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Show 2 THE GREEN SHEET Thursday, July 28, 1988 70 Percent Law Has Some Flaws, Prevents Local Districts From Implementing Innovative Measures The closing of South high rubbed emo- tions raw for many patrons of the Salt Lake School District, but students involved in the closure of that school were presumably young adults of an age where the hard lessons of life can be digested, absorbed and assimilated. Even so, it was a sad occasion when that final group of graduates were handed diplomas, knowing they were the last of a long line of South high alumni. South fell victim to Senate Bill 128 - the "70 percent occupancy law" passed by the 1987 state legislature. Sen. Steve Rees, the bills prime sponsor, may not have foreseen that consequence when he argued in favor of the measure. During an interview prior to the bills passage, Rees indicated one target of the measure would be Cottonwood high, which he saw as a waste of taxpayer dollars. He claimed the building was less than 50 percent full and predicted it would be the first casualties of the measure if it were to pass. Sen. Rees, however, did not get his wish. Cottonwood high has been used to absorb the overflow of Granite District students from the Bennion area, bringing that school closer to its intended capacity. Skyline and Olympus, too, have also seen an influx of students, primarily from the Alta and Brighton attendance areas in the Jordan School District, effectively eliminating empty classrooms in Granites east side secondary schools. Rather than taking such steps in reaction to Rees "70 percent law," though, the cooperative effort between Granite and Jordan was initiated prior to its passage and was instituted to meet a genuine need in both dis-- so-call- tricts. Helping each other educate students was " seen as a scenario by both parties and a perfect example of keeping local decisions were they belong - on the local level. Recently, though, another casualty of the "70 percent law" has been in the news. Because of that law, the Granite Board of Education was forced to play havoc with the "win-win- -- lives of elementary school children - kids who may not be emotionally mature enough to digest, absorb and assimilate the full impact of their situation. The closing of East Mill Creek elementary and the resulting furor over where children would be housed from that facility and neighboring Canyon Rim and Upland Terrace schools has caused tempers to flare and even a request by some angry patrons to annex part of the county into Murray City to pull pupils involved in the complicated game of "musical chairs" out of the picture. -- . cniTnoiAi uti i wiunk because of the "70 percent law" ... Its one thing to ask young adults to sacrifice years of tradition in order to save tax dollars, but perhaps its something quite different when very young children are inAll volved. Closing a school is never easy on anyone. Just ask any teacher, administrator or parent whose children once attended Monroe elementary. In that case, though, the old building was literally falling down around them. There was a valid reason for closing that facility. In East Mill Creeks case, the only reason their neighborhood school. Unfortunately, economics dictates that some students are not as fortunate. But questions still remain. Whats wrong with mantaining a "neighborhood school" even when student populations drop below an arbitrary figure? What is really wrong with keeping some "smaller schools" open for the sake of the children? Measures can be taken to operate these schools more efficiently. Empty classrooms can be leased, entire wings can be dismantled or sealed off to eliminate the need for heating empty space, or perhaps other solutions which have not yet surfaced could be employed to cut operating costs for facilities. Unfortunately, the "70 percent law" forbids such innovative practices ... Murray School District has proved that smaller elementary schools are a viable alternative to the "super schools" of the large cities of the east. What may be even more significant, Utahs public education system itself began with small, schools scattered in small communities throughout and the neighbors watched over us as if we were their own children. Im glad to see that very little has changed since my childhood. Dont Condemn Utah Dear Editors: In response to another one of Mr. Ryans letters, I The people of Midvale have had an extraordinary wish to say: Please do not condemn a state or a over me. For example, working with influence religion because some of the people who are a part of at Midvale elementary has led me Johnson Howard choose to commit crimes or act in an uncivilized it in Sovietology. Glen Sacos and career a to pursue manner. of the Concerned Citizens of members other the Every area has its own problems, you will find well as as Rep. Jed Wasden helped to Midvale, crimes just as bad or worse in every state. seek a seat on the Midvale City to me encourage The way one feels about where they live is affected And 1985. although I lost the race, I Council in by ones attitude. and will never forget lessons valuable learned many We purposely moved from the San Francisco Bay the unique experience of being a political candidate. area three years ago to Utah because we desired a better environment in which to raise our family, and There are so many people that Id like to thank we have found that here. and say goodbye to, but space and time dont allow Deborah Niven me to. So, quickly, to George Deneris, Dale