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Show EDITORIAL DAILY Friday, March 10, 2006 HERALD EDITORIAL BOARD Albert J. Manzi, President & Publisher Randy Wright, Executive Editor Donald W.Meyers, Editorial page editor Nancy Hale, Public adviser DailySHerald HERALD POLL Killing art for math and science years each of math and science classes, Currentlythree years of English and twoyears of math and science are required for graduation. The movecameas the Legisla- ture considered putting greater emphasis on math andscience. Thegoal is to make Utah stu- dents better preparedforcol- lege and the workplace. College administrators complain about students havingto take remedial math andEnglishclassesjust to get up to speed for college work. The move isalso seen as helping Utah students become competitive in a world where math andscience skills are in demand. If American students cannotget their act together in math and science,it is feared, people in other countries will take the economic and technological lead. Whilethis sentimentis noble,it threatens to deprive studentsof ex- posure to a whole world ofsubjects that would enrichtheir lives — socalled “non-essentials” such as music or woodshop. There's not enough flexibility in the typical high school student’s scheduleas it stands already. To require additional classes in English, math andsciencewill do more harm than good, making kids hate school even moreand depriving them of experiences that make a well rounded human being. The requirements to comply with federal education standards have already eaten deeply intoelectives in schools across the country. It's a disturbing trend. It might be argued that a student will have plenty oftime to play musical instruments,paint, sculpt or build furniture when theyget to college, where they can takeclasses ontheir owntime and dime. But thatignores a few facts. Thereis a growing bodyof evidence, for example, suggesting that music improves brain func- tion and mathematical aptitude. A 1996 study donein RhodeIsland andpublished in Nature magazine foundthat first-graders whopar- ticipated in music classes increased theirreading and mathscores. Students whostudied musicincreased their scores on the SATtest. Many people donotrealize music requiresa certain degree of math skill. Musical notes represent fractions of time as well as pitch. Composers have to know how many notescan fit in a particular measure jand musicians have to know the time value of each note to makeit the music soundright. Otherstudies suggest that music and art programs stimulate different parts of the brain and thus increase the brain’s overall ability to function. Whosaysthat additional English classes are better than exposure to the performing arts? Drama classes study the worksofliterary giants such as Shakespeare and Arthur Miller in greater detail at Should schools require more math and science classes, even if it means cutting arts? Send your comments to dhpo lis@heraldextra.comor call 344-2942. Pleaseleave your name, hometown and phone numberwith your comments. E-mail comments should not exceed 100 words; voicemail comments should be no longer than 30 seconds. Anonymousarid unverifiable responseswill not be pub lished. The Daily Herald will publish comments on March 19. least equaltoa literature class, and performances cementthe learning. Younevertruly understanda liter- arypassageorscripture until you memorizeit. Whatbetter place than a dramaclass to improye one’sappreciation of language? Students learntorecite someofthe greatest lines ever written. Anotherforgotten factor in the pushto increase math.and science competencyis that not everyoneis going to be a mathematician, engineerorscientist. In fact, few will. Somepeople simply do not have the desire togointo those fields, while many otherssimply do not have theaptitudefor high level math and science. Will forcing kids to take more math and science produce more engineers andresearchers,or-just more ax murderers? We'dlike to see some hard numbersthat support a correlation between curricu- lum requirementsandlife choices Benefits far outweighcosts of cracking down on polygamy It saddened metosee the special broadcast on A&E aboutplural mar- riages. Althougha religious practice is untouchable to the government, this practice should be closely scrutinized. It is a lame excuse for these men to engagein blatant adultery to women whoacceptthe lifestyle but cannot deny the natural feelings of jealousy. It also stressed that although some womenwouldlike to take themselves andtheir children outof thesesituations, they are not'skilled to support their — or, perhaps moreimportant, life families outin the real world. Weneed to do somethingto stop this happiness. practice that is happening in our own Would it makesense to push the next Kurt Bestor or Gary Price through high-level math andscience,leaving them little if any time to develop their artistic talents? Definitely not. TheJarger question, of course concerns the purpose of public education.Is it a toolof the state to create employmentclasses, or a chanceto sample a widevariety of subjects to discover one’s aptitudes andinterests? Wevote for thelatter. The purposeofa liberal educationis not to create robots but beautiful people. High school should be about a well-rounded education, as most studentsarestill figuring out what they wantto doin the world. Col- lege is the time when people make choicesto specialize and focus on their life's work. backyards. One commentand question was who would take care of these families whenthey leavetheir husbands or if their husbands are arrested?I believe the more importantissueis that these multiple families are alréady collecting welfare, so whatis the difference? Thedifferenceis that at least without the molestation and the abuse to women, it gives these people hope andtheir childrena better future. » Anamarie Fox, Antioch, Calif. Busdrivers doing their best, deserve forgiveness for errors 1 don't know whowrotethe editorial: “Criminal charges foridiots,” but the Daily Herald certainly owes Alpine