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Show NOVEMBER 3, 1987 L, EEtEtErars TTcid EBdlfittaDD0 Story not yet told Dear Editor: The story of public education has not yet been told in full. A recent letter to the editor depicted education in Utah as a floundering institution whose problems are due to the Utah Education Association and the National Education Association. These attitudes and the tax issues facing Utah deeply concern me. The letter to which I referred cried for better student performance while casting blame in the direction of the most powerful teachers union in Utah, the UEA. So where should the blame really fall? Ultimately is it not the responsibility of all citizens to ensure a good education for its youth? Mary Ann Murphy of the Tax Limitation Coalition has pointed the finger at the UEA, saying that the association refuses to accept educational reform. Actually, the UEA would welcome changes that would improve Utahs educational system if there is a reasonable guarantee that the reform will indeed work. (How many trends in education have come and gone in the last 30 years because no one knew what the outcome really would be?) Before the UEA supports the implementation of a new reform plan, they would like to feel confident that it will yield positive results. Many scream for improvements in education, but viable solutions are never found easily and they require money. The career ladder program attests to the truth of this statement. This reform measure is being blasted because it has not accomplished all that some would hope for. The purpose of the career ladder is to upgrade the profession of educators by rewarding good educators. Unfortunately, the process of sorting the good from the bad is difficult, if not impossible, due to the human element of evaluation. However, to say that this reform has been a complete failure is a huge underestimation of the improvement teachers have made as a result of this program. Lets review the facts about Utah before deciding who is at fault in the education issue. Many in Utah are disgruntled at the large percentage of taxes that are used in education; at least 50 percent of state revenues are used for schooling. That sounds like education must be prospering in our state. However, other statistics will dispel this myth. Utah spends less than any other state per pupil and teachers in Utah have the largest class loads in the U.S., and yet Utahs students consistently achieve scores that are at or above the national average on standardized tests. What more can the educational system of Utah do? The above facts indicate that Utahns are getting a great deal! The children of Utah are being taught for less money than in any other state while the product of education is still satisfactory. Groups that advocate cutting the fat out heed to examine this. If Utah is not a model of efficiency (as far as producing a product for less), I dont know what is. The truth is, there is little or no fat to be cut out. Utahs educational system is doing as well as can be expected under very poor conditions. Education in Utah will not be improved without financial support, and it will get worse if the tax rollbacks go through. You cannot get something for nothing. The education of Utahs youth is the responsibility of the citizens of Utah. Yes, we do pay a lot of taxes in Utah, but we have a lot of children to educate! We cannot allow the future of Utah to be threatened by failing to support education in order to have a few extra dollars now. The blame does not lie with the UEA or the NEA. The blame lies with those who refuse to pay taxes that would allow educational reform to take place. Kristin J. MacDonald Educator Layton Retirees will meet The monthly meeting of the Layton Chapter of NARFE (National Association of Retired Federal Employees) will be held Nov. 9 at 1:15 p.m. in the Layton City Hall conference room. There will be a speaker and the pending retirement raise will be discussed. Debater ranks high CEDAR CITY A Davis High School graduate has clinched a 10th place finish in recent debate team competition at Vander- bilt University. Southern Utah State College Freshman Dave Johnson, a Davis High School graduate, finished 10th with partner Brad Roylance, a Roy High School graduate, in the Early Bird Tournament at Vanderbilt University. Charges are absurd To the Editor: I feel I must respond to the comments in a letter to several area newspapers during the week of Oct. 8. This letter, written by Mrs. Murphy from Ogden, makes some sweeping charges against my profession. This is my 22nd year as a teacher in the Davis School District. I have worked in my classroom with as many as 180 junior high students each year. I think I know that I have done a darn good job, and Ive watched the great majority of my dedicated colleagues doing the same. I resent Mrs. Murphys statements that the system hasnt done a good job in 25 years and that Career Ladders has not helped a single student learn more! Absurd! Considering that Utahs classloads have been consistently far above the national average currently we have the and we are dead last in the nation in largest classes, again I expenditures per pupil, think its amazing that our test scores remain basically above average. Somebody must be doing something right in the face of some pretty difficult obstacles! And with regard to Career Ladders, the extra days for teacher preparation alone have positively affected every student in this state for the better. More and better prepared lesson plans and materials are providing teachers with more quality teaching time and time for working directly with students. During my entire teaching career, I have been an involved, active member of the Davis Education Association, the UEA and the NEA. As a union activist and leader I would be more than happy to provide Mrs. Murphy with some facts regarding NEAs positions on reforms, such as Operation Rescue, a member-funde- d I nationwide project to help prevent have I and because continue to facts been, be, emphasize involved in helping to develop many reform programs in both NEA and UEA. Finally, I feel it is unfortunate that Mrs. Murphy and all too many others have fallen for Education Secretary Bennetts rhetoric. It might be of interest for those folks to know that he has never attended public schools or a public university. Is it possible that this lack of experience is responsible for his lack of to public education, and understanding and his to those of us who are attempting to make it better? Clearfield Kiwanians present HAFB awards Kiwanis Club of Clearfield joins base organizations at Hill AFB, local city mayors, chambers of commerce, and others in presenting awards to the outstanding enlisted personnel at OALC and Base organizations for the year. Awards were presented to the following for outstanding lader-shiservice, performance, duty and honor to country by Randy