. Box 655237, Dallas, Texas 75265. For more information, contact Michael Landauer, assistant editorial page editor for Community Opinions, at 214-977-8258 or [email protected].

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Community opinions SOUNDING OFF Comment on the following topic on our blog: dallasnews.com/opinionblog.

Documentary filmmaker Ken Burns’ latest epic work — The National Parks: America’s Best Idea — debuts on PBS Sept. 27. What do you think has been America’s best idea?

Laurie Lynn Lindemeier Voice and piano teacher, McKinney Democracy is America’s best idea. Not that we were the first ones to try it, but we are the first country to thrive for a couple of hundred years based on it. Now if we can only continue to not just give it lip service but actually live the “all men are created equal” idea it’ll be even better.

Susan Dodia Software project manager, Plano Separation of church and state, and the religious freedoms nurtured by that concept, have been America’s best ideas. We have not had the same bloody conflicts that so many other parts of the world have suffered because of institutionalized discrimination based on religious affiliations. I hope we continue to respect this essential model.

Brennan Tanksley

Hanna Jacunski

Senior, McKinney Boyd High School

Junior, Plano East Senior High School

Only one event seems fit to receive the title of “America’s Best Idea” — the creation of our Bill of Rights. Though it may seem corny, our Bill of Rights sets the standard for the type of country we were to become and granted us the freedom that sets us apart from any other nation in the world.

It sounds cheesy, but public high school. I truly believe that high school never actually ends, and you might as well get used to the crowds and cliques and pressure now rather than later. Even the simplest social situations will be translated into the “real world.”

Voices: The above Voices volunteers are regular contributors to this forum.

Joe Benik of Allen: America’s best idea is the Patent Act of 1790. The United States was not the first government to use patents to protect inventors, but this act meant that America would become a country that rewarded innovation. America’s well-deserved reputation as a fountainhead of innovation, creativity and out-of-the-box thinking has served us well for 219 years. Sallie Henry of Frisco: America’s greatest idea has been its public school system, which puts an education within the reach of every child in America. My daddy preached education to us as though it were the gospel, so we believed it was. Jeff Fortney Sr. of Plano: America’s best idea has been the simple belief that common people could do extraordinary things. Thus we had a constitution that still stands the test of time. Even when we disagree, we know that we have the rights to do so. We’re like a family. We can argue, but lord help the country that tries to get in the middle of it.

The Dallas Morning News

A forum for readers in Collin, Dallas and Rockwall counties

Teaching is science and art How do we inspire students? asks Sandy Kulkarni of Allen

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t was the last day of school. I was super busy wrapping up things, boxing important items I treasured or would need for the next year. Suddenly an envelope caught my eye. It said, “Do not open until the last day of school.” This was it. I carefully opened it and started reading. “Dear Ms. Kulkarni, I would like to tell you something from my heart. I really hated chemistry in the beginning. But you made the class so much fun. I don’t know when and how I fell in love with science. You are the Voices best teacher in the entire Teacher world. I will always remember you.” I could not stop smiling. This was the same student who, during the fourth week of school, yelled at me during class, “I hate science and I hate you.” How did this happen? As a science teacher, I methodically tried to figure this out. Chemistry is often illustrated with laws, equations and balanced reactions. Can teaching be something like that? Maybe it’s as simple as mixing the lesson plans with curriculum and blending them together. Maybe a little warm-up with

quizzes and tests facilitates the reaction. Bingo — there pops the final product, “Learning and Success.” So does that make teaching a science? Well, prediction and reality do not always match in scientific research. That is what makes research more challenging. What if teachers do not see the final product in our kids? Sometimes two scientists working on the same reaction get different yields. How can you explain that? Not only does it take knowledge, patience and dedication, but also skills and an art of handling the experiments. Each day in a teacher’s life is an experiment. Sometimes the results could be astonishing, and sometimes it could be failure. Science may prompt to simply repeat the experiment, but if we add another component — art — we can be very creative and generate wonders. A teacher who inspired me always said, “Teach with your heart, not just with your intellect, and rewards will walk toward you.” I always remember her message. Merely having a college degree and certification can qualify you to be a top teacher. There could be workshops and conferences to provide more training. However, what makes a teacher “great” is finding the right mix of science and art. Both seem to be totally different disciplines, but once fused together, they can generate masterpieces.

I love to watch art movies and documentaries. My brother likes action movies. But the common thing in us is that we both love to watch movies. Same story goes with our children. Each individual could be unique with specific learning style and personality. How to juggle with adjusting your teaching styles to bring out the best in a child is an absolute art. I consider teaching as not just my profession, but also my passion. It often brings some sweet moments to cherish, with few bitter ones. After all, that is life. Kabir, a famous saint from India, expressed his reverence for his teacher in his couplet: Guru Govind Dou Khade, kake lagun Paye Balihari Guru apne, Govind diyon milaye It means: My teacher (guru) and God are in front of me. Who should I bow to first? It is my teacher, because he is the one who introduced me to God. If teachers blend science and art along with their passion in teaching, they can create a lifelong impact. No wonder, they will earn that high respect. Sandy Kulkarni is a chemistry teacher at Allen High School and a Teacher Voices volunteer columnist. Her e-mail address is [email protected].

Do adults get the message? Texting and driving is unsafe at any age, says Avery Hurst of Richardson

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very soon-to-be 13-year-old hopes and wishes for that one special gift from Mom and Dad: a cellphone. For a teenager, a cellphone is another step closer to adulthood. The next clear step: getting a car. And that’s the problematic mixture that the new House Bill 339, which took effect on Sept. 1, is trying to address by banning individuals under the age of 18 from texting while driving. Having a phone in their hands has become such a routine that when Voices teenagers start driving a Student car, they don’t consider the possibility of a tragic outcome. Cellphones are appendages to teenagers. The device is as much a part of the daily routine as washing hair or brushing teeth. Although most of the media and the public blame texting and driving problems on teenagers, I believe it would be a problem for any age group. Having House Bill 339 only apply to drivers under the age of 18 it implies that it is OK, for adults to text while driving. Texting and driving should not be allowed at all for anyone. It takes your focus off of everything

FILE 2008/Associated Press

but your phone. Taking your eyes off the road for a moment can cause an accident. You would think that it would be just plain, common sense not to text, write or read something while driving, but apparently we have to have a law making it illegal to make people realize the danger. While teenagers are often careless in many aspects of life, as they become more mature in responsibilities, the dangers of

Fidel Davila of Plano: The reasons national parks are “America’s Best Idea” are based on our democratic principles. National parks symbolize the idea that Americans collectively own their country’s natural beauty rather than it belonging to the landed aristocracies, which is the case in other countries. In fact, some of our national parks were deeded directly or through philanthropy by some of our wealthiest landed citizens in their recognition that such beauty should not belong to only one or a few citizens, but to all citizens.

texting are clear. I am responsible for the care of two children after school a couple of times each week. I have realized how important it is that I pay close attention to transporting them safely from school to home. Using my cellphone with them in my car is out of the question. Recently a British public service announcement has been making a splash on YouTube with an unprecedented number of daily views. This PSA graphically depicts an accident happening due to teen’s texting while driving. If this makes just one person stop texting while driving the PSAs efforts will have been worth it. As a nation, we have witnessed far too many tragic deaths from automobile accidents. We must all do everything possible to help prevent these tragic accidents. Therefore, no texting, reading, applying makeup or fidgeting in your purse or briefcase while operating an automobile. It’s just common sense. Avery Hurst is a senior at J.J. Pearce High School in Richardson, and she is a Student Voices volunteer columnist. To respond to this column, send an e-mail to [email protected].

