UNLV teacher survey not a success
To the editor
In Sunday’s letter from Randall Boone (“UNLV grads give teaching program an A”), Mr. Boone seems to insist that verifiable facts and figures will “ultimately prove pointless” and that success is the ultimate measure. Unfortunately, success in this case is not defined as the results achieved by the students. It’s defined by Mr. Boone as how the first-year teachers feel about the effectiveness of their college education in preparing them for their present teaching success.
There are at least two weaknesses in this method. The first is a lack of objectivity in this particular question. It would be similar to asking children if they had been good enough to get ice cream. You can guess the answer.
The second is that it refers to the perceived success of the teacher as decided by the teacher, not the effectiveness of the teaching or the success of the students being taught.
It’s an interesting concept, but it’s useless and deceiving, and it’s indicative of the education system. If it feels good, it must be good; never mind the results, which can be blamed on the parents, class size, school size, school age, poor salaries, not enough funding and more. The blame goes everywhere except where it belongs.
The ultimate tragedy is twofold: Good teachers are caught up in this garbage system; and students are being cheated out of their birthright and the opportunity to enjoy their best possible future.
GORDON SOEDER
LAS VEGAS
Trayvon Martin trial
To the editor:
In his Sunday letter, Hunter Browne attempts to discredit CNN’s coverage leading up to the trial of George Zimmerman for his shooting of Trayvon Martin. Mr. Browne seems to justify the shooting with a collection of lies and innuendo.
Mr. Browne’s first complaint centers on photos of both the shooter and the victim that were used by CNN. May I say that they were only using the most recent photos available? Mr. Zimmerman is still alive, so he was shown in the courtroom. Mr. Martin is dead and can only be shown on screen with the most recent photographs. Mr. Browne says Mr. Martin had a “prior criminal record.” This is patently false. Mr. Martin had no record whatsoever, having never been charged or convicted of a crime, although he was suspended from school three times, the last for reportedly possessing a marijuana pipe and a baggie containing marijuana residue.
Mr. Browne then rambled through a condemnation of President Barack Obama, because of the remark that both the president and the victim are slender black men. That’s a fact. The claim that a fair trial is not possible because of this statement is ludicrous. Mr. Browne then faults Mr. Martin because he was wearing a sweatshirt with a hood. I imagine he was wearing the hoodie because of the weather; a rainy evening in wintertime. Mr. Zimmerman was also wearing a jacket against the cold, damp weather.
The claim that Mr. Zimmerman was employed to protect the neighborhood is also a lie. He is not a law enforcement officer and never has been. He was part of the volunteer neighborhood watch. He was told by the 911 operator not to follow the victim. He ignored that command and initiated contact with the victim. Then he pulled the trigger. Was he justified?
The jury will decide Mr. Zimmerman’s fate. Making false claims against CNN will not lead us to the truth. Substantiating his views with utter falsehoods doesn’t give Mr. Browne any credence whatsoever.
DAN WESLEY
LAKE HAVASU CITY, ARIZ.
Big brother
To the editor:
Regarding the White House urging Russia to send Edward Snowden back to the United States to face espionage charges, there are two issues, and I don’t know which is worse.
A person concerned for the loss of his fellow citizens’ rights to privacy decides to tell the world about it, although many informed Americans and others around the world already knew or suspected that. Mr. Snowden’s actions somehow compromise our national security.
But members of our government, who are supposed to protect and respect our constitutional rights, focus solely on apprehending Mr. Snowden, rather than seeking a public inquiry into precisely how certain elements of our government are able to so flagrantly and easily spy on us and violate our constitutionally guaranteed rights.
George Orwell warned us about an all-encompassing Big Brother watching terrified citizens. Mr. Orwell must be turning in his grave knowing that what he predicted in his book “1984” is happening here in the United States, a country that is the self-proclaimed protector of democracy around the world.
Americans should be deeply concerned. The steady erosion of our freedoms will only continue down a very slippery slope unless stopped at the source, with the enemies and traitors of our democracy prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. We shouldn’t let this issue rest. We must demand answers from our elected officials.
MICHAEL PRAVICA
HENDERSON
Retirees and education
To the editor:
I might have a plan to at least find out why Nevada’s public school system continues to struggle in nationwide rankings. The public school system needs an oversight program. I’m not sure which grade level this should start at, but retired Nevada citizens could be placed in the classrooms to take notes on what is going on with the teacher and the students.
These overseers would have a preprinted checklist and a comment section. Their observations would be forwarded to the School Board to give trustees a good idea of what is going on in every public school. These overseers would not be paid; they would do it as a public service.
JOHN TOMINKSKY
LAS VEGAS
