Nov. 3, 2003

By Staff
Separate, but not equal
To the editor:
Eight years ago at a public political forum held for the candidates seeking the office of Lauderdale County School Superintendent, the following question was asked: The Lauderdale County School district has four separate high schools, but at these schools they do not have the same course offerings for advanced placement and college preparatory courses. How can we correct this situation? Should we consolidate these classes at one campus, hire teachers to travel between the four schools or offer electronic classrooms on each campus?
Candidate David Little's response was, "We do not need to do any of these things because we have good teachers at all our schools." This is true. The Lauderdale County School District does have good teachers, but even with these good teachers in the past eight years no commitment or solution has been made to provide all students with the equal opportunity to take the advanced placement and college preparatory courses.
Eight years later, Superintendent David Little still has not addressed this problem fairly. In fact, at a public forum held at EMEPA earlier this month, the question was asked again. His answer was, "Well, you have to understand that Clarkdale K through 12 only has 900 students and Northeast K through 12 has 2,600 students, so you would expect the larger high school with more teachers to have a larger course offering."
If that is true is it fair to the students attending Clarkdale High School?
Superintendent Little says he has strong principals in all of these schools and that it is their decision as to what courses to offer. My only advice to the parents of the county's smaller high schools would be to consult their principal or counselor as to what courses they have, as opposed to the courses offered at the county's larger high schools. Ask what can be done to get all these courses for all students.
Guy D. Taylor
Meridian
A sad commentary
To the editor:
It's a sad commentary that supposedly responsible adults will allow party politics to rule above simple common sense. The filibuster on the confirmation of Judge Charles Pickering to the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals seems to be based on the fact that he is a Republican.
It seems the Democratic Party and its followers can not place any given cause above partisan politics in order to give true justice to that cause. The American system is based upon true justice to every individual and honesty in our government. Administration of it should be a prerequisite for receiving a high school diploma to first give truth and fairness in any decision you are required to make.
What next from the democratic doctrines of partisan politics? Do jurors ask a law breaker what party does he belong to before we weigh his fate?
Bobbie McLemore
Philadelphia