RAISE YOUR VOICE The Dallas Morning News is accepting applications for Community Voices. Voices volunteers write opinion columns every four to six weeks and are the “stars” of the weekly Sounding Off feature that appears on Sundays, in which the Voices and other readers respond to a question of the week. To get an idea of what kinds of topics Voices write about, visit dallasnews .com/voices.

Kathy Palomino of Sachse: America’s best idea was the Works Projects Administration, and I wish we could bring it back. Because of it, we have some fine examples of art, architecture and books in public places. Out-of-work artists and writers (among others) were employed to build bridges, design buildings, and write about each state.

Apply in four easy steps:

1. Write a little about yourself and put together a list of current and previous civic involvements. How would others in the community describe you? What is unique about your background and experience? Why should we choose you? 2. Share a previous writing sample or write something new on a current topic. A writing sample should be 600-650 words. 3. Jot down three other topics you would like to write about. 4. E-mail the application to voices@dallasnews. com. Please include your address and phone number.

John Kaiser of Garland: I think that America’s best idea has been the Interstate Highway System that allows us to easily travel to areas such as our national parks and while also providing cheap, easy movement of goods from factories to consumers.

SIGN UP These responses are from readers who have asked to receive the weekly Sounding Off question. To be added to the e-mail list, send your full contact information to [email protected].

Deadline: 4 p.m. Oct. 5. WILLIAM “BUBBA” FLINT/Special Contributor

HOW TO SEND A LETTER TO THE EDITOR Letters should be 200 words or fewer and include the writer’s name, address and phone number for verification purposes. Only the name and city of the writer will be published. Letters will be edited for length, clarity and style. Send by e-mail: [email protected]. By Fax: 972-263-0456. Or by Mail: P.O. Box 655237, Dallas, Texas 75265. For more information, contact Michael Landauer, assistant editorial page editor for Community Opinions, at 214-977-8258 or [email protected].

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Community opinions SOUNDING OFF Comment on the following topic on our blog: dallasnews.com/opinionblog.

Documentary filmmaker Ken Burns’ latest epic work — The National Parks: America’s Best Idea — debuts on PBS tonight. Are public parks still relevant in an age of unlimited entertainment options?

Laurie Lynn Lindemeier Voice and piano teacher, McKinney Yes, public parks matter! In this age of “sit on your bottom and do as much as possible with out leaving your house,” we need to encourage people to breathe the “fresher” air in the national parks and look into a canyon, not at a computer screen all the time.

Brennan Tanksley Senior, McKinney Boyd High School With our nation’s youth suffering from growing obesity rates, the importance of public parks to our communities is as prevalent as ever. Finding a place that children can enjoy, while also getting them the exercise required for their health, is almost impossible. A park is one of the few places that does that.

Avery Hurst

Jeri L. Chambers

Senior, J.J. Pearce High School, Richardson

Fifth-grade teacher, Plano

Nature and the protection of wildlife, unique vistas and natural resources will always be relevant to a great society. Future generations will look back on us one day and wonder why we did some really stupid things, but the national park system will be thought of as one of America’s great ideas.

Our family has been blessed by the physical, emotional and spiritual high we have experienced at Yosemite, Bryce Canyon, Zion Canyon and the Grand Canyon. We’ll choose these astounding experiences over theme parks any day.

Voices: The above Voices volunteers are regular contributors to this forum.

Sarah Stinnett of Plano: In a culture rife with materialism, the people are primed to relate to nature as a commodity, in this case, the neatly packaged and sublimely marketed product of a national park. It’s a good — pun intended. Carl Garner of Mesquite: Public parks are still a wonderful attribute of America. However, their relevance to today’s culture is lost to technology. If you went to a public park today, more than two-thirds of the people would be on laptops or cellphones. An appreciation of God’s great outdoors would slow us down in our “get it fast” lifestyle. Andy Essary of Plano: Public parks encourage Americans to think of something being “ours” rather than “mine.” Nancy Price of Wylie: With the ever-increasing

building in America, national parks are vitally important so that we can keep some of our native landscape. I don’t want my grandchildren to think the earth is made of concrete and asphalt. Fred Frawley of Plano: We have lifetime passes

to our national parks. Doug Farrow of Rockwall: I am biased on this one, since I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for Big Bend National Park in Texas. My father and mother both took summer jobs there in the summer of 1948, and, well, let’s just say that I think national parks matter a LOT. Jeff Fortney Sr. of Plano: I truly believe that without parks our life expectancy may be shorter. It is nature’s health care reform.

SIGN UP These responses are from readers who have asked to receive the weekly Sounding Off question. To be added to the e-mail list, send your full contact information to [email protected].

RAISE YOUR VOICE Be a “star” of the weekly Sounding Off feature that appears in this spot on Sundays. The Dallas Morning News is accepting applications for Community Voices, a panel of volunteer columnists who will be regular contributors to the Opinions page inside the Metro section. For more information, send an e-mail to voices@dallasnews .com.

The Dallas Morning News

A forum for readers in Collin, Dallas and Rockwall counties

My students’ stories We can all benefit from tales of triumph, says Tina Kelman of McKinney

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ost people automatically assume that ESL classes are filled with illegal immigrants from places like Mexico or Central America. This is far from the truth. As an ESL teacher, I can tell you that our schools are filled with students from all over the world. Some students immigrate because their parents are working in the United States for a few years, but many are here because their parents are looking for a better life for them. Who among us wouldn’t do everything in our power to give our child a life full of meaning Voices and purpose rather than Teacher struggles and hardship? I spend my days endeavoring to create experiences that will push my students toward fluency in the English language. Unfortunately, I also spend a share of my time defending my students’ existence and their right to be in regular classrooms with mainstream students. I listen to my ESL students report their stories of coming to the United States: stories of horror, fear, abuse and even death. Stories of walking away from families and homes, climbing into dark trucks, crossing stormy rivers. They saw drowning people and were left in the hands of strangers who would be taking them to their new home.

These stories, as horrible as they sound to me, are tales of triumph, perseverance and victory. After listening to their stories, I feel ashamed to have ever criticized my own upbringing, living in a trailer park. We didn’t have much money, but I was well fed, well provided for and loved. I never feared for my safety as a child. I never felt religious persecution. I could go to bed with the knowledge that everything would be OK when I woke up. Our immigrant students have not had those same luxuries. They have had more suffering in their short lives than most of us will ever endure. Because of their backgrounds, our immigrant students have a wealth of knowledge to bring to the school experience. Every student benefits when he or she hears a comparison of our political system to a system well-known by the ESL students. What about comparing geography, science techniques, legal systems, literature, math computation or even how letters are formed? Who would not benefit from sitting next to a person who knows what the Pilgrims must have felt like when they escaped religious persecution and arrived in a strange and foreign land? Who wouldn’t benefit from sitting and participating in a diverse classroom? I know I am a better teacher for having become the student of other cultures. Their existence has broadened our society and made us the nation we are today.

