Home of Today’s Common Sense

I didn’t write this, a fellow I served with in Vietnam more than 30 years ago sent me the following article.
An interesting thought at this time of new beginnings in the Jewish and Christian worlds

A LESSON TO MY SON
by A PROUD AMERICAN
Irma S. Chambers

The other day, my nine year old son wanted to know why we were at war. My husband looked at our son and then looked at me. My husband and I were in the Army during the Gulf War and we would be honored to serve and defend our country again today. I knew that my husband would give him a good explanation.

My husband thought for a few minutes and then told my son to go stand in our front living room window. He told him “Son, stand there and tell me what you see?”

“I see trees and cars and our neighbors’ houses.” he replied.

“OK, now I want you to pretend that our house and our yard is the United States of America and you are President Bush.”

Our son giggled and said “OK.”

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I would like to take issue with a statement made by Dr. Enrique Escobedo in his ad for BISD Trustee Place 1. He said, “There is no justification to hire uncertified foreign teachers when we have UTB/TSC Pan-American-University and Texas A&M in Kingsville to recruit teachers with proper qualifications.”
This statement creates the impression that there were adequate numbers of teachers waiting to be hired by BISD and that the foreign teachers hired were less qualified than those recent graduates who he says were available.
I would like to submit that there was not a flood of recent graduates; there is indeed a shortage nation wide. More attractive occupations with better salaries beckon harder. Customs and Border Patrol that recruit from the same pool, pay higher and treat their employees much better than teachers are treated in Brownsville. In fact, I am told on a regular basis of more and more teachers leaving to go with these agencies.
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I read the Brownsville Herald on Sunday as I usually do and took note of the many advertisements portending the upcoming elections. Let us evaluate the Texas School Performance Review or “report card” given to the current crop of those who are representing us in the management of educating and motivating our children, -our BISD Trustees- . Read the rest of this entry »

Published in the Brownsville Herald 5/6/2003
I read the Brownsville Herald as usually do each Sunday Morning, jumping right to the opinions page first; and was very impressed with the bright new look. Compliments to the editorial staff on the creation of the “Viewpoints” Section.
I was however looking for evidences of ongoing interest in the success or lack thereof at BISD and was pleasantly surprised to see the discussion precipitated by one BISD student on safety helmets in the “Opinions Section.” All the submissions were clear, concise and persuasive! Read the rest of this entry »