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Show New Utah American Fork Citizen - Thursday, April 25, 2002 - Page 2 Opinion Education comes with a price The Alpine School District is lotting lott-ing nearly $5.5 million for the next fiscal year. With the highest student to teacher ratio and one of the lowest totals in sending per Htudent in the nation, the recent cuts hit Utah schools hard. Than?, cuts are a direct result of Utah state legislators slicing $41 million ofrof the state education budget to cover shortfalls in the Htate budget totaling more than $200 million. It uIho includeH the $10 million capitol Htate equalization equaliza-tion fund request that legislators turnl down. Tlie diHtrict will be trimming $4(X),(XX) in adminiHtrative jjosi-tionH, jjosi-tionH, and extra teaching HtafTte maintain Home programH will m eliminated. Teachers placed at the elementary ttchool level will be assigned according to claHH numbers num-bers by rounding down and not as before by rounding up. KchoolH with growth or decline during the school year will Ixj hurt. I'rograrriH with declining enrollment enroll-ment will ! cut, and growth may not 1m; fuctorwJ in certain budget allocations. The hcIkkiI board will be looking at other wayH to make ends meet and they will m doing it not juHt for next year but the following year, anticipating continued lack of funding from the legiHlature. Some of the funding that the diHtrict is considering putting on the chopping chop-ping block in the activity mileage and insurance costs for teachers. We cnn commend Alpine School Dintrict for not rewlving its budget problems like the Jordan School DiHtrict which will be increaHing class size. With (leciHioriH yet to be made, however, the diHtrict budget cuts will bring results that will hurt. Educating our children comes with a price. We need to let legislators legisla-tors know education in not an amenity but a necenHity that Be adult enough to It's baseball season again. Last year while at the ball- Sark, I watched a father reduce is ten-year-old son to tears after the Hon struck out with runners on. It was bad enough that I almost HtepMd in to stop the father's verbal abuse. Luckily, his wife stepped it. I've coached baseball and soft-ball soft-ball for over 10 years, and on levels lev-els from high school to coach pitch. During that time, I've rarely seen a parent le as damaging dam-aging to a child as this father was, but I have seen parents cause problems for their children. Sportsmanship and nuccess go hand in hand. It feels gixnl to get the big hit, or make the big play, and it feels awful to strike out in the clutch or to make the error that allows the other team to win. I spent some valuable coaching coach-ing yeors with former major leaguer lea-guer and current C-ougar coach, Vance Law. One of his favorite sayings was that baseball was a sport that kept you humble. It's a sport where you're one of the best if you fail 70 percent of the time. It's a sport that can teach young people a great deal about trying and failing, and trying try-ing and succeeding, if handled by the "adults" properly. Some Little League programs require parents to sign agreements agree-ments before they can be a spectator. spec-tator. Some have banned parents altogether from their games. I hate to see those radical solutions adopted. I'd rather parents be educated properly about their role in Little League programs. So with that in mind, here are eight simple rules for baseball or soflball spectators to understand. Your children's success or non-success is not a reflection of you. Stop trying to prove that you were a good athlete because your son or daughter is a good athlete. Their success or failure shouldn't enhance or damage your self esteem. Not all players are going to be stars. As a matter of fact, very few of these Little League players will play high school ball for one reason or another. Their Little Tslsphons Numbtrs Deadlines We welcome letters to the editor. All letters must Include the NJaiit Titan r , Classified Advertising . , Tuesday, noon authors name (printed AND signed) and a telephone num- llCTT UUlll Q , circulator, .756-7669 Display Advertising ... .Monday. 6 p.m. ber. We reserve the right to edit letters for clarity, punctuation, American Fork Citizen A AM&NEWSPAPER c.2Z XL," J" " m taSte and LetterS are Welcome on any topiC- An edition OfThi Dally Herild ' Lon. Peak Editor Beky Beaton Mlm HOW TP REACH US (ISSN No. 1521-6845) j . . ... Sports Monday, 10 a.m. ByMal By Fax JEiif680 AlnFoTlK CornmunKyC.tentar..Monday.10..m. RO. Box 7, American Fork, UT 756-5274 E9Wee1 Main Utt'l?- &i.fc0-. rSSSS S f il , L Letters to the Editor... Monday, 10 a.m. 84003 Bv F American Park Utah 14003 i-.-, POSTHASTES: end eddriMClMnetlp ' BVc-MAL American Fork. UUh 14003 hkmoo, "TEZ'&JF . iT bchristiarenCrraWe.corn Subscription price $26" year 59 W. Mam, American Fork bbeatonheraldextra.com should not be cut. Ask for Utah's education dollars back. We an citizens within the dintrict can continue to make a difference by voicing our opinion and continuing continu-ing to roll up our sleeves and helping help-ing out during the shortfall. Area businesses should be thanked for their continued support sup-port in helping our schools. Many businesses invest time and money into our community's most precious resource. Other business owners and managers might consider school donations as an investment in the community's economy and as a valuable tax deduction that hits close to home. There are many families and groups that already do service projects proj-ects for thu schools. The need for nervicc has increased. Those who have thought about volunteering but have put it off, their skills and time would be appreciated. Teachers in the school district are already overtaxed in resources and supplies. Many teacners already cut into their income by spending money on needed items for the classroom and students. As individuals, we can speak with a teacher and find out what his or her needs are. Often, walking in with a tool belt on to help fix furnishings fur-nishings in ne(td of repair will be just as appreciated as a donation