In the aftermath of the tragic events in the past few years, we now live in a society where cultural biases have become, if not accepted, then overlooked. In order to protect our children’s futures we can no longer allow our fears of differences, strangeness and foreignness to ruin an opportunity for our children to broaden their perspectives. I grew up being told America was a melting pot, but this implies that we are all the same. One of the honors of living in America is that we are free to be what we are, and are allowed to become what we want to be. As parents, we have the power to help our children become emotionally mature and culturally tolerant individuals. Our children recite what they hear at home without stopping to wonder if these sentiments honor their own belief system. If we allow our children the opportunity to experience diversity without influences from our own fears and misconceptions, they may rise to the challenge and become the change our society was founded on. We need to help our children see that the immigrant student has a voice, too, and that we can learn so much if we simply stop and listen. Tina Kelman is an ESL teacher at Faubion Middle School in McKinney. She is also a Teacher Voices volunteer columnist. Her e-mail address is [email protected].

Follow up on first impressions You may find a new point of view, says Sneha Raghunathan of Plano “High school is a caste system.” — Actress Jane Lynch, on the pilot episode of Glee. High school may not be as rigid as a true caste system, but it’s absolutely true that students are sorted into categories. Well, not all students. Whenever we think about high school, do we ever think about the special education students? I know what you’re thinking: “She’s going to go all mushy-gushy, Disney-movie on me.” But take a moment to think Voices about it. Student In many schools, special-ed students are isolated from the rest of the student body. Some people I’ve talked to didn’t even know that there was such a department. Yet, it does exist and is an integral part of the student body. I remember when I signed up for a

“Partner’s PE” class, a class where I could help out with the special ed fitness class. I was apprehensive and doubtful. “What if my partner hates me? What if I’m a bad helper? What if I mess up?” As you would expect, I was unsure of what to expect. However, throughout the year, I found that working with these students helped me actually build my confidence. I learned how to look at things differently. I learned how to communicate in new ways, not just with my voice. I learned about so many unique people, who were just as eager about football games and dances as everyone else. Most important, I learned that first impressions are really not as accurate as they seem. At the end of the course, I realized that Partner’s PE provided me with an opportunity that no college credit or AP class would give me: the opportunity to discover aspects of others that I would have never expected, and discover aspects of myself that were previously hidden. We can’t just stay within our little bubbles.

Unless we try to reach out to people who are different from us, we can never truly know ourselves. This doesn’t apply only to high school. How many times have you wanted to talk to the mysterious couple next door, but just never had time? How many times have you wanted to have a chat with the mailman, but couldn’t get to it? If we all just try to learn from others, and from others’ experiences, we can have a rich experience of our own. So go out and talk to someone that you would probably never talk to before. Sure, you may not be able to have a conversation with everybody, but even one person can impact your life. And maybe, just maybe, we can break through the caste systems that divide us. Sneha Raghunathan is a junior at Plano Senior High School and a Student Voices volunteer columnist. To respond to this column, send an e-mail to [email protected].

LETTERS Don’t limit road improvements In 2004, the Collin County Commissioners Court adopted a road asphalting policy: to upgrade 50 miles of road from rock to asphalt annually. Since that time we have exceeded 50 miles almost every year. Some years, we have asphalted up to 60 miles to 70 miles of county roads. Under this policy, our public works budget has not increased, and we have also lowered the tax rate. Our county judge has placed on our Sept. 28 agenda to discuss freezing the miles of roads to be asphalted at 50 miles. In other words, even if we can upgrade 60 miles to 70 miles of roads per year, we should stop at 50 and then go into a maintenance mode. This new policy means that it will take several more years to have all of our county roads upgraded, and it will also be more expensive to taxpayers as the price of materials continues to increase. Please join me in convincing commissioners that we should continue to upgrade our county roads as efficiently as possible and that we do not need a cap on how many miles we can upgrade every year. Please send an e-mail to [email protected] in support of the continued upgrading of our county roads. Once all county roads are upgraded, we can then save taxpayers almost $9 million annually in upgrade costs and have a much improved quality of life for our rural citizens. Joe Jaynes, Collin County commissioner, District 3

WILLIAM “BUBBA” FLINT/Special Contributor

Signs and speed limits I have seen the new signs in the school zones: speed limit, no cellphone, etc., etc. There were so many signs on the post, I would certainly have a problem if I were driving. Why don’t they have a sign about cellphone usage before the other warnings and

put it in bright red? And then there is the new speed limit on certain highways: 70 mph. If the law says 70, people are going to drive 75 mph to 80 mph. I travel on Interstate 30 from Dallas to Rockwall. I set my cruise to 60, and people whiz by me, especially 18-wheelers. They should be restricted to a lane of their own. Lucretia Green, Rockwall

HOW TO SEND A LETTER TO THE EDITOR Letters should be 200 words or fewer and include the writer’s name, address and phone number for verification purposes. Only the name and city of the writer will be published. Letters will be edited for length, clarity and style. Send by e-mail: [email protected]. By Fax: 972-263-0456. Or by Mail: P.O. Box 655237, Dallas, Texas 75265. For more information, contact Michael Landauer, assistant editorial page editor for Community Opinions, at 214-977-8258 or [email protected].

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A forum for readers in Dallas, Denton and Tarrant counties

They’re raising their voices Today, we introduce our 2009-10 Teacher Voices and Student Voices volunteers. They will write columns and be featured in Sounding Off on Sundays.

Sophia Chavez

Viviana Cruz

Ana Juan

Tim Greenwell

Junior, Nimitz High School, Irving

Junior, Newman Smith High School, Carrollton

Personal introduction: “Hi! I’m Sophia Chavez. I tend to smile a lot, and I laugh at everything.” Favorite sport: Quidditch Friend’s description: A “creepster” is the word a friend used to describe Sophie. “Not the ‘hide outside your window and spy on you’ creepster, but a dedicated one. She creeps through information and sources and finds out everything she needs before she even starts writing. If she doesn’t know it for sure, she won’t put it down.”

Background: “I’m 15 years old, and I was born in Oaxaca, Mexico. My family immigrated in ’97, first my father, then the rest of us, to Dallas. I am Jewish and proud to be so. People think that is strange, considering my birthplace, looks and name, but what can I say? My parents were young, they weren’t thinking about Jewish names when I was born.” Other interests: DECA (marketing, management and entrepreneurship), French Club, Interact Club and photojournalism.

Fourth-grade bilingual teacher, Otis Brown Elementary, Irving

Freshman World Geography teacher, Flower Mound High School, Lewisville ISD

Perspective: “This will be my third year teaching, but it still feels like my first. You’re never done learning as a teacher. We don’t know it all, even if our kids think we do.” Goal: “My main goal in teaching is not to have exceptional scores on a test but to influence my students in a more profound way. To show them there is a much bigger world out there than just their little bubble they call home.”

Perspective: “For me, teaching is about giving back. I had a great educational experience growing up, and my goal is to provide the same for the current younger generation.” Source of hope: “Teaching is all about the kids, or should be, because without them, there would be no schools, no teachers and our society would find it difficult to advance and move forward. I am blessed to be where I am and doing what I love.”

Caroline Jones

Ashleigh Heaton

Lade Obamehinti

Nandita Singh

Senior from Southlake, Ursuline Academy, Dallas

Junior, Coppell High School

Junior, Trinity High School, Euless

Sophomore, Hebron High School, Carrollton

Teacher recommendation: “Caroline is not afraid to speak her own opinion, even when it diverges from the ideas and opinions of her classmates. Though she is firm in her stance and is not afraid to debate her classmates, Caroline is considerate of her peers and listens to the ideals and values of others.” Perspective: “A history and English nerd,” Caroline believes that “understanding our past can change our future.” Promises: “New opinions and viewpoints I know to be very different from other kids my age.”

