Letter to the Editor Samples
To the Editor of The Herald: I am outraged by the County Commission's recent decision to terminate the lease of the Head Start program at the County Court House. With this decision, a much-needed, already underfunded program may simply have no place to go! Head Start is a fantastic program. It makes sure that poor and other at-risk pre-school children will have the nutritious food and special attention they just may not get elsewhere. It gives these children a true "head start" in a world where they may not get many other chances. And there is plenty of evidence to show that Head Start makes a big difference to kids later in life. The Commission's recent decision to oust the program to make more room for a ''state Gifts Shop" is ridiculous! If the leaders of our community would like to run a store to sell Kansasmade goods, I'm all for it. However, neither my Kansas pride nor my greed run so deep as to wish to take away the breakfast of 30 hungry three-year-olds. And I am deeply saddened to see that the County Commissioners value profits over people. This decision is shameful to all who live in Dade County. The County Commissioners should reconsider the situation and revoke their decision immediately. I hope all readers will let the commissioners know how they feel about this terrible situation by calling them at 913-432-1200 or writing to them at the County Court House. Sincerely, DISAGREEING WITH THE Victoria Stein
DISAGREEING WITH THE Standardized test scores can provide some useful information; however, they are just one point in what should be a much fuller, more comprehensive and accurate picture of the applicant ( The Gatekeeper Tests, Review, March 10). The danger is in lionizing these scores and being blind to their limitations and the great harm that can come to individuals and institutions by fetishizing these scores without appreciating their serious shortcomings. The problem is that the relationship between performance on standardized tests such as the SAT and ACT and later school and career outcomes, is at the level of a large group, in contrast to what can be expected for any one individual. This is very misleading since what we are interested in is how to predict outcome for a particular, specific individual. Perhaps the most unfair and pernicious misuse of relying on standardized test scores as gatekeepers to professions such as medicine and law is to the 20% of the population who are dyslexic. Without accommodations such as extra time on standardized tests, dyslexics typically will do poorly not because they do not know the correct answers, but rather because they are unable to finish the test. Dyslexia is a paradox. No matter their high level of intelligence, dyslexics are slow readers yet at the same time fast, creative thinkers. Sadly, colleges and professional schools which, rather than focus on the whole candidate rely primarily on standardized test scores, will miss out on having extraordinary graduates who are both dyslexic and brilliant and who score poorly on standardized tests. Sally E. Shaywitz, M.D. and Bennett A. Shaywitz, M.D. Yale University, New Haven, Conn.
AGREEING WITH THE I couldn t agree more with your editorial Illinois Exodus: Flight of the expats. As an 18-year-old who is about to embark on my endeavors as an adult, I too am fleeing Illinois for many of the same reasons as the families you interviewed. The first is college tuition, cited by the Carpenter family. I am one of the only people I know who did not apply to University of Illinois or any Illinois school for that matter. The Illinois school system is broke and gives very little merit aid to in-state residents. Second, after graduating college, I do not want to pay the expensive property taxes in Illinois. I will not want to pay those outrageous rates with a relatively small income after college, especially when I ll also have to purchase a car, a home, and pay back student loans. How is a young professional ever supposed to buy a home and settle down in Illinois with these taxes? Lastly, state politics is a deal breaker for me. The Heard family touched on this a little too. I cannot stand to sit back and be swindled by House Speaker Michael Madigan. I do not want to spend the rest of my life where power-hungry politicians are hurting honest politicians and hardworking citizens. It is not right, and I will not fall victim to it. I really appreciate this editorial. I think it sheds light on many issues that should be addressed in the upcoming election. I hope that this exodus will send a message to politicians of Illinois that from young (like me) to old (like the people you interviewed), we are unhappy with our state. Abbie Lukas, Mundelein Chicago Tribune, Chicago, Illinois
AGREEING WITH THE Thank you for the engaging and eye-opening article, Final Four for the 4-Foot Set (July 22, 2013). As the article explains, today s youth athletic culture promotes year-round training in a single sport. Unfortunately excessive practice and play, often beginning at a young age and continuing into adulthood, is causing an epidemic of overuse injuries. Orthopaedic surgeons see it every day: injuries to the tendons, bones and joints due to the repetitive motion of the arms, legs and shoulders. For children, these injuries cause pain and lost play time from the sports that they love. More alarming are the potential impact these injuries have on child growth and long-term musculoskeletal health. Fortunately, more than half of all sports injuries in children are preventable. In 2010, the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine (AOSSM) in cooperation with the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons launched the STOP (Sports Trauma and Overuse Prevention) Sports Injuries Campaign. The goal of the program is to curb the number of youth injuries from overuse and trauma in all sports through proper training, equipment safety, and the early detection of injuries and overuse. Kids are becoming more serious about sports at a younger age, and as a result, their injuries are more frequent and serious. However, a cooperative effort by players, parents, coaches and health care providers to promote safe play practices can ensure that children are able to reap the benefits of regular exercise and competitive sports today and for a lifetime. Jo A. Hannafin, MD, PhD President, American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine (AOSSM) Joshua J. Jacobs, MD President, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, Rosemont, Illinois