Harmon Kearns and Jo Ann Seghini: thank you for running clean, fair and honest campaigns against me. To Mayor Dahl and the members of the Council: remember To that you are fighting for the very survival of Midvale. Your plans must be bold, original, daring and futuristic if you are to succeed! To my Dear Editor: I am a social science teacher who is Jewish and Democratic Party friends: thank you for allowing me White who teaches at an AME church to serve you as your chair for the past three years. school University, the nations oldest To my wonderful neighbors the Stepans, Sumbots, Black college. Tuttles, Dunns, Woolleys, Marchants, Casillases, While teaching a class on the Sociology of Religion Jensens, Sharps and Beth Johnson: thank you for last year I remember being impressed by the Church watching over me when I was a child and making of Jesus Christ of Latter-da- y Saints last (13th) my childhood a very happy one. Fnally, to everyone Article of Faith which ended with the words "We I was unable to name in this letter: thank you, and I Take Stock Time for closure was the requirement of a law ... The "70 percent law" brings the entire concept of "neighborhood schools" into question solely from the standpoint of economic considerations. In an ideal world, all students would have the opportunity to walk next door (or at worst, across a safe street) to attend one-roo- OUR1 READERS WRITE in believe... love you! doing good to all men." In preparing for my current classes on Sociology, Public Welfare, Social Work and Urban Sociology, I came across something that shocked me. Utah, as I recollect, has among the largest numbers of followers of that faith in the world. In addition, Utah is supposed to have other believers in "doing good to all men." This includes followers of the Christian, Jewish and Islamic faiths. If so, how can one explain how on Sept. 18, 1985 three Republican Congressional members of Utah voted to cut payments for school lunch programs? Fortunately, the Democratic Congress defeated them. (They were Hansen, Monson and Nielson.) Their votes could have forced hundreds of our nations schools to drop out of the school lunch program (including Utah schools). This was Republican Rep. Thomas E. Petri of Wisconsins bill. All includes school children. On Oct. 7, 1985 ALL three Republicans (Hansen, Monson and Nielson) ignored 20 million hungry Americans by voting to cut more than a billion dollars from food stamps in a bill sponsored by Republican Rep. Bill Emerson of Missouri. Fortunately the Democrats sank that proposal as well. m In other parts of the country some Republicans join Democrats in thinking about all Americans not the state. just those who may control the budget strings. Are While money is tight and cutting "fat" out Utah folk different? I hope that Utah voters check to of joveynment is of concern to politicians of be sure that whoever they elect this time -"all stripes, perhaps the' ' human Element' Republicans' oi Democrats are not anti education and r or, if it is the same folks mentioned should also become part of the economic . that above, in they at least have shown some signs of the equation. What is really unfortunate East Mill Creek situation, though, is that little moral maturity and growth in responsibility and for others. kids must take the blows of a law which had concern On March 6, 1987, presidential candidate Gov. a different target in mind. Dukakis told the New Hampshire Democratic Party Perhaps its time the legislature took anthat "Taking stock in America means asking other look at that law. ourselves why hundreds of thousands of our fellow citizens are tonight sleeping on the streets and in the doorways of cities and towns all across the ,' . - -- anti-poo- country." Opinionated Person Suffering Ambivalence Is Frustrating Taking stock in America also means being able to face problems and not just hide from them even if it is only problems of the poor, schools, hungry children and hungry or homeless adults. Stanley R. Borenstein Dayton, Ohio I hate it when I experience ambivalence. My new home will be in Monterey, Calif, and, as you know, my Midvale friends are family and are always welcome to come and visit. Monterey is a quiet and very beautiful place, but it will never, never take the place of Midvale in my heart. With sorrow, respect and love, Chris Katis Midvale Who Is The Conservative? Dear Editor: It is interesting to see, that in the race for the second congressional district, there are two supposedly "fiscal conservatives" running for that office, Democrat Wayne Owens, and Republican Richard Snelgrove. Wayne Owens,, who is a lawyer, not a businessman, has voted against a Balanced Budget Amendment, which would limit government spending to the amount of money it raised. To me a "fiscal conservative" would want to make sure the books were balanced, and would do anything in his power to make it so. ''' ' 7 Richard Snelgrove, orrwthe "other hand, is a businessman, and as one who has learned from experience how to balance the books and to only spend what is there. To me this is what a true "fiscal conservative" does, and as so, he should be the one running with that label. Christopehr Jacobsen Sandy The Green Sheet welcomes contributions from readers for either Letters to the Editor or As See It. Letters should be confined to a length of about 250 words and not contain libelous comments. They must be signed and must be received in our office no later than 10 a.m. Tuesday for publication that I week. Ode To Midvale Longer