Newspaper cred: Entertainment editor of The Sidekick, one of the area’s best student newspapers. Outside of school: “Each spring I perform in my church’s annual musical, this year’s being West Side Story. Church is a big part of my life, because I am involved in its youth council, choir and ministries.” Fresh ideas: “I always strive to seek out different angles to an argument and find unique topics to comment upon. I avoid columns about how stressful high school is like the plague.”

Full plate: In addition to acting, student council, tennis and other activities, she’s also a Traveler’s Aid volunteer at the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. “I volunteer on Saturday mornings from 6 to 10 a.m. helping travelers with their emergency needs.” Most unique hobby: “I am a member of the NASA INSPIRE online community, where I share and exchange ideas with students across the nation who love solving complex academic problems.” Life view: “I am a Christian who believes in making a difference in my generation with the talents God has given me.”

Background: “Ever since I was a little kid, I have been known among my friends to be both a chatterbox and an avid listener. I have never been one to be quiet about my thoughts or observations.” On what? “Anything from the Dallas Cowboys to the latest political issues.” Thinking globally: “As a fluent speaker in Hindi, I am working toward becoming multilingual by learning Spanish, which will enable me to adapt and relate to people with different interests and backgrounds.” Column idea: “How well our generation is preparing to compete in the globalized economy.”

Kim Barnes

Debbie Gallagher

K.B. Phipps

Julie Lewis

Head of Early Childhood, Greenhill School, Addison

Computer teacher, Daniel Intermediate School, Duncanville ISD

English/Language Arts teacher, Arnold Middle School, Grand Prairie

AMI/Math Interventionist, Lamar Middle School, Irving

Why she teaches: “My career has been dedicated to the lives of young children from age 3 to 8, with my passion being in pre-kindergarten, kindergarten and first grade. Early childhood educational experiences are the foundation upon which each person’s learning is based. If there are air holes in that ‘concrete,’ then the foundation may be brittle and break along the way.” Column idea: The importance of play and unstructured time in children’s lives; why we should be underscheduling, rather than overscheduling, children’s lives.

Background: Been teaching fifth- and sixth-graders for more than 26 years. “I also teach a night class for education majors (juniors and seniors) at the University of North Texas Dallas campus on using technology in the classroom.” Family: Raised two daughters, one an Aggie, one a Longhorn. “Yes, I am a house divided.” High praise: “One of my greatest thrills was receiving a letter forwarded from MIT. A former student had written about me being his most influential teacher.”

Outside the classroom: Chairperson of her school’s Multi-Cultural Committee. “In addition, I have spent the last four years as a facilitator for an experiential learning program for at-risk youth and their parents.” Why she teaches: “I want students to have a unique educational experience in the classroom that helps them to grow as people and to become a productive part of the community. In teaching, I know that I am playing a valuable role in shaping our future leaders.” Column idea: “Are minority students sent to alternative education programs more often?”

A parent’s perspective: “I am a parent of three gifted-and-talented students, one of whom happens to have a learning disability, and all three are extremely ADHD. I’ve been on both sides of the table when it comes to students. I never allow my sons or any student to use any disability — big or small — as an excuse for not succeeding.” A learner’s perspective: “I love learning from my students. We all have our own unique experiences, and when we share them, it helps students make connections to one another.”

LETTERS Lawsuit fears limit play Re: “Field of dreams or field of fees? City discourages impromptu games, says Brian Brown of Plano,” last Sunday Student Voices column. We continually see concern over the current generation being obese. Yet we deny them the chance to get outside and work it off. Likely part of the Plano Park and Recreation’s reason for requiring reservations on the fields is to prevent litigation. Reservations entail someone signing for responsibility, thus relieving the city. That speaks poorly for our current mind-set. We are denying our younger generation what we had growing up. I, and most other octogenari-

Another liberty lost

ans, grew up in an era when just about every small town and city had vacant lots where children played. There would be a scrub ball game going every day the sun shone during school vacation. Any kid could come in and start at left field and work up to batter anytime, regardless of athletic ability. That was not organized athletics, but it sure kept a lot of kids out of trouble and in good physical condition. So, giving back some of the old ways might well be a benefit. How about a state law exempting property owners from litigation if they agree to allow children to play on their vacant property? Might just decrease child obesity and delinquency.

What a wonderful, intelligent and articulate opinion by Brian Brown regarding having to reserve and pay for an unused field in Plano for a ballgame with friends. What possible harm could come from a group of young men or women playing a game on property maintained by the taxes of the city of Plano? I suppose the city would rather they “hang out on a corner” with nothing to do, perhaps initiating mischief they would never have otherwise thought about. Another liberty lost to the government. Are we still able to walk through the parks without a permit? How about the cityowned sidewalks? Ridiculous!

Bob Derryberry, Dallas

G. Lanzone, Plano

WILLIAM “BUBBA” FLINT/Special Contributor

HOW TO SEND A LETTER TO THE EDITOR Letters should be 200 words or fewer and include the writer’s name, address and phone number for verification purposes. Only the name and city of the writer will be published. Letters will be edited for length, clarity and style. Send by e-mail: [email protected]. By Fax: 972-263-0456. Or by Mail: P.O. Box 655237, Dallas, Texas 75265. For more information, contact Michael Landauer, assistant editorial page editor for Community Opinions, at 214-977-8258 or [email protected].

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Community opinions

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A forum for readers in Dallas, Denton and Tarrant counties

See the sights of North Texas first Be a tourist in your own backyard, says Richard Kyle Lester of Fort Worth Staycation — (stae-kay-shun), noun: staying in one’s own town in lieu of an out-of-town vacation only to find out how mind-blowingly awesome your town actually is.

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t’s hard to see the benefits of our current economic circumstances, but one that has become increasingly clear to me is this whole idea of a “staycation.” As someone who’s always liked our local attractions, I confess that I’m pretty excited to see others in my community enjoying what I always have. Flash back to August 2002. I, an eager young Horned Frog, just waved goodbye to my parental units as I began my Voices first college semester at Texas Community Christian University. Once I became comfortable with life at TCU, I started asking the natural question: “So what’s there to do around here, anyway?” Now, seven years later

and looking back on that time, my question should’ve been, “What ISN’T there to do around here?” You really have your pick — Fort Worth’s rustic stockyard feel and Dallas’ hip, urbanite arrangement. And so many entertainment districts. Let’s be honest, metroplex citizens. We basically live in vacation-land! If you aren’t convinced, take a stroll in downtown Fort Worth and see what I’m talking about. Try out one of the gourmet steakhouses in Sundance Square. Or, if you’re in the mood for something more mellow, one of the local dives serving up tasty bar food. Even better, you’re guaranteed to find fantastic live music, anywhere from country to jazz. Located conveniently in the middle of downtown Fort Worth, Four Day Weekend offers improvisational comedy at its best. These five comedic geniuses will take phrases written on Post-It notes and turn them into an hour and a half of pure hilarity, with a particular penchant

for making fun of the bicycle security guards. And the full-service bar located in the building’s lobby allows you to choose which beverage you’d like to come spewing out of your nose from laughing so hard. On the other, more urbanite side of the metroplex, Dallas has just as much to offer. One of the more obscure areas is the Dallas Farmers Market. That, in my humble opinion, is one of the best ways you can spend a morning. It’s pretty incredible how much fresh food they can fit in just a few acres. They manage to do it well, though, and it’s all delicious. And it doesn’t hurt to know that you’re supporting the hard-working farmers of Texas. Afterward, try hitting up the Bishop Arts District to kill another few hours. Antiques, an art gallery and an old-soda shop make that area a pretty fun place to be. And if you want something more high-profile, you couldn’t pick a better place than Dallas. Between Reunion Tower, the

phenomenal Dallas World Aquarium (complete with a three-toed sloth) and the Sixth Floor Museum, you really can’t go wrong. Unfortunately, the length restrictions on this column prohibit me from going into every metroplex city, like the quaint feel of downtown Grapevine and all its rich wines or an always-dependable, exciting afternoon at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. But regardless of where you go in the metroplex, spending time here rather than going out of town isn’t the worst fate our economy can dish out. We live in a far greater area than most in this country. So grab your camera and head out of town — to one of our other towns. After all, it’s a pretty nice chunk of earth we live in.

