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Tuesday, April 5, 1977
University Daily Kansan
Comment Opinions on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the University of Kansas or the School of Journalism
Strike state's fault
It has been brought to the attention of most by now that John can't read. And I wonder if she's in school,
Two weeks ago, the Kansas City (Mo). Federation of Teachers declared a general strike, which closed schools there.
The strike drew immediate fire from city officials, community members and school board personnel, based primarily on the argument that strikes by teachers are illegal. They are therefore there in violation, the strikers' adversaries say, and should be fired.
MOREOVER, THEY say, the strike is an extreme act of politicking. Teachers have victimized innocent children and their parents to gain "unnecessary" pay raises.
The first argument might have some truth. Norman Hudson, teacher's union president, who has twice led his team away from the negotiating table, is guilty of the kind of press-hounding typical of a bus-leaguer. He has scheduled "secret" meetings with school board members to discuss the media such secret meetings were going on. Hudson has urged community support for the teachers, those poor, much-maligned victims of the school board.
SCHOOL BOARD president Robert Wheeler, although not as sensationalistic as Hudson, also has asked for public pressure to force the teachers back to work. The school board, harried and tired, is the victim of a lack of state financial support.
Hudson's use of the media probably has hurt the teachers' cause. And one can question why the Kansas City teachers, presumably intelligent enough to follow their own conviction, choose instead to follow Hudson.
AS USUAL, the truth lies somewhere in between; in this case, in the middle of the ever-widening gap between Hudson's and Wheeler's forces. Today is the 10th day of the week when a coach or coach's work yesterday or face contempt of court, a charge carrying with it a maximum penalty
that includes six months in jail. They didn't return.
The two teams had better get together and play ball before the game is washed out.
play ban before the game is washed out.
Further calls for public pressure can be expected;another useless court order, the third, is a possibility.
BUT THESE actions will serve only to protect the real victimizer—the Missouri state legislature. Teachers in the district have tried negotiating for more than five years. Their requests have ranged from the much-d disputed salary hikes to demands that class sizes be smaller and teaching supplies improved.
The teachers' requests are reasonable. The school district has been forced into a position of intransigency, however, by deaf earners in Jefferson City. Higher teacher salaries and educational improvements cost more money—money the district doesn't have.
THE SAME LEGISLATORS who deploy the fact that Johnny can't read, that Johnny and Jane enter colleges with lower SAT scores and flunk English 101 haven't competed in the national high educational levels requires at least adequate teaching at the elementary level.
Instead, the legislators point the finger at the teachers, calling them inferior.
That charge may prove self-fulfilling if state action isn't taken. The real target of public pressure should be the legislature. New forms of tax revenue are needed. The taxes need not take the form of boosting already high Missouri property taxes. Alcohol beverages, sold by the drink in Missouri bars, might be further taxed. Higher state gasoline or cigarette taxes might be other alternatives.
WHATEVER SOLUTION is to be found to ease the lack of funds for public education in North America.
The sad irony of it all is that the same society that proclaims itself a proud proponent of free education plans multi-million dollar tourist traps while Kansas City schools go intellectually and financially broke.
Rights a hot game
President Jimmy Carter is currently
mating with a woman who is
lately the hotest game on earth.
His rôlelet isn't solely Russian, although his condemnation of Soviet policy toward dissidents stands out as one of the more gutsy moves this new president has made. The French government is scutting SALT disarmament talks between the United States and theSovietas a result.
Other nations also have criticized Carter for his "meddling" in their internal affairs. Criticized for human rights violations, Brazil promptly refused any further U.S. aid. One of the most famous cases from Rhodesia, which, until lately, was selling this country most of its chromium.
CARTER CAN BE only mildly credited with finally supporting the United Nations' economic sanctions against Rhodesia—in this case, better late than never.
But the game gets tricky as the process of supporting the human rights agreement, part of the Helsinki package, becomes ever more selective.
A recent Congressional subcommittee report—tame in comparison to a report from the Internation Human Rights Commission—reported that each of the 82 nations received its citizen's report or another violated its citizens' rights. The violations ranged from mild to severe.
