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Show SUMMER 2003 The West View. Page 7 This opinion section is an open forum for community issues. Editorial columns and opinion articles are strictly the opinion of the author. Letters of an indecent or demeaning nature will not be published. Letters will be edited for style and space. Get Parents Involved in Neighborhood Schools Lake bar” for Latino/Hispanic children City’s west side, I am fully aware in Utah, so that more will gradu- how poorly prepared a large segment of Utah children are for the rigors of higher education, and I am also fully aware of how gifted and talented many of those children are. A variety of ideas, such as quotas and school choice, have been ate from high school and go on to graduate from college. In my opinion, these ideas are somewhat shortsighted. We need ~As an educator on Salt suggested. on how to “raise the Research has shown again and again that parental involvement is the major key in a child’s aca- but all children; forit will be all children future. that determine Utah’s setting neigh- goals and implementing effective programs will not only make a difference Therefore, we need to find ways for Latino/Hispanic youth, but for to involve Latino/Hispanic par- all of us in the state of Utah. success and ents, whether they speak English or not, in the education of their — children in their own neighbor- not only benefit our own children, by aspirations. demic to implement solutions that will ing together in their own borhoods hood schools. Parents, educators, and community members work- Barbara Lovejoy, ALS (ESL)/ Dual: Immersion Coordinator, Jackson Elementary, Fairpark Community How the West Side Lost Look Past Skin Color, Most citizens, on the East Side as well as the West Side, want the Union Pacific (U.P.) to vacate the - 900 South Line. Unfortunately, we’re not all on the same page. The East Side. and the West Side are divided against each other, Give Your Support sanctity of a written oath, has sided with the Surface Transportation Board, which seems to be a law unto itself. The West Side, the active element of it, has a Plan B, in case the lawsuit fails. We voted After reading a brief editorial back in May in the Deseret “Minority Outreach: Whites Taking Heat’, I thought I would share my personal and professional opinion with the -University/Neighborhood Partners, a community center community. with a mission of “bringing The general tone of the artitogether University and West cle was one of skepticism and Side resources for mutual suspicion, depicting white learning, action, and benefit”. people in jobs that might well The building is located at have gone to persons of color. 1060 South 900 West in I may have felt the same to while the West Side is divided © withhold approval for the intermodal hub until the 900 South against itself. line is vacated. Unfortunately the Several residents living by the rest of the city doesn’t agree with 900 South rail line’ have complained to the Mayor about the _us. They want the intermodal hub railroad whistles blowing during as much as U.P. wants the 900 South line. West Siders know that. the night. They need their sleep the hub will benefit the West as because they have to work during well as the East Side, but these | the day. So the Mayor is negotiatbenefits mean nothing as long as ing with U.P. to mitigate the whis- News, _ entitled ~ way, but I have had the pleas- tle problem, making some West the 9th South line is active. ure of knowing Siders feel betrayed. How can the Mayor pursue the lawsuit if he is negotiating with the enemy? We must understand that the Mayor is between a rock and a hard place. We need to convince these 900 South residents that there are _ We realize also, from a mone- _ with two of the women mentioned in the article. The one I _ Other issues besides the: whistles. Let the Mayor get the lawsuit over with as soon as possible. We are off the mark in attacking the Mayor. It’s the City Council that has the votes and the way to influence them is to influence and educate their constituents. tary aspect, that U.P. is acting in — working Jordan Park. make a She wants difference! Find to the time to offer her your support “instead of your criticism (she has heard all of the criticism the State of Utah. She has before). I say look past skin color and find ways to either criti- tions. But there is a difference between the two: intent. Someone suggested that we write a book about our adventures been effective cize the.person for their com- serving the poor and often overlooked population in Salt Isn’t that what we want of our with U.P. Unless we can pull our act together, and do the work we. the state. Fisher was, for many years, at the helm of Utah Issues, an complicity with the big corpora- Organization or lack thereof. that exists to | Robert “Bip” Daniels, SLC Planning Commission, _ Glendale Neighborhood : ee ULOP Es, Australia, and actossos “Tickell oe 2 has been working with biodiesel ce sincee he ssaw it ona 2 farm i in. : eople aware show their short , technology?’” After two tours in give his biodiesel se ie Veggie Van and a book, Tickell re settled on making a film. “It’s ‘the eo af ace work Grove oO ouisiana. The trio Ae travel a www. eisievarl oe munity bringa better lot in life to the less- fortunate (Utah Issues is now under the. most capable Leon Johnson, Poplar particularly Lake City and other areas of — leaders of color? have to do, I suggest the appropriate title for this book would be: “How the West Side Lost.” far. The 10th not valuing -the onal shua and know best is Irene Fisher. She has labored long and productively for all of the people in its own self-interest just as the average citizens are. Often, average citizens unconsciously act in The city’s lawsuit has not been — successful so Appeals Court, leadership of Bill Crim, another white person who has served the minority community well and continues to do SO). 2 | ‘Fisher is the Director of tieg to Tickell, “The. te time I saw biodiesel, | knew it firs ‘ould: strengthen our nation. ‘The Eu question wwas ‘How do. we ne way to create a critical 1 mass slide will be a raffle of cool prizes |