Officers and gentlemen

RAISE YOUR VOICE The Dallas Morning News is accepting applications for Community Voices, a panel of volunteer columnists who will be regular contributors to the Opinions page inside the Metro section. Voices volunteers write opinion columns every four to six weeks and are the “stars” of the weekly Sounding Off feature that appears on Sundays, in which the Voices and other readers respond to a question of the week. To get an idea of what kinds of topics Voices write about, visit dallasnews .com/voices.

Shirlene Lucy of Carrollton

takes on myths of military life

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uring most of my 47 years of married life, I have been the wife of an officer in the U.S. Marine Corps, which took us to live in five states and one foreign country. And during that time, I have been amazed at how little people know about the military. For example, most people use the term “soldier” to refer to anyone in the military. Actually, a soldier is in the Army only. You probably know that someone in the Marine Corps is called a Marine, but did you know that a serviceman or woman in the Air Force is an airman or Air Force officer, and someone in the Navy is either a sailor (enlisted) or a Navy officer? Oh, but there are other myths and misperceptions:

Officers have to “re-up” every few years. That may be

true in the enlisted ranks, but among officers, at least in the Marine Corps, officers Voices remain officers even Community after they retire or resign their commission. Yes, they do have obligations of service once they are selected for promotion to the next rank, but that is a matter of a few years, and only if they want to retire at that higher rank. All uniforms are provided free of charge. True for

enlisted, not for officers. And having dress uniforms, which are very expensive, is not optional for officers. The military offers a generous vacation allowance.

This is partially true, but do understand: 30 days of leave per year means not 30 work days, but 30 calendar days. There is no advantage in taking your leave around a weekend or holiday, because you must include those days in your vacation the same as any other day. Military housing is furnished free of charge. Well,

Richard Kyle Lester of Fort Worth is a public administration graduate student at UNT and a Community Voices volunteer columnist. His e-mail address is [email protected].

sort of. You receive a housing allowance that you forfeit if you live on base. Wives take on the rank of their husbands. Not true! Well,

mostly not true. Wives of higher ranking officers are given the same courtesies you would give the wife of an executive of a civilian company. I have heard a story about several spouses gathered for a briefing. As the story goes, someone asks all them to change seats based on their ranking. After a confused and frantic 10 minutes, the person returned, only to remind them that spouses hold no rank, and we must always remember that. Great story, but probably a military urban legend. But rank is important in all aspects of military life — from housing to retirement. That’s part of the culture others find hard to understand. Something the wife of one of my husband’s superior officers always said was, “Junior officers should never forget the difference in rank, and superior officers should never remember it.” A good rule to live by. But the biggest myth might have to do with tours of duty abroad. They say that each separation gets easier to endure, but that is simply not true. At least it wasn’t for me. Back when my husband served in Desert Storm in 1991, I counted the number of separations of eight weeks or more that we experienced throughout his career. It was at least seven, from 13 months in Vietnam to as few as five months after the bombing of the Marine barracks in Beirut in 1983. Being retired and back in Texas, I have reflected on our time away, and have concluded that even during the difficult times, I wouldn’t have traded the experiences we had for anything. Shirlene Lucy of Carrollton is a retired portrait photographer and Community Voices volunteer columnist. Her e-mail address is shirlenelucy@msn .com.

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Defensive driving class can be just the ticket You, too, can become safer on the road, says Caroline Jones of Southlake

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herever I go, all I have to say is, “Man, were there a lot of awful drivers out this morning,” and instantly I have just made a room full of new friends eager to share their experiences. But it’s funny how most people never talk much about enrolling in a defensive driving course. When something has the power to wipe a ticket off my record or lower my insurance costs, why wouldn’t I do it? But the sheer mention of my taking defensive driving online to a group of friends drew only a one-word response: “Ew.” Such a simple and helpful tool that saves drivers money and improves their driving should not be so strongly disliked and avoided. The best part of defensive driving are the fun facts. Here’s my Voices favorite: If a police car, Student an ambulance, and a fire truck are all stopped at a four-way stop with sirens blaring and lights flashing along with an average postal vehicle, which has the right of way? No, this is not one of those priest-and-a-rabbi kind of jokes. The correct answer is the postal vehicle because it is doing official United States business. If anyone already knows that, then I’m impressed. There are many serious advantages to taking defensive driving. With roads and drivers changing every day, it’s necessary to stay aware and to understand what all drivers go up against. Thinking of that pesky little red-light camera recently put on that busy intersection? After the city of Garland began using red-light cameras in 2003, collisions in the selected intersections have been reduced by a whopping 53 percent, and collisions with

resulting injuries have gone down an even greater 80 percent. Plus, we keep learning more about driving behavior. For example, now we know that most fatigue-related crashes occur on the roads between the morning hours of 1 and 6, so if you’re out then and feeling wide awake, at least be aware of surrounding drivers. Think you’re a great driver? Then retake the driver’s ed test. Some of it’s easy to remember: who has the right of way, how to deal with hydroplaning (something I unfortunately have personal experience with — check out the marks the curb left on my Volvo), and what road signs mean by shape, picture and color. But are you absolutely sure you know what to do when driving down the highway and the accelerator sticks? I’ve only been out of drivers ed three years, and I couldn’t come up with a confident answer for that one. Defensive driving can be a good reminder of exact rules that become a little hazy over the years; some examples concern how far a car should be parked from the curb or how far any object is allowed to be jutting out from the back of the car. All bits of useful information even the best drivers forget. Besides, you might avoid an unnecessary ticket or a heartbreaking accident. Whether it is done to save a record from any mar, save a checkbook from utter destruction, or just to feel better about your driving abilities, defensive driving is a good idea. Caroline Jones of Southlake is a senior at Ursuline Academy in Dallas, and she’s a Student Voices volunteer columnist. To respond to this column, send an e-mail to [email protected].

1. Write a little about yourself and put together a list of current and previous civic involvements. How would others in the community describe you? What is unique about your background and experience? Why should we choose you? 2. Share a previous writing sample or write something new on a current topic. A writing sample should be 600-650 words. 3. Jot down three other topics you would like to write about. 4. E-mail the application to [email protected]. Please include your address and phone number. Deadline: 4 p.m. Oct. 5.