correspondence may be used as As See It commentaries on a space available basis. Primary consideration will be given to those submitted by people with expertise in the topic about which they write. A brief description of that expertise may acI Webster defines ambivalence as "simultaneous conflicting feelings toward a person or thing, as love and hate." I have When ambivalent feelings I dont feel connected. Im used to having a pretty decisive and opinion about things people. It frustrates me when I dont know for sure what I feel. Thats my problem with our Russian visitors those who have been sent to keep tabs on our compliance with the INF Treaty, while some of our citizens do the same thing in the Soviet Union. I have nothing against those gentlemen as people they have Dear Editor: I was born, raised, and educated in Midvale. For the past 23 years, it has been the place that I call home, but like so many other young people, the time for me to leave Midvale has come, and it is with a heavy heart that I do so. To me, growing up in Midvale was a blessing to be enjoyed only by the very lucky. As children, my friends and I had clean air to breath and open fields to play in. Our parents didnt need to worry about danger because our streets had few cars on them, - - - been most gracious and their personalities are delightful. But Im not sure how I feel about the situation. Some people claim that we, the media, have made too much of their arrival and subsequent the appearances throughout valley. 'Youre just trying to sell newspapers," one man grumbled at me the other day. He was of the opinion that we were glorifying these people "the President has allowed to spy on us." He would like it better if wed all just ingore them and their presence among us. When we finished our conversation, my him toward were feelings anything but ambivalent. I could see his point, but his attitude was, frankly, offensive. I personally would like to think that the presence of these Soviet visitors among us could have a positive impact. Obviously, wed all like to see the threat of nuclear war lessened. I dont know if this treaty will do the trick. They may cheat. We may cheat. Who can say? But if we were to understand the Russian people a little better and if they were to gain a better understanding of us, then maybe, company the submission. All submissions are subject to editing for and space clarity. They may be addressed to: The Green Sheet, P.O. Box 7187, Murray, Ut 84107. rCmon up and cool off in just maybe, there would be an is a ploy to catch us offguard. for world opportunity peace. Were not going to accomplish that without the media. Oh, one or two of you may rub shoulders with these people and discover that they really are quite pleasant. You may exchange ideas and find that the Soviet people are very much like us. But it is the media that is going to get the word out to the masses. If our people come back from Russia with a message that, yes, the Soviet people are pleasant, desire peace and share some common bonds with us, how will you find out if the media doesnt tell you? Like many of you I am skeptical. I grew up during the Cold War. I remember Nikita Khrushchev banging his shoe on the U. N. table and threatening to bury us. We all recall that one of their leaders suggested that they would not have to defeat us in battle, that they would destroy us from within. It is kind of hard to believe that they suddenly have a leader who wants to foster human rights and friendship. In the back of your mind you may wonder, as did the gentleman who phoned, if there has really been a change or if this Being of the cockeyed optimist ilk, Id like to believe this is a step in the right direction. But even if it isnt, Id still like to see these visitors get a good picture of what America is all about. What it means to be free. Id like them to know that we are good people. That their country has nothing to fear from us. Im pleased to see them at parades, attending the Murray Symphony and anything else that gives them a better picture of us as a people. I hope theyll come to The Wiz in Murray or Rivertons Bye Bye Birdie and Sandys Once Upon a Mattress. They may as well see us at play as well as at work. We may wear them out, however. Id personally like to believe that Communism and Capitalism can co-exi-st in our world. Maybe thats naive. Maybe it cant. But if it can, then maybe the children of the two nations can go to sleep at night without fearing nuclear holocaust. Maybe if you and I believe in peace, our leaders and theirs will work hard at it and perhaps have some success. Im not ambivalent about world peace. Id love to see it happen. I lust 25 min from SLC Summer Saturday Series on Historic Main St. luly 30 I Also- - 649-610- 0 4 pm Westminster Wind Quartet Madsen, Madsen, and Fisk Nightlife The following are private clubs for members and their guests. Ciseros Fri-Sa- 28-3- 649-937- 28-Shakespeare Festival: A Midsummer Night's Dream and Twelfth luly Night. 306 Bateman Thurs-loh- 'Baby" presented by Park City Performances. Egyptian Theatre 8 pm. July 485-724- & 12-1- FREE Trolley 29 July & 30- - v The New Rhythmights DownUnder Club 573 Main 649 805 Located under the Claimjumper, with live entertainment on Fridays Tues Don't Miss This August 6 August t Miletl's 9 off Pat & 412 & Saturdays. Main-649-82- Thurs lazz Carnahan-Contemporar- 7 Park City Art Festival Historic Main Street Sidewalk Sale rides up & down Main St. daily 5 pfri (L iiii pii WiT Sponsored by The Historic Main Street Merchants Association |