THREE NOTORIOUS examples: South Korea, the Philippines and, on the other side, Japan.
borrow a phrase from Ronald Reagan, is ruled by a "tin-horn dictator." Each denies its citizens rights that Americans take for granted.
That is precisely Carter's problem. Although it is safe to condemn Rhodesia or Brazil or, to a certain extent, the Soviet Union; South Korea, the Philippines and Iran are of great strategic military value to the United States. And here, Carter and the Congress must tread softly. Without air bases in each country, our own extended defense perimeters would be greatly weakened, the theory goes.
It can be argued that without U.S. supported dictatorships in the aforementioned defense perimeter, talks with the Soviets would take a decidedly different turn—specifically, politically left, in favor of the Soviets.
It also can be argued that Carter can't be an absolutist, cutting off aid from all the countries that violate human rights and are supportive but partially or substantially by the State.
THUS, CARTER finds himself on his wire, deciding who is valuable and who isn't. It's not an easy job. But then, he knew that when he took it.
If his talk of human rights is to be considered more than mere conservative-placeting political artistry, he should think seriously of getting to the heart of the matter—U.S.supported dickershirts—lest his political tent fold up and blow away.
MISSING IN ACTION
Kansas Republicans threatened
There's no need to prove that Republicans have been losing on the national scene for several years.
But it definitely is an issue that Republican leaders in the
But in Kansas, a state that Gov. Robert Bennett called the "most Republican state in the Union" at the Republican National Convention in Kansas City last summer, losses to the Republicans are not surprising, just now beginning to worry state Republican leaders.
Last fall, Democrats gained a majority in the state House of Representatives for the first time in 64 years. It was a victory over the "the most" Republican state in the Union" was in trouble.
Schneider called the trip an effort to inform senior citizens about consumer fraud that often affected them.
A TRIP TO Western Kansas by Democratic Atty. Gen. Curt Schnieder a couple of weeks ago has been referred to by some state Republicans as a headache for gubernatorial ambitions.
Whether the trip was a headstart in a race for the governorship or a field trip that reflected Schneider's political ambitions, may be questioned for several years to come.
state are having a hard time living with.
The most bewildered of these Republican leaders seems to be State Den. Don Everett, R-Ranhattan. Everett has gone so
what Republicans have been accused of in the past—letting its state leadership decide who its next candidate will be at an early date so it can begin its promotional campaign months
Jay Bemis
Editorial Writer
for as blame Gov. Bennett for
rapublican failures by saying it is
time Bennett 'took off the kid'
and left him alone in the fellow
congressions into speech.
EVERETT SHOULD realize that more charismatic statements are necessary to guide his party back toward some of the successful times had before the Nixon-Watergate years. Ambiguous mouths such as "I'm not early or they will only contribute to the demise of the Kansas Republican party."
Everett and other Republican members of the state legislature have said that the Democratic party is guilty of
Everett used Schneider's trip as a chance to express concern about the chances of further escalation between the Union's most Republican state.
before it is traditionally appropriate.
EVERETT IS SO worried about the fall of the Kansas Republican party that he says:
Indeed, Everett and other Republicans are using Schneider's early political moves as opportunities for open criticism upon their Democratic opponents. Most of them are because they are worried—and they have reason to be.
"He (Schneider) is nominally abroad protecting the senior citizens while two million citizens wait for his opinions on marijuana and other important issues before this state
These Republicans haven't realized that they have promoted Schneider's campaign rather than denounced it.
Schneider has yet to declare himself as a gubernatorial candidate and other Democrats are calling for the state's top position.
THESE REPUBLICANS do seem to realize that their Republican party, which has been identified with western states in recent years, is losing popularity everywhere.
If the Democratic party in Kansas were to win a gubernatorial seat in 1978, and a majority in the state Senate as well as a plurality of voters be a national embarrassment to a state that prizes itself on being the most Republican in the country. Many other western conservative states have won such seats mostRepublican comrade
ponents this early in the political stage and stop concentrating on wongs they say are Democrats. Democrats in recent years. For years Democrats and Republicans have blamed each other for actions that haven't proved to be beneficial in the world.