LETTERS Slower speed advised I am a regular Bush Turnpike driver who believes that increasing the speed limit from 60 mph to 70 mph was a bad idea. The increased pollution and gasoline consumption alone are strong arguments against it. However, the main reason I think it was a bad idea is due to decreased safety. In the city, particularly at rush hour, 70 mph is simply too high. Often traffic backs up at major highway interchange exits so the right lanes are at a near-standstill. It is obviously not safe having vehicles fly by these cars at such high speeds. Stopping distances and accident severity increase greatly with speed. Nearly every day since the increase, I find myself having to brake hard due to traffic suddenly slowing ahead. I advise that the North Texas Tollway Authority reconsider the current speed limit and at least reduce the maximum to 65 mph. William Henze, Irving

HOW TO SEND A LETTER TO THE EDITOR Letters should be 200 words or fewer and include the writer’s name, address and phone number for verification purposes. Only the name and city of the writer will be published. Letters will be edited for length, clarity and style. Send by e-mail: [email protected]. By Fax: 972-263-0456. Or by Mail: P.O. Box 655237, Dallas, Texas 75265. For more information, contact Michael Landauer, assistant editorial page editor for Community Opinions, at 214-977-8258 or [email protected].

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Community opinions SOUNDING OFF Comment on the following topic on our blog: dallasnews.com/opinionblog.

Documentary filmmaker Ken Burns’ latest epic work — The National Parks: America’s Best Idea — debuts on PBS Sept. 27. What do you think has been America’s best idea?

Shirlene Lucy

Nandita Singh

Retired portrait photographer and volunteer, Carrollton

Sophomore, Hebron High School, Carrollton

Keeping a portion of our beautiful country beautiful and as close to the way it was when our country was discovered, in keeping the land pristine and undeveloped, has been America’s best idea.

America’s best idea has been the creation of the National Football League. Every Sunday people sit down to watch one of the most entertaining and competitive sports around.

Tim Greenwell

Julie Lewis

Freshmen World Geography teacher, Flower Mound High School, Lewisville ISD

AMI/Math Interventionist, Lamar Middle School, Irving

The concept of the melting pot was our long-term best idea. The diversity of creativity and thought that arrived at our shores in our first couple of centuries led to some of the most life-changing inventions and discoveries known to the world.

I believe that America’s best idea has been not only the national parks, but also the National Historic Register. Without these two important organizations, we would lose vital pieces of our country’s past.

Voices: The above Voices volunteers are regular contributors to this forum.

Mary Anne Markley of Carrollton: Ken Burns is spot on. Creation and preservation of the national parks has definitely been America’s best idea. Natural wonders, grandeur, history and science, all in one package. No limit on availability or participation. Sounds like a good deal to me. Nell Anne Hunt of Irving: The best idea has been to value each person equally. Having national parks open to every single American is about as American as it gets. Bob Wild of Flower Mound: Anyone who has driven long distances in the U.S. in the last half century knows it’s the interstate highway system. Becky Pullum of Irving: America’s best idea has been to set aside public lands for conservation and preservation. We can ill afford to lose these vital resources. Research is still being done at all our national parks as well as national forests and wildlife preserves. Stephen Matthews of Bedford: The GI Bill. Since World War II, veterans have been able to complete college degrees and build great things that may not have been accomplished without the education they received.

The Dallas Morning News

A forum for readers in Dallas, Denton and Tarrant counties

Do we fail some students? Children need time to deal with their special needs, says Ana Juan, and teachers don’t always have it to give.

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y older brother was stamped by our public school as “Special Ed,” and as embarrassing as it is to admit, my family and I treated him as if he were a different species. My parents worked two jobs, so my older brother, younger brother, and I were home alone a lot. My mother handed me almost all responsibility because, the theory was, my older brother wasn’t smart enough to do anything right. He would stay home playing games as I angrily marched to McDonald’s cursing him and his “condition.” But there was an upside, too. I was spoiled rotten because I was consistently on the A honor roll. My Voices brother was typically Teacher ignored. We’d even go on family trips to Mexico and leave him behind with an aunt for the holidays, a time when even the lonely should be with their families. For a really long time I believed him to be stupid and incapable, simply because I knew he

was pulled out from his classroom at school to go work with the so-called dumb kids. If you met my brother today, you would never have imagined he had any trouble in school ... well, at least not more than any other person. He is well spoken, can read, write and carry on an interesting conversation. His only “problem” is he was born with a minor hearing disability, nothing that can’t be solved with a hearing aide. So why did we treat him so differently all those years? My mother, being an immigrant, was bombarded by meetings that confused her. Unintentionally, as her attitude changed, it taught me that it was OK to view my brother as incompetent. Most years, I have 20-25 students, and usually a handful are identified as having special needs. In just the first few days of school, I can see the other children treating them as I once treated my brother. My naı¨ve ambition to want to influence children’s lives persuaded me to pursue a career in the field of education. However, I feel that having these students in my classroom is an injustice to them. I wish I could teach them what they are capable of learning. If one can’t write, I want

time to teach them the alphabet; if one can’t read, I want time to teach them to make the “sh” sound; if one can’t add 2 plus 2, I want time to teach them how to count using their fingers. The reality of it is I don’t have time, and I can’t slow down enough to catch these individuals up. The pressure of obtaining high TAKS scores rules out straying from the curriculum calendar by even a day. So what do I do? What can a public school do for these children? I am provided with help, but not as much as these children deserve. Just because a little girl can barely spell her name doesn’t mean she doesn’t have the ability to beautifully articulate a story about her summer vacation. Just because a little boy can’t read a sentence as simple as “See Spot run” doesn’t mean he won’t completely grasp the definition of matter and all of its phases. It’s not that I don’t want to include them in my classroom — I do. But I think every student deserves to feel and be successful in an environment where time is on their side. Ana Juan of Irving is a fourth-grade bilingual teacher. She is also a Teacher Voices volunteer columnist. Her e-mail address is [email protected].

It’s all about the subgroups We’re measuring the wrong thing in school accountability, says Debbie Gallagher of Cedar Hill

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egregation is alive and well in Texas schools. The results from the 2009 TAKS scores once again divide students into “subgroups” — African-American, Hispanic, White, Asian, Native American, Economically Disadvantaged, Special Education, Limited English Proficiency, Female and Male. All data is over-analyzed using these labels. Integration began in 1954 with Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, but for some reason the federal government still Voices wants to create divisions. Teacher As teachers we are expected to teach all our students without any prejudice. We take classes on cultural awareness and teaching to a diverse student body. It’s hypocritical to expect teachers and administrators to look beyond race and economic status, but then hand us our scores divided by these very same factors. When I

am teaching I look at the students, not their race and not their economic level or any other identifying factor measured by the state. A principal in Grand Prairie recently called in 60 black students for a meeting to challenge them to do better on the TAKS test. Some students and parents were offended. A similar incident happened in the Katy school district. Separate assemblies were held for white and Hispanic students. It was explained that the meetings were separate because that is the way the state reports achievement. The No Child Left Behind Act requires schools to track the performance of these subgroups. Interestingly enough, the schools that are integrated the most are the very schools that can be more heavily penalized. If a school has more subgroups than another, it is easier for the less integrated school to demonstrate “adequate yearly progress.” I cringe when I hear about how a school would have achieved higher recognition if only a specific subgroup had performed better. And it gets complicated. Many students are in several subgroups. For example a special education, white student from a poor family who speaks a language other than English fails; his score counts more than other students in determining whether a school meets federal guidelines. Also, NCLB requires each subgroup’s results to be statistically reliable, and it lets states choose the minimum size of the

subgroups that will count. Schools that choose higher numbers for their groups indeed leave some kids outside the count. We have some students counting more than once and some not counting at all. It’s as if they do not exist. When teachers look at test results, all we need are the scores for each student and overall pass/fail percentage. We need to see which test questions were missed the most and which students need help in a particular subject area. There’s nothing offensive about identifying the students who need help with “finding the main idea” in a reading passage or “using division to solve a word problem.” Standardized tests are very useful for identifying students that need remediation. We can then place these students in tutoring classes and target those skills. We do not need to be informed about their economic status or race. True integration will occur when test results are based on individual achievement, not how specific races, special education students and economic groups perform. Instead of the No Child Left Behind Act, we need an Every Child is Treated Fairly Act. Stop labeling and let us teach. Debbie Gallagher of Cedar Hill is a computer teacher at Daniel Intermediate School in Duncanville ISD and a Teacher Voices volunteer columnist. Her e-mail address is [email protected].

