Letters to the Editor

Failing schools

The continuing saga of students who can't read and of "social promoting" from grade to grade indicates those who oversee our public educational system have themselves forgotten two fundamental principles:

1) The ability to read, write and do basic mathematics remains the basis for all subsequent education.

2) A diploma isn't a measure of the time spent in school — it's evidence of mastery of a body of knowledge.

No wonder our schools are failing, if even a few students read at the 4th grade level in high school and can't do basic math. Is it any wonder many graduates aren't able to perform even entry-level technical jobs or don't go to college? No wonder they drop out when they realize they aren't learning anything.

If those who oversee our public schools don't understand core principles, then the first step in improving education is to replace them with people who do.

R. Scott Wallinger

Hidden Oak Drive

Seabrook Island

Reaching out

Recently Citadel President Gen. John Rosa assembled 35 to 40 influential Lowcountry business leaders to learn about a special presidential commission that his office had formed. The commission invites to visit The Citadel area leaders who did not graduate from The Citadel.

Senior cadets guided us on an insightful bus tour of the campus. I was impressed by Trey Swinton (Class of 2010), an accounting and finance major from Mount Pleasant who led our group through the new Johnson Hagood Stadium renovations.

Gen. Rosa, a Citadel graduate, conveyed three critical messages: First, that The Citadel prides itself on graduating hard-working, honest, principled leaders. Second, that The Citadel welcomes all visitors interested in touring the campus. Third, that visitors and business leaders alike should not be intimidated by The Citadel. Apparently, the general public frequently mistakes the campus for an alumni-only fortress.

I was impressed that Gen. Rosa strategically reached out to the "non-ring wearing" community, encouraging everyone to embrace The Citadel, provide insightful feedback and help the military college add more value to our city and state.

Baron C. Hanson

King Street

Charleston

Heat dangers

I was sitting in my air-conditioned office reading about the carriage horses being brought in when it hits a certain temperature outside. I looked out the window and saw two men carrying "going out of business" signs headed out to stand on the street corners near Citadel Mall.

At least downtown there is something of a breeze off the water. Here in West Ashley it is only hot pavement. It must be well over 100 degrees outside and these two men are standing in the heat. Surely there are other ways to let people know a store is closing rather than giving these people heat stroke.

As far as taking pets along for the ride in a car, this is plain and simple "showing off," as Granny used to say. There is no reason under the sun for pets to be taken along on your shopping trips. They don't have any money to spend, and they are not allowed in stores.

It goes without saying to not leave a child in a car, even with the air conditioner running. It's just too dangerous.

Imogene Thomas

Old Towne Road

Charleston

I-526 project

After reading a recent Post and Courier article concerning the completion of the Mark Clark expressway, or rather the lack of funding to complete I-526, I feel I finally have to comment on this issue.

Why are we listening to the small minority of citizens and wasting taxpayers money by continuing to prolong the process?

A minute number of opponents have cost the citizens of our state millions of dollars while trying to promote their special interests, You would never believe it by reading this newspaper. Neither Dana Beach nor the town of James Island represents the majority of voters on this issue. Please, Speaker Harrell, follow through on what the people of Charleston want, and help push the I-526 project forward.

Norman W. Kline

Clark Sound Circle

Charleston

'Gutsy' reporters

On the June 21 Commentary page, Rich Lowry dismissively wrote about President Barack Obama's statements on the current Iran unrest. He may be right, but I wanted to know his background so I looked up his biography. No reporting assignment overseas anywhere was mentioned. He has been editor of the conservative National Review since 1997.

Then there is the epitome of the "eastern liberal press," The New York Times. There's Roger Cohen, somehow reporting right now from Tehran.

Then there's David Rohde, who recently escaped from a Taliban prison after eight months of captivity following his capture while attempting to interview a Taliban leader. There's Dexter Filkins, author of the "The Forever War" — after reading it I could not understand how he stayed alive during his reporting from Iraq and Afghanistan.

There's Thomas Friedman, whose first assignment was in Lebanon during their 1980s civil war. After the suicide bombings of the U.S. Embassy and later, the Marine barracks, in 1983, President Reagan withdrew the Marines. Friedman stayed, at more risk than almost any of us would accept, to report the story.

There's Lawrence Wright of the New Yorker, who wrote the Pulitzer Prize-winning "The Looming Tower: Al-Qaida and the Road to 9/11." One reviewer noted, "Wright has put his boots on the ground in the hard places, conducted the interviews and done the sleuthing."

Finally, there was Daniel Pearl of The Wall Street Journal, who was so reprehensibly murdered for attempting a dangerous interview in Karachi, Pakistan.

So, who are you going to believe? Talking heads who stay home, or gutsy reporters who go where the story happens? For me, there's no choice — even if the gutsy reporters are from the "eastern liberal press."

Richard H. Gross

Oak Marsh Drive

Mount Pleasant

Price subsidies

The writer of a June 17 letter wrote that he wants to buy an electric automobile that, unfortunately, costs twice what he is willing to pay. He wrote, "But I also know that mass production (and subsidies, if necessary) can bring the price down dramatically."

Subsidies do not reduce the price of anything. They merely force people other than the buyer to pay part of the price. The buyer gets more for the price he pays, and other people get nothing for the part of his price that they subsidize.

Roger Lambert

Harter Drive

Summerville

'Political bias'

I was very surprised by Ken Burger's June 25 column titled "Another one bites the dust." He showed his partisanship with a list of politicians who have had marital problems.

Problem is that the list included only Democrats. He could have easily included Newt Gingrich, Larry Craig, Mark Foley and, of course, most recently Sen. John Ensign. Maybe he should go back to just covering sports, where his political bias isn't as blatantly obvious.

Don Ciucci

Island Overlook

Mount Pleasant

Wrong one

I recently moved back to South Carolina after living in Nebraska for many years. I just have one observation: You people elected the wrong Sanford.

Carol Norman

Cherokee Rose Circle

Mount Pleasant