Will Continue The Struggle To Raise Issues And Demand Social Justice

Airport Work Draws Attention, Official Says 
About 80 Companies Have Asked About The Process To Work On The $35 Million
Terminal Project, Says Airport Director Barry Centini.

Saturday, January 18, 2003 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 7A<br><br>





THIS LETTER IS IN RESPONSE TO THE UNNECESSARY CLAMOR FOR THE WILKES-BARRE
AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT TO ATTAIN A CHARTER SCHOOL. THE AGITATION AMONG THE BEAR
CREEK PARENTS IS OVER THE FACT THAT THEY NOW HAVE NO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN THE
TOWNSHIP AND MUST BUS THEIR CHILDREN FIVE EXTRA MILES TO PLAINS TOWNSHIP. THE
SCHOOL DISTRICT DOES NOT NEED A CHARTER SCHOOL FOR TWO GOOD REASONS. IT IS
IMPERATIVE TO SAVE MONEY WHENEVER POSSIBLE AND NOT TO WASTE IT ON SUPERFLUOUS
EDUCATIONAL SCHEMES. ALL THE STUDENTS IN WILKES-BARRE AREA RECEIVE QUALITY
EDUCATION, SECOND TO NONE. I TAUGHT FOR 30 YEARS IN THE HANOVER AREA PUBLIC
SCHOOLS AND CAN SAY THAT THE TEACHERS THERE WERE DEDICATED PROFESSIONALS
COMMITTED TO THE HIGHEST STANDARDS. THREE YEARS AFTER EARLY RETIREMENT, I
FOUND THAT THERE WAS A SHORTAGE OF EXPERIENCED TEACHERS TO SERVE AS
SUBSTITUTES. SINCE THEN, I HAVE TAUGHT AT THREE DIFFERENT SCHOOLS, PRIVATE AND
PUBLIC, AS WELL AS THE FOUR WILKES-BARRE SCHOOLS. FRANKLY, WILKES-BARRE AREA'S
SCHOOLS WERE IMPRESSIVE. THE ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES RUN SMOOTHLY AND
DISCIPLINE IS HANDLED PROMPTLY, EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY. ALL FACULTY ACT
PROFESSIONALLY AND, JUST AS AT HANOVER, SPEND TIME IN TEACHER'S ROOM
CONVERSING ON HOW TO BE MORE EFFECTIVE IN THE CLASSROOM. MORE IMPORTANT, WHAT
IS OFFERED IN WILKES-BARRE AREA SCHOOLS? EVERYTHING. EVERYTHING YOUR SON AND
DAUGHTER WILL NEED TO BE PREPARED ACADEMICALLY, SOCIALLY, AND STRUCTURED SO
THEY ARE NOT OVERCROWDED. SPECIAL CLASSES ARE CREATED FOR CHILDREN WITH
SPECIAL NEEDS, INCLUDING LEARNING DISABILITIES AND PHYSICAL CHALLENGES. GIFTED
STUDENTS HAVE A CURRICULUM AT THE ELEMENTARY AND JUNIOR AND SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
LEVEL IN ALL SCHOOLS. SO WHY SPEND X AMOUNT OF DOLLARS SEGREGATING A FEW AT
THE EXPENSE OF MANY WHEN ONE LARGER SCHOOL WILL SAVE MONEY? CONTRARY TO THE
LOGIC OF THE LOCAL ATTORNEY WHO SUPPORTS A CHARTER SCHOOL, THE ``MONOPOLY'' ON
EDUCATION HAS ALWAYS RESTED ON THE SHOULDERS OF THE RICH, POWERFUL AND
INFLUENTIAL OF EVERY AMERICAN COMMUNITY WHO WERE OFFERED THE BEST IN EDUCATION
THAT MONEY CAN BUY. PUBLIC SCHOOLS ARE THE ``ALTERNATIVE'' EDUCATION, THE
GREAT EQUALIZER FOR THE MASSES. WILKES-BARRE AREA IS A SHINING EXAMPLE OF A
SUCCESSFUL PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT. THE ADMINISTRATION AND TEACHERS THERE
SHOULD BE PRAISED, NOT BURDENED WITH EXPENSIVE, ELITIST AND NEEDLESS PLANS
SUCH AS CHARTER SCHOOLS.  Douglas Fawbush <br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
   Nuangola <br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

W-b Area Public Schools Provide Everything Students Need To Succeed