Diane Truitt of Irving: America’s best idea, the foundation upon which all other ideas either stand or fall, is that our rights are from our creator and are not granted by someone in government.

RAISE YOUR VOICE The Dallas Morning News is accepting applications for Community Voices. Voices volunteers write opinion columns every four to six weeks and are the “stars” of the weekly Sounding Off feature that appears on Sundays, in which the Voices and other readers respond to a question of the week. To get an idea of what kinds of topics Voices write about, visit dallasnews .com/voices.

Matt Brumit of Dallas: America’s best idea, though encompassed by the national parks, is our national monuments. Ranging from the Statue of Liberty to the Arlington National Cemetery, they have an incredible ability to instill patriotism in us, and undaunted patriotism will keep our country safe and prosperous. Mary Ellen Gherardi of Coppell: I think the national parks are Mother Nature’s best idea. We just had the wisdom not to meddle with them, and we should continue to do so.

Apply in four easy steps:

1. Write a little about yourself and put together a list of current and previous civic involvements. How would others in the community describe you? What is unique about your background and experience? Why should we choose you? 2. Share a previous writing sample or write something new on a current topic. A writing sample should be 600-650 words. 3. Jot down three other topics you would like to write about. 4. E-mail the application to voices@dallasnews. com. Please include your address and phone number.

Richard S. Geiger of Dallas: God has blessed us with an expansive, fertile zone and our Founding Fathers gave us the best form of government. The national park system is certainly among the best ideas of our government. Ken Mathias of Grand Prairie: America’s best idea is that education is for all citizens, not just the privileged few.

SIGN UP These responses are from readers who have asked to receive the weekly Sounding Off question. To be added to the e-mail list, send your full contact information to communityopinions@dall asnews.com.

Deadline: 4 p.m. Oct. 5. WILLIAM “BUBBA” FLINT/Special Contributor

HOW TO SEND A LETTER TO THE EDITOR Letters should be 200 words or fewer and include the writer’s name, address and phone number for verification purposes. Only the name and city of the writer will be published. Letters will be edited for length, clarity and style. Send by e-mail: [email protected]. By Fax: 972-263-0456. Or by Mail: P.O. Box 655237, Dallas, Texas 75265. For more information, contact Michael Landauer, assistant editorial page editor for Community Opinions, at 214-977-8258 or [email protected].

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Community opinions SOUNDING OFF Comment on the following topic on our blog: dallasnews.com/opinionblog.

Documentary filmmaker Ken Burns’ latest epic work — The National Parks: America’s Best Idea — debuts on PBS tonight. Are public parks still relevant in an age of unlimited entertainment options?

Shirlene Lucy

Kim Barnes

Retired portrait photographer and volunteer, Carrollton

Head of Early Childhood, Greenhill School, Addison

Public parks will be relevant as long as one person feels the peace of nature’s quiet beauty. Parks are even more relevant in this age of electronics, space travel and evergrowing cities.

Parks allow families a “nature connection” that they might not otherwise pursue on their own.

The Dallas Morning News

A forum for readers in Dallas, Denton and Tarrant counties

Overcoming boundaries T

ypically friendship is between two people who have things in common. However, hosting a foreign exchange student has proved to me that personal differences cannot stop two individuals from creating a friendship. Here we have two 15-year-old girls — me, an African-American from Euless, and her, from Les Crots, Hautes Alpes, France. Together, though, we learned what progressive immersion of a friendship is all about. I have to confess that my years of learning and speaking French did nothing to erase the distance between us. Things got off to a shaky start, leaving me unsure of where our friendship would end and whether it would even begin. The initial fear of meeting someone new from a different country accustomed to different food, history, traditions and culture kept me from getting too close. After a week and a half, it became unambiguous that we were more alike than I had thought. We both discovered when prejudices and biases are gently placed aside, it is easy to discover the similarities you share and the positives you admire in another human being. As a typical American, I had this belief that most of the French were narcissistic,

This friendship will last, says Lade Obamehinti while she held the general opinion that Americans were domineering. As we began to speak more and more, we realized we laughed at the same things, that we shared similar high school experiences and that we shared the common ambition of becoming internationally dynamic adults. I’ve had many people ask me why my family chose to host a foreign exchange student — especially in this type of economy. The truth is that sowing into the lives of others becomes a priceless act, seeing that memories and people are invaluable and irreplaceable. I grew up around different cultures, and it taught me to appreciate everyone for who he or she is, so hosting an exchange student was a great way to “travel” to another country never seen before. When I do eventually visit France next year, it will be a familiar place to me because of the friendship that has enabled me to learn all about the beautiful country. Learning about the culture of another country also meant

learning the general opinions certain countries have of the United States. It was interesting to compare the different opinions of the general populations of each country — to discover our country was viewed as fat, domineering, fashion-challenged, close-minded and globally unaware. I learned that some in France view Texans as horse-riding, country-music listening, cowboy-hat-wearing people. For her part, she was surprised to learn that the French were thought to be unhygienic people who were haughty and conceited. There are still many things for both of us to learn about our cultures and many linguistic hurdles for us to jump over. The bottom line is that we both made a choice to look beyond our differences and other people’s misperceptions to develop this unique friendship. Just a little over a month into the experience, I can confidently say that the friendship I have formed with my foreign exchange sister will last a lifetime. Lade Obamehinti is a junior at Trinity High School in Euless and a Student Voices volunteer columnist. To respond to this column, send an e-mail to [email protected].

Getting over gasoline Nandita Singh

Tim Greenwell

Sophomore, Hebron High School, Carrollton

Freshmen World Geography teacher, Flower Mound High School, Lewisville ISD

Parks are an escape for people trapped in “the other forms of entertainment,” such as e-mail, texting, television and MP3 players on a daily basis. Parks provide a healthy and enjoyable change of environment from buildings, roads, cars and concrete.

National parks are more relevant today than ever. Our society seems to be too indoors-oriented. We access everything from our living room easy chair or computer. Parks offer affordable, up close and personal opportunities to discover the natural beauty and wildlife of our land.

Voices: The above Voices volunteers are regular contributors to this forum.