Hoops, vice president of Kiwanis p, of Clearfield: MSgt Michael Mary Ellen Leatham Sunset Lets be realistic Dear Editor: Mrs. Mary Ann Murphy, the organizational chair of the Tax Limitation Coalition, is correct when she points out that many d people living in Utah believe public education is and student development is below par. Are Mrs. Murphy and many of the people living in Utah realistic? I think not. As an automotive instructor in this state, I see many things differently than do some of the regular classroom educators. For many years the automotive shops were the dumping grounds for the academically disadvantaged students, ones who could not make it in the regular academic fields. To the astonishment of many, large numbers of these students became successfully employed, heads of fine families. In this age of high technology, however, the situation has changed. Vehicles now are very complex, harder to understand and work on. The automotive educational system has had to change, not only to keep up with vehicular changes, but also to keep up with the much better level of students now taking the automotive classes. Maybe this change is why Johnny is still below par; he cannot even make it in a shop class anymore. Cartoons, and the people who follow them, make light of this problem; but it is not a joking matter. We must all work together, including you, Mrs. Murphy, to provide a better educational program for our young people. Taking money from the educational system is not going to help. It will shift Utah into reverse and back us into the 1960s, and then will require many times the cost to remedy the situation to keep Utah making history. As the mechanic says, You may history, not pay me now, or you will pay me later. Education needs accountability for student achievement, but removing funding will not and cannot provide accountability. It compounds the problem. If you fail to put enough gas in the tank, the car will not go. The Utah educational system, poor as it may be and always with room for improvement, is developing students with better than average achievement for the lowest cost per student of any state in the United States. Its as if the vehicle is exceeding the manufacturers predictable mileage, so lets change the fuel and give it less. Tax limitation would require removal of kindergartens; class loads of 60 or more students; no liberal arts classes; no supplies to speak of; perhaps you even want the automotive classes change the dropped. Do not take binding from the students system by helping from within the system. Ask questions and help in the development of answers. These questions may be over-funde- re-livi- 4-DA- Car-cion- e, The award breakfast was held at the NCO Club on base with commanders and top civilian supervisors from all organizations on base with invited guests from the local cities in the parameter of HAFB. LAYTON Tim Beckett, the associate executive director of finance at Humana Hospital Davis North, has been selected as the first recipient of the Humana Pacific Region Finance Manager of the Year Award. The annual award, involving competition from 18 hospitals in eight states, ranked financial management performance in areas of quality of information, achieve ment of goals, accounts receivables and collection efficiency, inventory and supply controls. The Pacific Region includes Humana hospitals in California, Alaska, Washington, Colorado, Nevada, Arizona, Texas and Utah. Mr. Beckett joined Davis North in late 1985 after serving at a Humana facility in Anchorage, Alaska. Hes a business administration graduate of Eastern Kentucky University. K. Tuckness joins school district staff A nutrition coordinator has joined the ranks at the Davis County School District in the school food service. Kathy Tuckness, a nutrition specialist, is filling the vacancy left by previous coordinator Ethel Rae I vie, who retired in September. Kathy earned a masters degree in educational administration and a bachelor of science degree in home economics at Brigham Young University, with her primary emphasis on nutrition and food, consumerism, and family relations. As a result of this new aspect of more nutritional input, there will be some innovative changes concerning the school lunch program. In addition to her general duties of overseeing 20 schools in the south end of the district and working together with the Council on the Aging planning senior citizen menus, there will be some restructuring of the school menus. Getting the training table off the ground and into action is a priority. The training table is a high carbohydrate, low protein diet designed especially for students, such as athletes or others interested in sports activities, who need extra energy without a lot of extra calories. The program will be implemented into the secondary schools in November. The problem of eating disorders like anorexia and bulimia is also an issue Kathy is available to help with. Although she cant give medical advice or counseling, she can develop special diets with low calorie meals for those students who need help with these disorders. She will also be available to speak to schools concerning nutritional matters. Kathy came to Davis County from Price, where she taught home economics and English at the College of Eastern Utah for the past five years, and at Carbon High School for three years prior to that. She resides in Bountiful with her two children. hard to answer, but answers must be sought by all, including you, Mrs. Murphy. The educational system is hard enough to run with the small amount of money now provided, with prospects for even less. I have a 1969 pickup with 268,000 miles of operation. This vehicle needs and receives regular maintenance. Stop the service on the vehicle and it will stop the service to me. Total human knowledge is doubling every four years; we cannot retreat to the past. Cut educational funding and see what happens to Utah. Anyone like the name and address of a good moving company? trouble-fre- e John J. Cline Layton High School Automotive Department Y weight problem doubled when had a baby. I was so miserable earn ing those extra pounds around. 1 went to Diet Center because it had wwked for a friend. My counselor there taught me how to combine nutrition and exercise to energize my body. In just twx) months I lost 33 pounds. Im confident now that Ml be slim for life. If you want to learn how to maintain your ideal weight, call Diet Center today. 1 My Wednesday, Thursday, Friday sWs Saturday Diet Center mimY: Fort Lane Shopping Center Vs & Barton's Family Shoes Downtown 530 i 4S Ifo. Mala - BountUml Uywr e, Hospital finance director honored drop-out- s. near-oppositi- DeAngelo, 2952nd CLSS, senior NCO Award; TSgt Frederick 6545th Test Group, top NCO; A1C Shirly Olson-Fe729th TCS, Outstanding Airman. We can changeyour life. Kaysville - VHlage Diet Center, Inc . 1967 546-049- 9 Square Shopping Center |