of money. Now is the time to step forward for-ward to volunteer while administrators adminis-trators in each school are planning for the 2002-2003 school year. PTA organizations and other important school support groups will also be meeting soon to discuss student needs for the coming year. Help boost the morale of a teacher or an administrator. Find out what the school in your area needs and learn how you can help, then call or write a legislator. legisla-tor. You may find the one to benefit bene-fit won't just be the students - it will also be you. enjoy Little League Q2l0QffiHi League experience should be one that leaves them with a love for the game, and fond memories of their time on a ball field. Lighten up! These are not world series games. Winning or losing is not a matter of life and death, as a matter of fact, many of the players won't remember the next day whether they won or lost. Remember baseball and soft-ball soft-ball are GAMES. Be positive with both teams, coaches and umpires. The baseball base-ball field is not a place to cut players play-ers down, to be degrading or to embarrass someone. This is not an easy sport to play, especially for young people who are still developing. Compliment good plays, ignore physical errors, and correct mental errors in private. No one likes to be yelled at and told what they did wrong in front of their teammates and the fans. Umpires make mistakes. Often games will be umpired by teenagers who don't have a perfect per-fect understanding of the game themselves. Be a little tolerant. Chances are if you were umpiring you'd do a worse job. Learn the game yourself Know the rules for the league and what the coach is expecting of the players. Communicate with the coach if you disagree about something. some-thing. If you think something illegal ille-gal is happening on the field, talk to the coach and have himher talk to the umpire. Parents are not in the stands to enforce the rules. If you don't like the way things are being done, you have two choices - quit the program or get involved yourself to make the changes you think are necessary. Be the mature, responsible "adult" that is interested in developing devel-oping children's talents and interests, inter-ests, not the larger child that can yell until your son bursts into tears and your wife or another spectator has to tell you that you've crossed the line. I thought my Was I wrong! Years ago, when I had little kids at home, we worked with some of the same systems many people use. We created job charts to identify iden-tify chores which needed to be done. There was an outline and the jobs were kept quite simple, so that young hands would be able to reach a goal they had set. Of course there were incentives, such as a trip to the pool or an ice cream cone to those who finished on time. I've heard of all kinds of creative, cre-ative, change-with-the-season varieties of charts. I've heard all the arguments that keeping the chart updated, fresh and exciting would provide an environment that would make kids want to do their work. I've heard it, but I didn't really believe it. Somehow it seemed a little too "cutesy" for my style and tastes. I wanted my kids to learn how to work for the sheer joy which comes when a task is completed. That should be enough reward, I reasoned. rea-soned. Wrong again. Precedent set, it was hard for me to change my philosophy. So we kept with a simple rotating wheel outlining major jobs in our home. Mormon ties to In 1987, before the San Diego Temple, it was the most expensive building the LDS Church had ever built. It now sits idle waiting for another period of fragile peace in the place that is ironically called The City of Peace. The BYU Jerusalem Center, its own story a miracle, overlooks the Holy City patiently waiting for the opportunity opportuni-ty to draw BYU students closer to the historical center of their faith. About 2,400 years ago, the prophet Zechariah wrote about today's headlines when he said, "I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling trem-bling unto all the people round about.... a burdensome stone for all people..." (Zech. 12:2-3) Latter-day Saint ties to Jerusalem go all the way back to 1841, when, after an incredible joumey, Orson Hyde dedicated a then barren and sterile Holy Land for the return of the Jews. His dedicatory ded-icatory prayer included expressions made by Joseph Smith several years earlier in the dedicatory prayer of the Kirtland Temple: "...that Jerusalem, from this hour, may begin to be redeemed.... And the children of Judah may begin to return to the lands (of)... Abraham, their father." (D&C 109:62, 64) Less well known is a proclamation proclama-tion issued by the Quorum of Twelve Apostles in 1845 that said, "We further testify, that the Jews among all nations are hereby commanded, com-manded, in the name of Messiah, to prepare, to return to Jerusalem in Palestine; and to rebuild that city and temple unto the Lord: Reader agrees with IS. Merrill Dear Editor: We are in agreement with J.S. Merrell and it needs to be addressed. The School District bought 50 acres from Stan Smith for a new high school. The land abuts our west fence at approximately approxi-mately 8800 N. 6903 W. They are good at shafting Lehi and they need to be held accountable. If they fail to honor the bond election, elec-tion, come election day they'll be out. Ruth Persson Merrill hits it right Dear Editor: I have just had my family read the letter to the editor written by J. Sterling Merrill of Lehi. He hits it right on the head. Even as many years old as I am (I graduated from Jordan High School) we knew that Lehi was the poor stepchild step-child of the Alpine School District. I remember having family describe the pilings being driven into the "swamp" to build the high school, and what a joke it was to chore chart days were over GfertiH Sometimes it worked better than other times, but there was still never a great feeling of satisfaction satisfac-tion which came from teaching correct principles. I had higher hopes for the future. Roommates, friends and wives may have been able to work their magic on my offspring by now. I