Craig Spitzberg of Dallas: Our national parks and monuments are extremely important. Most of the New Age entertainment is fleeting at best. Regardless of how impressive the latest formulaic blockbuster (moneymaker) from Hollywood, it will never compare with the sight of a sunrise over the Grand Canyon. Lynn Walters of Irving: Yes. It is one way to ensure

that beautiful and historic sites are maintained for the future. We do not need condos and strip malls at the Gettysburg battleground, among others. Shirley Jackson of Arlington: The majesty of unspoiled creation cannot be underestimated. Parks nourish the spirit and provide the quietude needed to renew something within themselves. Communing with nature does more to calm our minds and hearts in these troubled times than most medicines. Man seemingly has an insatiable desire to destroy, but let’s hope that never happens with our national parks. Richard Cook of Coppell: Public parks matter as

a way to commune and show our children nature in the raw. Parks are a true family destination. Linda Cawthon of Duncanville: Parks have become more relevant because of the proliferation of entertainment. These offer a respite from sensory overload and an invitation to the beauty of the natural world, which inevitably renews the human spirit. Jim Dyer of Carrollton: Public parks still matter. All you have to do is look at attendance figures and it is very easy to realize public parks are still popular.

SIGN UP These responses are from readers who have asked to receive the weekly Sounding Off question. To be added to the e-mail list, send your full contact information to [email protected].

RAISE YOUR VOICE Be a “star” of the weekly Sounding Off feature that appears in this spot on Sundays. The Dallas Morning News is accepting applications for Community Voices, a panel of volunteer columnists who will be regular contributors to the Opinions page inside the Metro section. For more information, send an e-mail to voices@dallasnews .com.

Renewable sources will fuel cars of the future, says Art Fleming

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oday, there are about 250 million registered vehicles in the United States, and of these, about 135 million are classified as passenger vehicles. Virtually all of them run on gasoline. Yes, there are some diesels, a few hybrids, a few PHEVs (plug-in hybrid electric), but for all practical purposes, there are 135 million gasolinepowered cars out there. The average age of these vehicles is about nine years, which means it takes at least nine years to totally replace all of them. Right now, the only replacements we have are other gasoline-powered vehicles. That’s today. What do you think the future holds? The absolute perfect future state is one where all passenger vehicles are plug-in hybrid electric vehicles that obtain their electrons from clean, renewable sources such as photovoltaics, concentrated solar power, wind, geothermal, tidal, hydroelectric or nuclear. In this way, we harness the power of the sun to run our passenger vehicles, contributing no CO2 emissions, and contribute to a sustainable, renewable energy policy for ourselves and future generations. But how do we get there? It can’t be one giant leap, can it? The auto companies are just now starting to come close to mass producing PHEVs and it will take nine-plus

years to replace the existing gasoline-powered inventory. A logical next step from here is to move to flexfuel (E85) vehicles so that the engines can take advantage of “other” fuels, gasoline mixtures up to 85 percent ethanol, first from food sources such as corn and sugar cane, then evolve to cellulosic ethanol from corn stover, switchgrass, yard waste, sustainable trees, etc. Ultimately, though, we must overcome our need for gas guzzling tanks and muscle cars. We must stop using our cars as a chest-expanding status symbol. On the technical side, we must also find a way to “re-fuel” our electric vehicles. The only solution that exists on the table today is a battery swap. It is not possible to pull into a refueling station and recharge your batteries in the five minutes that it takes today to fill your gas tank. Manufacturers have started the transition to the “new” vehicles, but that path is long and arduous. We must give them the credit that is due for looking into the future and seeing where the industry must go in order to sustain itself. You should consider what the future of transportation will be like. We cannot continue in our current mode, because the foreign oil issue continues to raise its ugly head and the global climate change dilemma is “fueled” by our love of cars and gasoline. Both of these must change, and the PHEV with the right

WILLIAM “BUBBA” FLINT/Special Contributor

IC engine is the solution that we must strive for. Renewable electrons and homemade liquid fuels made from sustainable resources are the ways to bring back energy independence and a climate-aware nation. There will be some speed bumps along the way — batteries that fail, little engines that thought they could, recharging issues, availability of refueling stations, etc. But that is true with all new technologies and new ideas. We must see this as the transition from the easy, resource-depleting, environmentally negative current state to the harder, sustainable, renewable, clean solution that will take us and our descendants into the next century and next millennium. Art Fleming of Double Oak is an IT systems engineer and a Community Voices volunteer columnist. His e-mail address is art.t.fleming@ gmail.com.

Is school spirit a lost art?

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wo, four, six, eight, who do we appreciate? When is the last time you heard someone cheering for the schools in your neighborhood? Or, more specifically, when was the last time you cheered for your schools? It seems an increasing majority of folks find education to be a scapegoat for the ills and misdeeds of society. The list of perceptions includes, but is certainly not limited to, students learning bad habits in school, the idea that nothing worthwhile is being taught, discipline is not enforced, students are being told what to think, kids are bored — well, you get the idea. Promoting the negative instead of embracing the positive is usually the easier route. However, being overly negative does not accomplish a thing and only adds to the stress and burden of everyone involved. Yes, admittedly, problems do exist and for some the list of perceptions is their reality; however, the majority of activity that takes place in education is creative and worthwhile. As educators, we find ourselves balancing the use of classroom time to teach both curriculum and life skills. The same goes for advisers, coaches, directors, and sponsors of extra and co-curricular activities. The large majority of us are doing what we can to assist students in becoming not only educated

You can cheer students on, says Tim Greenwell young people during the time they spend with us, but also instilling in them the desire to be lifelong learners. So now back to the cheering. Schools can be welcoming places for everyone. Educators are always looking for volunteers, guest speakers and performers, community partnerships, patrons to serve on boards and committees, and people to serve in other positive ways that contribute to the overall climate of the schools. You, as an individual, can donate money through booster programs, books to distribute to students for reading at home, coupons for incentives or simply purchase an item in a school fundraiser. It may cost a little bit of your time and money, but look at it as an investment in the future. Kids have an awareness of when someone cares and to them it proves a lot to see people out supporting them in their endeavors. So in the spirit of homecoming and fall carnival season, I issue each of you a challenge. Despite whether you have school-age

students — attend the events at your schools. Pop in at the elementary school festival filled with games and prizes. Spend an afternoon at a middle school forum on study skills and time management. Spend your entertainment dollar on the athletic and fine arts events at the high school level. Homecoming activities themselves offer entire communities opportunities to show support for their local schools. Take your kids to the public parade, attend the big game to cheer on the athletes and performers, or provide some kind of assistance for the dance. Sure, the events are going to happen with or without you, but it would be a lot more fun to attend, show your support and have a good time. Be a cheerleader for your schools. Lend your efforts to make education a worthwhile and productive experience for not only the students but for our society as a whole. Never allow yourself to believe that one person cannot make the difference — because you can, you really can. Tim Greenwell teaches freshman world geography at Flower Mound High School in the Lewisville ISD. He is also a Teacher Voices volunteer columnist. His e-mail address is [email protected].

HOW TO SEND A LETTER TO THE EDITOR Letters should be 200 words or fewer and include the writer’s name, address and phone number for verification purposes. Only the name and city of the writer will be published. Letters will be edited for length, clarity and style. Send by e-mail: [email protected]. By Fax: 972-263-0456. Or by Mail: P.O. Box 655237, Dallas, Texas 75265. For more information, contact Michael Landauer, assistant editorial page editor for Community Opinions, at 214-977-8258 or [email protected].

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B6 W 09-27-2009 Set: 17:54:37 Sent by: ajharrisjr News

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