Bad schools hurt the smart kids
To the editor:
I had to write as I can no longer tolerate Walt Rulffes' doubletalk and political correctness ("Gifted kids," Wednesday letter).
Most children labeled as such are not "gifted." They are relatively very high achieving -- nearly always through their own efforts and usually with committed parents.
What do they get for this? Advancement to a junior high or high school that is unsafe and low achieving.
All the success of my granddaughter doesn't change the fact that after leaving her elementary school as one of its best students, she must go to a junior high that is low-achieving and has one of the highest violence rates in the district. Why not let individual achievement determine a student's ability to obtain a waiver to go to a different junior high school or high school than what they are zoned for?
Principals of low-achieving schools technically can approve waivers for a child to go to another school, but why on earth would they ever want to do so?
Instead, we must wait for large-scale group failure in the entire school for several years before our child gets what she has strived so hard to achieve -- the chance to choose schools and further their education to the highest degree possible.
Heidi Frederiksen
HENDERSON
Up the ante
To the editor:
Each and every poker player in the world moved up one spot in the rankings with the passing of "Chip" Reese. He was the absolute best all-around poker player in the world.
Jerry Wheeler
KANSAS CITY, MO.
Fire codes
To the editor:
The recent apartment fire on Twain in which two people lost their lives is a demand for action by local building inspectors.
As a retired firefighter, I know the fact that firefighters lost vital time due to a lack of fire hydrants in the complex is a reason to act. Essential time was lost trying to establish a water supply and the firefighters had to cut through gates to obtain water from fire hydrants more than 700 feet away.
The county also needs to look at these buildings that were built before more stringent fire codes were enacted.
This is a walk-up call and the county needs to act before there is a massive loss of life. I commend the Clark County Fire Department on a job well done, but when firefighters can not save lives, they feel terrible.
Brett Olbur
LAS VEGAS
Credit cards
To the editor:
Regarding your recent story, "Note to consumers: Watch those bills closely":
My question is: Who is watching the store while we consumers are being ripped off by questionable practices that involve raising credit card rates?
Apparently, not the members of Congress, who are supposed to represent us, the taxpaying public. It apparently takes congressional hearings to reveal practices creating consumer hardships.
Especially troubling, the article further states, "But congressional efforts to make all credit companies discontinue the practice is running into a buzz saw of opposition from the banking industry."With the cozy relationships between lobbyists and Congress, as was the case in passing more stringent bankruptcy rules favoring the banking industry, don't expect any drastic changes curtailing the predatory credit rules.
Leopold A. Potsiadlo
LAS VEGAS
Ethical lapse
To the editor:
Your recent story about Stavros Anthony soliciting free airline upgrades was very enlightening. Not because he got a better seat, but because of the way he thinks and makes choices.
Here is a guy who has a UNLV Ph.D. has been with Metro for 27 years, ran Metro's Internal Affairs Department, is a university regent, and wants to be a Las Vegas city councilman. And the brass at Metro think he has to be "counseled" not to use his badge to gain favors? Who's kidding whom?
And then he is looking to hide behind some kind of "political conspiracy" to explain why someone would snitch on him to the Review-Journal.
Give me a break.
This guy needs to return to UNLV and take a course in ethics (perhaps his other boss, Jim Rogers, will give him an employee discount), or at least be sentenced to eight hours of community service with the Nevada Center for Public Ethics before he attempts a run for City Council. It's a shame the late Craig Walton isn't around to set this guy straight.
DICK LAIRD
LAS VEGAS
