Letters to the editor
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Impoverished students start with a disadvantage
As I read Larry E. Davis' article ( "Don't Blame the Teachers: Poverty Is the Main Culprit Behind the Racial Achievement Gap," Dec. 18 Forum), I became very emotional. As an educator for 35 years, all spent teaching in an impoverished district, I have become tired of hearing that the schools are to blame for the achievement gap. My colleagues and I work diligently, day and night, to bring quality instruction to all our students. Administrators create initiatives and pilot programs designed with the hope that they will be the "magic bullet." Still the gap remains.
Dr. Davis states, "The education system has become the scapegoat for a society that for decades has failed to meet the basic economic needs of an increasingly larger segment of its black population." Absolutely! Our impoverished children start out with a distinct disadvantage and, by the time they reach school age, the disparity increases to a critical level. Yet, we take them where they are and provide each student with quality instruction, enriching experiences and well-trained, caring professionals.
The government has made our jobs more difficult by drastically cutting funding for schools. Poorer schools are experiencing more severe cutbacks than the more affluent districts. What sense does that make? Our bargaining rights are under attack, and charter schools and vouchers are being promoted as the "fix." These measures will serve only to segregate the communities more.
Poverty is the cause of the achievement gap. Quality education is part of the solution.
CECILIA RIZZA
Wilkins
Myriad social needs
In the Dec. 18 Forum , dean Larry Davis of the University of Pittsburgh School of Social Work contributed an insightful, compelling and rational commentary. We applaud his appeal regarding the need to address the insidious effects of poverty, with our own particular emphasis on youngsters in the first five years of life.
Research in applied developmental psychology and developmental neuroscience provides us with troubling insights into the negative impact of various stressors on early childhood development. Poverty significantly impacts all vulnerable children in the Appalachian region and their developmental and educational progress.
Psycho-educational professionals, even in affluent school districts, are challenged to meet the needs of more families living in poverty due to the harsh reality of the recession and home foreclosures. It is wrongheaded to solely blame classroom teachers and administrators for failing to solve the myriad social needs of our children (African-American, homeless or disabled) through education.
Draconian reductions in essential funding for education and human services conveniently avoid our shared social responsibility to help our children succeed; we applaud those who resist the actions to defund essential services and to instead link cost, efficiency, creativity and efficacy by forging creative solutions to the provision of interagency support services for all our children.
The consequences of not collaborating and not investing in our children and their futures will have a deleterious long-term impact on economic growth and the sustainability of our region.
JOSEPH F. LAGANA
Founder and CEO
Homeless Children's Education Fund
Strip District
STEPHEN J. BAGNATO
Professor of Psychology and Pediatrics
University of Pittsburgh
Oakland
Warmer Earth
Columnist Jack Kelly argued, contrary to all scientific evidence, that the Earth is not warming ( "Climate Change Conference Chilled by Contrary Evidence," Dec. 11). In fact, 2010 was the 34th year in a row with average global temperatures above the 20th-century mean. This is no surprise to scientists. The physics is the easy part: The Earth absorbs heat from the sun, the Earth gives off that heat, and some of that heat is trapped by an atmospheric blanket of carbon dioxide. More carbon dioxide from burning coal and gas and destroying tropical forests means higher temperatures for the entire planet. There is no getting around that.
In his anti-science accusations, Mr. Kelly suggested that scientists manipulate research for grant money. He's getting it backward. Scientists are delighted to research topics that have bearing on society's well-being. As long as climate change looms as a game-changing hazard, this is where much research needs to be conducted to help inform society about ways to avoid the worst impacts.
Luckily, the negative effects of climate change can be greatly reduced if we choose to reduce emissions now, and curtail emissions altogether soon. Because climate change has already been triggered, state and local governments will need to prepare for the impacts of changes we have already set in motion during the 20th century.
Science should be the baseline for good decision-making about man-made drivers of climate change, not a battleground in an ideological war over climate or energy policy.
DORK SAHAGIAN
Professor of Earth and Environmental Science
Lehigh University
Bethlehem, Pa.
The Waltons' success
In regard to Jeffrey Goldberg's Dec. 18 Forum article ( "Let Them Eat Art: A Walmart Heiress Built an Art Museum Instead of Helping Walmart Workers" ) taking the Crystal Bridges museum to task, I first have to wonder whether the writer would be so condemning of the philanthropy of Andrew Carnegie.
The Walton family, often the target of such free-floating hatred toward American success, has dropped a billion dollars of their wealth to create something Arkansans and all Americans can be proud of. That they happened to choose their own backyard for it is, apparently, the real offense.
I am old enough to remember the original Walmart stores as a small Arkansas retailing chain, when they were competing for nickels with every five-and-dime store in Arkansas. Sam Walton built a business that would bring lower costs of living to a vast segment of America -- including the poor -- and to provide 2.1 million jobs for Americans who otherwise might not have jobs. And yes, he made his family a huge pile of money in the process -- all a result of his dogged pursuit and achievement of his American Dream.
Are there downsides to Walmart? Of course. There are no free rides. While keeping prices down, it imports a lot of goods from China, and it drives out a lot of competitors who can't compete. But the Walton Family Foundation, in 2009-2010 alone, delivered grants for education reform, environmental conservation and quality-of-life initiatives totaling nearly a half-billion dollars. Not too shabby.
I know the Northeast thinks it has a monopoly on American wealth. However, Sam Walton and his family have shown that determination and drive to succeed can flourish anywhere in America. Some of us think that is a good thing.
DAVID RAY
Hot Springs, Ark.
Holiday cheer: Some thoughts about time marching on
We received this holiday note from my 92-year-old mother-in-law, which lifted our spirits and made us laugh. We pass it on to all readers of the Post-Gazette who would like to enter the new year aging gracefully:
Merry 2011 Christmas!
I'm still alive -- are you? 92's some age: All one needs do to create admiration is to put off dying for another year. What a deal!
Of course there are plenty of enemies trying to push us over the brink: sickness, pains, dark days, loss of friends, etc. But as long as the old rocking chair doesn't trap us into sitting all day, life is good indeed.
What has changed? Well, as their numbers dwindle, friends become more dear.
We're "mellowing." Instead of getting all tensed up about whatever happens, we can take the long view -- glimpse causes and consequences -- and see that it's not so bad after all.
Gone are the days when responsibilities were heavy. Now we can adore our grandchildren openly, then hide around the corner when they misbehave.
Thanks to Uncle Sam and U.S. workers not only do we have $ to live on, we can put off that sweeping until we're in the mood. Any old excuse is OK. We can read a novel all day long and still not be labeled "lazy." No one orders us to exercise. We just know if we don't we'll have to put up with the old arthritis pains.
We're slow, but then so are our friends. Sometimes five minutes go by while we try to track down someone's name. Who cares?
Have a lazy old Christmas!
-- Charlotte Wangrin , Napoleon, Ohio
CAROL WINZELER
Moon
We welcome your letters. Please include your name, address and phone number, and send to Letters to the Editor, 34 Blvd. of the Allies, Pittsburgh 15222. E-mail letters to letters@post-gazette.com or fax to 412-263-2014. Letters should be 250 words or less, original and exclusive to the Post-Gazette. All letters are subject to editing for length, clarity and accuracy and will be verified before being published.
First Published December 25, 2011 12:00 am