always hoped that some such miracle mir-acle would make up for my shortcomings. short-comings. But now I am wondering. There are just three of us left at home now. All are adults and all should be responsible, right? However, the other two are males and come with the built-in myopia inherent in the gender. I do have to admit that I have had some very nice surprises through the years. I have found carpets shampooed while I was out of town for a couple of days. I only had to hint very broadly that the Holy Land (Mb i i "And also to organize and establish estab-lish their own political government, under their own rulers, judges and governors in that country. "For be it known unto them that we now hold the keys of the priesthood priest-hood and kingdom which is soon to be restored unto them." (Messages of the First Presidency, Vol. 1, p. 254) That European Jews did not receive or pay attention to this proclamation may be one of the most tragic untold stories in modern mod-ern history. When Jerusalem was under British control from 1917 to 1947, it was a constant "burden" and "cup of trembling." Immigration of Jews became so controversial that, at one point, Great Britain completely closed the borders of the Holy Land to new residents. Tragically the year was 1939 just as Adolf Hitler came to power. Had more European Jews heeded the prophetic call issued almost a hundred years before, to return to Jerusalem, how many lives could have been saved? And how much war and bloodshed since that time could have been avoided? The BYU Jerusalem Center or (Center for Near Eastern Studies) Reader's Forum call Lehi's students "web feet." My children all graduated from Lehi High School, and then it wasn't was-n't a joke any longer. It was a limited lim-ited education. Auto mechanics was only offered at American Fork H.S. if my children had that interest. inter-est. With a one-car family that wasn't was-n't feasible, and therefore was a deprivation on their behalf. One question that keeps reverberating rever-berating through my mind through the past months of discussion, discus-sion, debate and arrogance on the District's part is this: If we are supposed to have "equality in each of the schools" and some are unable to have certain classes or events, then all of them should be treated equally and those programs pro-grams be removed from the other schools to make them ALL EQUAL. Just how long do you think it would be before all the schools were equal if some of the other schools were deprived of their sacred cows? Shall we talk about the music program? Every time the band program started to gain a decent status, the teacher would be it would be a nice surprise to come home to. Other things have been done when I have made some suggestions. sugges-tions. Just last week I made out a list of items I would like my son to do while his dad and I were gone for the evening. Not only did he complete that list, he threw in a couple of things I hadn't thought about, to my delight. So when I come home tonight with a new four page list of jobs which could be included in any home's cleaning routine, it's with a little bit of trepidation. I have had the list in my computer for several years and I used it in a lesson ; once. ; It includes items that most chore charts don't even think! about, because they are catering to I those of a more youthful clientele. ; There may be a major mutiny ; at my home when I suggest that ; we are older and wiser now. Not only that, we are more desperate, I as mom and dad have even less time than we did before, so we all need to pitch in, get rid of our short-sighted approach to cleaning and create an environment we can ; all be proud of. ; Now if I can just get a five-foot wide chore wheel to fit it all on.... ' and its temple stands on the Mount of Olives adja-1 cent to Hebrew University. There orthodox Jews have, in recent years, intensified their study of ancient temple ceremonies, fully expecting that they will perform them in a temple that is yet to be 'J built. Some believe the temple will I: return with the Messiah. The " building of the BYU Jerusalem -Center was met with tremendous opposition. Among many other arguments, 2 the Church was accused of plan- 1 ning a building that could one day be converted to a Mormon temple. Z Now some 15 years later, the Church has proven true to its word. The center is not a temple and it is -not used for proselyting. Neverthe- 2 less, Jewish leaders recognize that Mormons are a temple building people and at least a few have even expressed the sentiment that Mor- ; mons could legitimately have -something to do with building a temple in Jerusalem. In a 1983 letter to BYU, long- Z time Mayor of Jerusalem, Teddy Z Kollek said, "I feel that the Mormon '2 Church's presence in Jerusalem can do a great deal towards provid- ing the bridge of understanding between Arabs and Jews through- out the Middle East and that its X members, looking with sympathy Z and understanding at both sides, Z can be a force to bring about a just ; and lasting peace in our troubled " area." The cornerstone of any real peace in Jerusalem is the issue of a Z temple. J yanked away and sent to a larger school. I have seen this with more than three teachers. I don't have any children there now, and don't know the current status, but it probably hasn't changed much. Representative Cox has introduced intro-duced legislation to establish smaller, more responsive school districts. This has never been passed, but is an interesting concept. con-cept. Apparently Alpine School District is getting so large and powerful that they are dictating to us, the taxpayers, what will be done. They are too large to be able to effectively study and determine what is appropriate for everyone. Lehi has too long been the one given the leftovers, and then told to shut up and be glad for what we do have. I am one that did vote for the bond election to pass, and I too am wondering why the promises and assurances that our area and west would be taken care of Maybe Lehi City should go back to war, this time with the State. Who is leading the rebellion? I am ready to sign up. Jay and Deanna Larson POOR |