It would seem that Republicans, if they want to gain a new identity, would stop cowering to Democratic op-
JIMMY CARTER, a Democrat who has been accused of having Republican leanings, has initiated a campaign style that seems to work in getting votes.
He talks about issues affecting voters rather than the faults of the onoosing party.
If Republicans want to gain the support of Chicagoans, blacks and Hispanics, they clenched blocs, it seems they would quit criticizing their opposing party and start reflecting on voters' failure to do so has hurt them.
Notice
The Kansan recently has received several letters from persons whose names are not verifiable in either the KU student directory or the Lawrence telephone directory. If you wish to submit a letter to the editor and your name isn't listed in either directory, please send the letter here, there you may be reached or personally present your letter to a Kansan staff member in the Kansan newsroom, 112 Flint.
Letters
Reader chastises one-sided view
To the editor:
The one-sided attack on Paul Wolfe in a letter in Monday's Kansan is a grossly one-sided view. As a member of the staff at our management team, I would like to express a second side.
© 1977 NYT Special Features
In the professional computer world, it's normal to be very mobile. During the years 1974 through 1976 we were in a state of constant specification, evaluation and acquisition of new computer systems. Our staff turnover during that time was below $50,000, making it possible to computing at KU and didn't accept other job offers (almost any staff member can make considerably more outside the University). The latest computer acquisition.
Woife has an obligation to respond to increased accountability requirements from University management, our computer users and the State government. The relaxed atmospheric conditions longer get our job done. a few folks have left because they are not comfortable in a more structured environment.
assistant director,
KU Computation Center
Programming Services
Dave Nordlund
Reference rebuked
To the editor:
I present the use of my name in an attack on one of the candidates for public office that was printed as a letter to the editor in year 1940. I have the publication of such letters at a time when it's too late for an adequate response before the election is
perhaps unethical and, at least, questionable.
Del Shankel
executive vice chancellor
Seeing eye-to-eye To the editor:
I want to encourage girls, faculty members and strangers to quit avoiding eye contact on campus.
Its only function is to frustrate the sensible guy who would like to say "hello," as a passing gesture of friendliness. The KU campus isn't like a hustling, bustling metropolitan city, but rather friendly friendship places in the United States. It's keep it that way.
I don't want to be cynical about this topic because there are several people on campus that have never seen a great man. That's great. I feel that I have gained something when I know looks up and greets me.
And to you people who continually look straight down, there are more interesting things than watching yourself walk. To those students who steal a glance of you from about
I address this letter to those people whose eyes seem to drift away when an approaching child stares, a cruelest of these 'eye contact avoiders' are the young ladies who look quickly to the side as you walk by. Holy Mosei! My makes feel as if my looks are so hideous that she had to head to keep from vomiting.
29 feet away, then won't look again, you are missing out on seeing people up close, as they really are. Factual expressions say you a lot. Please don't feel inhibited to hit "hit." It can only help you.
Jeff Roper
Wichita sophomore
O
Timing criticized To the editor:
I would like to indicate my concern over the lack of professional standards exhibited by the Kanan in printing a highly critical letter directed at a candidate for public office on the day before an election, "writing Valerie Wolfe on a date when a timely presentation of the "other side" of the story cannot be made is extremely unfair.
This is the second letter written by Voigt and published by this paper criticizing Wolfe and the Computation Center. It is interesting to note that Voigt was dismissed from a student hourly position with the Computation Center for unsatisfactory job performance last January.
It is true that a number of individuals have resigned from the Computation Center during the year. Reasons for resignations include accepting responsibility with higher pay in both private industry and with other agencies; the forming of two small businesses and pursuit of a long-planned extended period of travel. The sweeping change in these factors that these people resigned because of Wolfe's management" is simple untrue.
As the situation now stands, the chance of election for a viable school board candidate has been diminished by the misleading representations of a single individual. The damage has been done. I can only hope that we will learn of your ethical duty to present all sides of an issue and that last minute attacks on candidates without chances of rebuttal will not occur in the future.
Ray Kramer manager, KU Computation Center Business Services
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY
KANSAN
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