SchoolDistrict school bus drivers an apology. I cannotbelieve the Herald would woodshopclass can profoundly influencea life in a positive way, teaching anorderly approach to write arid print such an outrageous and stupid reply to a serious problem. The Herald editorial seems to suggest that the wayto solve the problem ofleaving kids onthebus,is to put the bus drivers whoerrin prison andcharge them with a felony. with engineering. Because a procedure was not complied with due to humanerror, two little For manypeople, it is music and art classesthat give them taste of culture and open up a world of pos- sibilities. Even the much maligned problem solving and mergingart While schools should stress math andscience,it should not be doneat the expenseof educating the whole person, kids wereleft on a schoolbus until the driver saw them andrealized what had happened.Fortunately the little kids are all right; the driver gotfired. Tam sure morestrict procedureswill MEDIA VOICES Making mostout ofbad deal From The Los Angeles Times, March7, 2006 Alas, Annan didn’t getall that he wanted.After intensive negotia- ne of the great disappoint- ments about the United Nations has beenits inability to effectively monitor compliance with its human rights treaties. Secretary-General Kofi Annan, with U.S. backing, has been pressing for changes to the United Nations’ approachtointernational human rights abuses. Annan’soriginal proposal called for a new human rights council whose members would be elected by a two-thirds voteof the General Assembly. tions, General Assembly President Jan Eliasson camebacklast month with a draft resolution calling for a council elected by a majority vote. The United States is allowing the perfect to be the enemyofthe good,holding out for Annan’sinitial proposal. Washington should drop its opposition to the proposed compromise because the real alternativeis not a more ambitious overhaul but no change.If that happens, the U.S. would sided with human rights violatorsthat don't care for an effective human rights enforcer. DOONESBURY- Garry Trudeau be putinto effect to help avoida situationlike this from happening again. | Drivers will be made more aware. The editorial states: “The Alpine SchoolDistrict has a special knack for attracting careless or incompetent (or possibly both) drivers andtechnicians.” Whatinformation does the Herald possibly have to makesucha utterly stupid statement? The Herald owesall parties involved in this incident a complete apology. » Glen Bridges, schoolbus driver, American Fork terrorists accordingto his standards, read “... the best in the world.” We have American peopleif they are the “terror- world (look at Challenger and Columbia, and Discovery madeit by miracle), ists” according to our standards. Right now if America voted on that question they wouldall be impeached faster than Bill Clinton. Of course weall knowthat will never happen because the people no longer havea say in this democracythat looks more and more like a monarchy everyday. » Seth Commichaux, CedarFort GOP dominancefar better than Democratic Party rule In responseto those of you whothink that there is something criminal about the political dominance of one party herein Utah, I suggest you move to Massachusetts (apparently they don't havethatproblem there). In the meantime, it's a pleasure not to the best medical system in the world, wehavethe best space program in the ' wehavethebest judicial system in the world (look of the people with crimes whomarelet go). Wehave... we have... and lately: “We have the best food supply in the world (herein Utah).” Have wetraveled all overthe world to really know that we are or wehavethe bestof the world. Whatis wrongin saying: “We are grateful for the good food wehave or the good health system we have.” We do not dare to say that we do not have every citizen covered medically because that would lowerourdignity orit would make us ashamedbefore the world. The truth is we do not havethe best of the world in everything. » Filippo Magistro, Ore be affiliated with the likes of Al'Gore, JimmyCarter, Howard Dean and others who provide a steady stream of embarrassmentto our count Who can forget the brilliant “questioning” of Teddy Kennedy at the Alito hearings? How does anyonetakethis buffoon seriously? Howabout Al Gore's recent speech to the Arab Economic Forum — a John Kerry-likeaccusation against our country forits treatment of Arabs, designed to generate moretension forus in the i Yes,I’m quite happy to be herein Utah surrounded by people who actually listen to differing political viewpoints in an effort to develop an educated opinion, rather than just accepting as fact evhing that CNN and the mainstream Would Bush supportspying if he were on thereceiving end? Somehow President Bushthinksit is all right to spy on Americans so he can protect us from “terrorists.” I findit only fair, since he can spy on us and by spying determineif we are I do not know how manytimesI have that we would be able to get all of Bush's andcabinet’s phonecalls and memos on paper (uncensored) to determineasthe weer enc takefour years of English and three What do youthink? » Linda Nelson, Lindon America needs humility If weclaim to be a nation under God Seemeer oo De fee ate How to comment E-mail letters to dhletters@heraldextra.com Fax to 344-2985, Mailto P.O. Box 717, Provo, UT 84603, » Letters must include the _ author's full name, address and daytime phone number. D Weprefer shorterletters, 100 and 200 words.Letters maybe edited for length. » Writers are encouraged to include their occupation and other personalinformation. » Because of the volume ofletters, wecannot acknowledge unpublished letters. » Letters become the proper of the Daily Herald. ny ‘humble? MALLARDFILLMORE: Bruce Tinsley Ea ing. That's because the Utah State Board of Education voted to require Utah students,starting with those entering next year, to * entershigh school next year, may have a tougher time graduat- AND IF THE U.S. GETS IN OUR WAY Ss he class of 2011, which OUR NATION WILL USE NUCLEAR EN FOR ProtongFaeta Fe HOA |