Letters to the Editor

To the Editor:

I am writing in response to Diane van den Berg's letter to the editor which appeared in the May 1 Nugget.

I find her comments to be a slap in the face and very offensive to the pregnant teens and their families. I am friends with some of the girls who are or who have been pregnant and know the hardships they have endured. I choose to show these girls support by helping in any way I can. These girls are not criminals and do not deserve to be shunned.

While I don't think they should be congratulated for their judgment which resulted in pregnancy, unless Ms. van den Berg is advocating abortion, what's done is done. We need to offer support and encouragement not to get pregnant and to make future decisions that will benefit the life of their child.

Ms. van den Berg claims that these pregnant teens are not taking responsibility for their sexual activities. These girls are taking responsibility. There would have been an easy avenue to take to terminate their pregnancies -- abortion. But these girls decided to be accountable and give life. This decision should be supported, not condemned.

America is a country which guarantees education to anyone, pregnant or not. Some of the pregnant girls have plans to attend college in the fall. They choose to become educated so they can gain the knowledge needed to support themselves. Before Ms. van den Berg casts judgment upon these girls, I encourage her to sit back and ask herself how she would react if teen pregnancy hit close to her home.

And yes, Ms. van den Berg is correct about the "rumors" that baby showers were held. Incidentally, it's too bad Ms. van den Berg interprets baby showers to be a recognition of the act of conception. I always thought baby showers were to celebrate the imminent birth of a new child.

I share Ms. van den Berg's concern about teen pregnancies. But please... Lighten up!

Melinda Hughie

To the Editor:

Let us not condemn our young mothers in the school system. Let's be glad we can support them with love and understanding instead of farming these girls off to distant relatives until the baby is put up for adoption and the mother is put to shame. Some of those who have been forced to do that never see those babies or graduate from high school only to become a burden on society anyway.

How many of those out there judging the young moms had sex but just didn't get pregnant or chose an abortion, sometimes more than one?

Maybe the parents should be responsible for the parenting classes. After all, women used to have babies at 15 and relied on family members for help. That might save some money.

Let's not worry about these babies, who are loved and nurtured; let's worry about the fact that young people are having unprotected sex or using protection incorrectly with a deadly sexually transmitted disease out there stalking our young adults.

Let's stress education, values and most of all love.

Sincerely,

Denise Cristiano

In response to the letter from Diane van den Berg: I fear she suffers from contempt prior to investigation.

One of two things has happened. Either she has experienced teen pregnancy first-hand and has no compassion, or she has not and therefore has no idea of what she writes.

If her attempt is to blame liberal politics for the overuse of the "system," then fine. However, to question where parents were "when all this is going on," is naive. I know personally two of the young people of one of the recent teen pregnancies. Neither of these individuals has missed the boat nor "refused to listen."

The thing they are doing is being responsible, loving and caring for the new little person that is the result of too early a decision. Ms. van den Berg's letter is outrageously judgmental and global. Both young people are headed for a college education and in the meantime if they need some help...so be it. They will repay what assistance they get by raising a healthy and loved child.

Isn't there something about casting a first stone? "Sisters wake up" is right. We don't throw away our teen-agers for their mistakes or poor judgment. If Ms. van den Berg is fortunate enough to have a teen-ager, she would already know this.

Miriam Burke

"This is the best day of my whole life!" exclaimed the first grader to his teacher.

He had just completed a large, bright red and yellow painting of a butterfly. This comment was made by a student at a Portland school where I was teaching art recently. My work takes me around the state of Oregon and gives me a chance to observe different schools and talk with a variety of teachers. Students and teachers are very responsive to arts integration in their programs. This often results in better grades in their other subjects, as studies have shown.

Due to budget cuts, Sisters Elementary School does not have such a program. The teaching of art falls on the shoulders of classroom teachers or on the graciousness of volunteer efforts. These efforts, though deserving of a round of applause, cannot replace the exposure to the arts the students would receive from the state arts- in-education program.

This is just one more example of how our schools are hurting. The focus of the school bond up for vote needs to stay on the classroom. Large classes and lack of books and other supplies are very real concerns. We need to show our schools that, as a community, we care.

When you cast your vote keep in mind that first grader's comment. In whatever subject, we need to give our students the opportunity to have "the best day in their lives."

Paul Bennett

As a past member of the Sisters School District Long-Range Planning Committee I get the feeling the school board has lost sight of what the committee's final report recommended as a solution to space problems and educational shortcomings within the district.

The report made it very clear that the bond issue plan will not work unless year-round education is implemented. Yet, the board has all but avoided any positive action regarding YRE.

