This city resident appreciates our mayor's work

To those who think that our new, young mayor does not have the experience to lead this city, ask yourselves: What did those elder "experienced" statesmen give to this city?

For years, young people have fled to greener pastures, Downtown resembles a ghost town in many areas and Harrisburg must guide our financial decisions, while criminal activity continues to escalate.

Mayor Luke Ravenstahl has made a promise that every neighborhood in this city will be included in his administration's revitalization, and is beginning to fulfill that promise on Homewood's McCombs Street by targeting this street for overhauling -- rubbish removal, weeds cut and street paved. These are amenities common to other parts of the city.

My Bible tells me, "the young shall lead them" and there are many instances in that Bible exemplifying this statement. My prayers are with this young mayor that in spite of the naysayers, he will become one of the best leaders this city has known. As a senior citizen, I stand in his corner. God's speed, Mayor Luke.

This city resident appreciates our mayor's workELAINE LEE
Homewood

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City school squeeze

The June 2 article "City's K-8 Schools Get Bad Grades" is part of the story.

I teach third grade at Miller African Centered Academy. I've been through many changes in the Pittsburgh Public Schools, but what has happened to our school is unbearable. Without regard for developmentally appropriate practice, Miller was given grades six to eight, a preschool class, an emotional support class and an additional special education room. That's right, 4-year-olds with 15-year-olds, some assigned a parole officer.

The article was correct about the disruption. It is impossible to separate older children from the young ones. There is no gym in the building so all students ride a bus up the street to a neighborhood gym, wasting 10 minutes of their gym period. Although hundreds of computers were removed from closed buildings, we have one computer lab for the entire building.

Students are bitter and taking it out on everyone. Miller did receive a "special discipline program." However, since the program began, they have only collected data, like discipline referrals. Should it be implemented, it will be too late for students whose parents have given up and withdrawn.

We have ideas about how to deal with some disruptions. We need activities to engage and motivate our students, like clubs. We could bring in our cultural component with step-teams, a drama club, etc. This will be impossible as our budget was cut significantly and we're losing full-time staff and cutting others to half-time.

Schools are not businesses. They're all kinds of little human beings. All of them must be taught. All of them deserve better then this.

ROBERTA K. DEAL
Bethel Park

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Bravo, city schools

I would like to publicly commend the teachers and administrators of the Pittsburgh Public Schools. I recently attended a concert at the High School for the Creative and Performing Arts (CAPA).

Students of several schools in the city, not just Rogers or CAPA, put on the concert. It was fantastic. The talent of the students and the hard work and dedication of the teachers and staff made for a truly enjoyable evening.

I only wish I had been able to attend the entire series of concerts that were held because if they were anything like the performance I saw -- and I cannot imagine otherwise -- they had to be spectacular. Congratulations to everyone involved.

DOROTHY E. LANG
Brighton Heights

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Do unto others

Regarding Brian O'Neill's May 27 column, "Meet the Simons, Who Served Their Fellow Man":

A number of things impressed me as I read the column. First, there were the actions taken by the Simons, who are siblings and teenage students at North Hills High School. When they saw George Lindner, 81, fall and injure himself, they stopped their car immediately and helped him. A nearby resident, Brian Fisher, joined them and they all drove Mr. Lindner to the hospital. And then there was the appreciation expressed by Mr. Lindner for the kindness of those students and neighbor, asking "that God bless them all." A U.S. Marine, he reflected back to when he was 18 and wounded on Iwo Jima during World War II, expressing his sincere gratitude to the good young people who came to his aid.

And finally, I was touched by the effort shown by Mr. O'Neill when he visited North Hills High School to discuss the incident with the Simons to understand why they did what they did. The answer may have seemed simple, but I applaud Mr. O'Neill for taking the time and energy to report something heartwarming and praiseworthy when it is usually avoided because it does not have a shock effect. Bravo.

DAN CRONIN
McCandless

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Free to choose

I applaud Eat'n Park's decision to become smoke-free, but I am astonished that people are missing the key fact here: freedom of choice.

Eat'n Park and others have made the choice to become smoke-free, as other businesses have chosen to allow smoking. Freedom of choice is the main reason our Founding Fathers came to this country and it's our greatest possession. Why are people waiting for the government to take that away, and why are people afraid to make their own choices?

No one is forced to work or spend money at a business that allows smoking. If smoking bothers you, if the smell makes you sick or if the health concerns are important to you, then don't visit or work in these places. Parents who choose to take their children into establishments that allow smoking and complain about the dangers instead of going elsewhere should look in the mirror and question their parenting skills. People who choose to work at places that allow smoking should exchange their complaints for the local classifieds. Those waiting for the government to do what they themselves can and should do, ask yourselves why? Are you too lazy to find places that are smoke free or too lazy to change your own habits?

Don't penalize business owners who put their money and efforts into their business or those customers who choose to visit these places. No one is forcing you to go. Quit playing the victim and exercise your freedom to choose. Not everyone needs to have their hand held every step of their lives.

KEN SNEDDON
West Mifflin

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Why they came

I do not understand the logic comparing the current Mexican border crossings to the massive influx of European immigrants that occurred in the 1800s.

When my German ancestors came to America in the mid- to late-1800s, they came to become American citizens. They had to renounce allegiance to their emperor, and they had to learn the English language. Their children went to school and in the process taught their parents the English language.

The people who already lived here were not forced to learn the language of the immigrants, and there was no free medical care or public assistance. The immigrants embraced the American way of life. My ancestors didn't sneak across the border; they came on crowded, uncomfortable boats and spent time at Ellis Island being "processed."

I think America should still welcome immigrants with open arms. However, the people who come here to enjoy the freedoms that America has to offer need to become citizens. They need to learn and use English, and become employed and pay taxes like everyone else.

If they want to partake of what America has to offer, they should do it legally.

MAGGIE KAPP DeFAZIO
Greenfield

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Sure, let the sterling Turnpike Commission have its way!

Re: Allowing the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission to take over Interstate 80 and other roads and add tolls to them

I think this is a great idea. If the turnpike commission could take over I-80, it could then raise revenues greatly. With its ability to modify, pave and create great roads, such as the wonderful turnpike, it could create thousands and thousands of jobs for construction people, who would be employed forever, just like on the turnpike we now have.

Also, many jobs would be created just to manage this road, just like the turnpike we have now. The state police could then patrol more on I-80 and increase state revenue.

Actually, I think the Turnpike Commission should also take over the state Liquor Control Board and its stores. After all, it is a very similar, nepotistic, backward system filled with political cronies and staffed with an overabundance of employees, creating a government mess that only Harrisburg could produce.

FRANK CAPUTO
Franklin Park