ws __Castlégar News April 24, 1988 Teacher flunks kids By MIKE ROYKO In The Spokane Spokesman Review It figured that Grace Dawson would back down — her idea was just too radical and harsh. Dawson, principal of a’ Chie: elementary school, shocked the city and received national news coverage by demoting students who couldn't or wouldn't learn to read. When stie did this to 250 children almost a third of the students at Beethoven elementary school their parents were outraged. They picketed; they kept their kids home from sehool; they demanded that the principal be replaced And, of course, they told TV crews how terrible and unjust this action was. Who can blame them? Sure, it's unfortunate that children aren't learn ing to read, but is that any reason to flunk them? And why should their kids be singled out now? For years, many of Chicago's elementary and high schools routinely have graduated students who barely could read their diplomas. So, the indignation of the parents at the Beethoven school seems jus tified; why, out of the blue, principal suddenly children with the learn to read? Sure should a their they single out demand that reading can be a handy skill after all, if you can't read the TV listings, you waste a lot of time flipping through the channels But is illiteracy cation to demoté or flunk someone? really a justifi Doesn't showing up class most of the time count for anything? cher in Chicago gets to spend five whole hours a day with ebout 30 children — that's almost 10 minutes per child, if you want to think of it that way Ate And the teacher is with those children Monday through Fridays about nine months of the year, except for holidays and when the kids are home with the sniffles. In contrast, a child for only the remaining 19 hours of the day, plus Saturdays and Sundays and the three vacation. Mow can anybody in his right mind expect parents to find time to ask 4 parent has access to months of summer their children to read a page or two from a textbook or to try to spell “cat’? And that's not the worst of it; there are some principals and teachers and once again, I suspect Grace on is one of them who want parents to come to school to discuss learning prob! be having That It could lead to the ms their children might of course, is a trap ultimate im position: asking parents to mete out discipline, accept responsibilities and actually get involved in their children’s education — in other words, giving them a lousy guilt trip So, I'm pleased that the parents at the Beethoven school didn’t give in to the principal's tyrannical tactics: they stood their ground, and‘ most of the children who were demoted aren't going 10 be demoted after all hey probably right on skedyul will be promoted Then they'll awl gradyoate and go on to hyskool an liv haply evr afder. The principal's action seems even more unfair if you consider that most of BUSINESS DIRECTORY TELEPHONE 365-5210 ‘-.. New insertions, Bringer Sony a = Aarhseter the men ef ay eee med jor the , accepted up these angry parents ly didn't know that their children weren't learning to read. Anyway, I assume they were un- aware of the problem because few of them had come to the school to ask: “Hey, why can’t my kid read, and what can I do about it?” And when they were warned months ago that their children are slouches, barely 10 per cent of the showed up for a meeting with cipal. . Not that this is a parental respon- sibility. Absolutely not. As we all know, it’s the job of the schools to make sure a child learns to read; the job of a parent is to make sure the kid gets up in the morning, puts on some clothing and goes to school. There are some radicals in the field of education — and I suspect Grace Dawson is one of them — who actually believe that parents should do more than shove the kid out the door in the morning and provide him with a functioning TV set in the evening. If these radicals had their way, parents would be expected to sit down with their children and ask them to read aloud from a textbook or to show them whatever homework they had done. In other words, the radicals want the parents to harass their own children and do the teachers’ work for them Some simple arithmetic will illus trate just how unfair that idea is to the parents. Canada won't match offer VANCOUVER Japanese-Canadians should not expect the settle ment offered to their Ameri can counterparts by the the United States Senate, zens (CP) thought same was offe: a fed eral government spokesman said I don't think the Ameri- fer a But Roy Miki, chairman of Japanese-Canadian Citi Association Committee, adian government should of better settlement to of matching what Harbor Dec red there the World War » Miki calleq/jhe make amen fered by Redress said the Can r losses suf. Japanese-Cana don't know if there is even a after “Tapan ecked Pearl government has offered a 7, 1941, bringing $12-million community fund U.S» into \}he Second but has rejected individual compensation. Accounting Rocky View Tax & Bookkeeping Services * Small Business & Contractors Personal Form-Logging No. 06-1645 Columbie Avenve legar, B.C. VIN TD (RENE MORTIMER 365-2223 SOLIGO, KOIDE & JOHN CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS 615 Columbia Ave. (Upstairs) Castlegar Phone 365-7745 Henry John, B.Sc.C.A. Resident Partner Brian L. Brown CERTIFIED GENERAL ACCOUNTANT 270 Columbia Ave. Coatt offer to Econo can settlement is really going to have an effect here,” said Len Westerberg, a spokes MultYculturalism Gerry Weiner. “I man for Minister Japanese-Canadians “or at the very least match the U.S offer The U.S. Senate ed Wednesday to give $20,000 tax-free payments to thou sands of Japanese-Americans sent to internment camps dians who were interned and had property seized were treated worse. The Japanese-Canadians Citizens Association Redress Committee is seeking $25,000 for each person who was sent to an internment camp. The Spots You can save up to 80% on the cost of this ad! 365-5210 CRAZY DAVE SEZ WE NOTICE INVITING APPLICATIONS FOR TIMBER Lottery numbers HAVE THE BEST wfSh VEHICLES SALE LICENCE A27444 were, 1, The holder The awarded The The Rossland Hospital Society C/O Trail Regional Hospital In INVITATION TO TENDER to those The winning numbers in Wednesday's Lotto 6-49 draw The bonus number was 5 $1,547,745.90 goes to the of a bought in Ontario. In the second-prize five regular numbers and the bonus number, ners of $53,154.90. The awarded to those five regular 408 winners of $1,0 90. fourth-prize pc awarded to those four regular 21,467 winners of $40. addition 350,844 prizes of $10 awarded ular numbers. There was a 2, 7, 11, 34 and 43. 697.00. The drawn Pick lottery were, licket 35, 36, 39, 44 and event winning jackpot prize of single pool, crepancy to those matching ning numbers list, had 11 win. shall prevail winning third-prize matching had pool lottery wer numbers, 52 and 55. 372,731 prizes worth $6,946, Wednesday of a dis between numbers and the official win. drawn Thursday in The Pick 3, 15, 32, 33, total of numbers in The 2, 17, 20, 49. wt AEEE PONY x. %, 1986 EXCH GIS SE TERGL & 1984 CITATION & 1984 LADA * & (81 DATSUN 510 & these the latter numbers matching numbers, had Sense. there were matching three reg Good Business ECONO SPOTS Call 365-5210 1981 PRELUDE #1981 PRELUDE * 1981 CITATION # ‘81, CHEOLOLIBU Rossland Hospital Society. c/o Trail Regional Hospital invites Tenders for the construction of Bb weplitey Kishan Siai> BS. ening 986 STELLARS * the Mater Misericordiae Hospital SOLARIUM ADDITION Rossland Instruction AUTOMOTIVE DIRECTORY & 1981 TOYOTA & +1980 VW RABBIT 1980 OLDS 88 and Tender Documents may be obtained for a retundable deposit by certitied cheque or cash in the emount of $100.00 trom the Trail Regional Hospital Ad ministration Office The intent of this bid call 1s to obtain an otter to pertorm work to complete a Solarium addition to the second floor of the existing hospital, in ac cordance with the contract documents Seated Tenders. submitted in accordance with the contract documents marked "Mater Misericordiae Hospital Solarium Addition will be received at the Trail Regional Administration Office. 1200 Hospital Bench, Trail, B.C. VIR 4M1, up to 3.00 p.m. May 18 1988 at which time tenders will be opened in public, in the Dealer No. 7724 Ie, elas oder ee, BN pis, Kootenay Honda (across from Waneta Plaza) 368-3377 CASTLE TIRE (1977) LTD. Sa SALES & SERVICE 365-7145 1050 Columbia, Castlegar * '84 NISSAN 4x4 & Cstended cab. Excellen’ Shope & ‘84 CHEV ¥2 TON & Nery Cleon Um & 'B4.GMCS-15 & & “G3 DODGE 4x4 x & ‘B2 TOYOTA 4x4 ITY SUPRA @ 100°. Financing Our ialty O Board Room The lowest or any tender will Not necessarily be accepted FRANK PARISOTTO Project Manager April 21. 1988 1507 Columbie Ave =K& ATIRES L1D.S For all your tire needs! Also specializing in brakes and shocks. MIDGESTONE