If the board will use bond money to do as the committee's report recommended -- turn the old high school/administration campus into a middle school; build the additional classrooms, media center and support facilities on the present elementary school; implement YRE for the elementary and middle school -- there'll be plenty of room in the existing high school for years to come.

Why look to the Baptist church for classroom space when classrooms in the present intermediate school/administration building aren't being used?

All we keep hearing from the board is the need to build a new middle school, and the "problems" with the present bond issue. We do not need a new middle school right now -- any more than the school administrators need a raise in salary right now.

One moment the board wants to pay money to administrators and in the next breath they're going to cut 1.5 teachers. Makes me wonder if they're out to lunch. It seems logical to use the money to save the teachers' positions. We need more good teachers, not higher-paid administrators.

Until the board publicly states how they're actually going to use any bond money, and until they endorse YRE, I can not support their request for additional tax-dollars from my (almost empty) pockets. I'm already locked into the last school bond payback.

Sincerely,

Jim Anderson

As the election date draws nearer, more and more inaccurate information is used to support arguments. It is vital that the public take the time and effort to become informed on the issue at hand.

Mr. Kaufman's letter of last week is based on the belief that the bond issue is for 25 years. The bond issue is to be paid back over 15 years. The buildings, furnishings, maintenance projects, and buses to be purchased with this bond money will be used throughout that 15-year period and beyond.

Year-round education is being explored by the district and the school board has requested that the administration and staff spend the next year developing and sharing ideas concerning this issue with the community and board.

What the future brings will depend on growth and capability of local school districts to accommodate that growth.

In regard to Mr. Paine's letter, the proposed 1996- 97 budget that was presented on Monday, May 6 has allocated $30,000 for water charges. This figure is based on the rate structure that the city recently proposed. Mr. Paine also indicates that the district dug the well and then after the fact decided to enter into an agreement with the city. This is false; this option was chosen before any work began.

I would continue to urge voters to gather the facts on this issue and make their decision based on these facts, not inferences or half truths.

Earl P. Armbruster

Business Manager

Sisters School District

The May 1 letter from Gaylon Huff suggesting Cliff Clemens has not been involved in schools in Sisters and is uneducated on the subject left me wondering whether to laugh or cry.

Who in this community has been more involved and faithful to his beliefs for such a long time?

Such a total lack of sensitivity and information certainly makes me wonder if the same lack of understanding went into Mr. Huff's decisions on the Long Range Planning Committee. No wonder there is so much doubt surrounding the issue of the schools' needs and goals and how best to fund them.

Carol Moyer

Gaylon Huff's two years' service on the Long Range Planning Committee and School District Budget Committee does not qualify him to pass judgment on Cliff Clemens.

To refer to Mr. Clemens in such terms as "... reflect the attitude of a totally uninvolved and uneducated person," and "... totally irresponsible for anyone to sit on the sidelines and voice such criticism," is laughable.

He concludes by saying, "Why don't you get involved in a positive manner and after you know the facts make some conclusions?"

Mr. Huff, who apparently must live in a glass house, seems unaware that Mr. Clemens, an educated college graduate, businessman, pilot, logger, and family man, has also taught in California schools, served as mayor of Wasco, California, served on the school board there and on a county commission on school district reorganization. Uninvolved? Uneducated?

All this was before taking up residence in Sisters where he served on the school board for 16 years. Sit on the sidelines? Know the facts? There is no one in Sisters who knows the ins and outs of local school problems as well as Cliff and who has consistently participated more in seeking solutions for problems of school financing, construction, growth and personnel.

When Gaylon Huff has served the schools in a volunteer capacity for 14 more years, perhaps he will benefit from wisdom gained in hindsight.

Sincerely,

Gordon and Shirley Petrie

I just wanted to comment on how great the Garden Club is doing at the east end of town. They are just doing a super job. And a big thanks to Chuck Hoyt for the old wagon frame that completes the landscaping.

While I'm speaking my mind concerning appreciation, I would like to bring up what a wonderful job Tom Coffield did with the SOAR Basketball classes that just ended. Both my son and daughter who are in first and second grade just loved it. I also stayed through many of the sessions and was very impressed with the amount of knowledge and the high level of skill that was taught.

A huge thanks to Mr. Runco and his coaches who kept 50-some small children with basketballs in their hands organized and attentive. I was so impressed with Mr. Runco's rapport with these young kids. I'm sure it was quite a change compared to working with junior high and high school.

For the few problems that we have in Sisters, we have a greater amount of positive and wonderful things going on. What a great place to live.

Sincerely,

Lori Kallberg