`oklahoma' Auditions Scheduled 
Little Theatre Of Wilkes-barre Will Hold Auditions For The Musical 
``oklahoma'' 7-9 P.m. Sunday And Monday At The Theater At 537 North Main St.

Archie Schappert 
Aug. 6, 1996 
Archie J. Schappert, 72, Of Sweet Valley, Ross Township, Died Tuesday In The 
Department Of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Wilkes-barre.

Friday, August 09, 1996 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 1A 





Diversity should not have role in hiring teachers, most callers say &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 A report in Thursday's paper about the lack of minority teachers in Luzerne &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; County public schools drew comments from more than 30 News Talk callersWe
asked whether diversity should be a part of school districts' decisions to
hire new teachers. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Most callers said no, not if it means affirmative action programs. Here's
some responses: &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The only qualification should be how qualified a person is to teach. I mean
kids are coming out of school and they can't read, write, spell or anything.
And if you want diversity, just look at places like Sri Lanka, Bosnia: that's
what you get out of diversity. If anything, they should teach the American
culture. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Absolutely not, diversity is just a code name for affirmative action or
quotas. It's another avenue by which liberals seek to destroy our society. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Yes, if it's possible to hire some qualified black teachers, I believe it
definitely should be done. Many white children have never been allowed (to
know) any black people and it would be good for them. And it would be good for
the black children to have double role models. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Yes, diversity should be a part of the school districts' decisions to hire
teachers. They complain that now they have to go outside of the area. Excuse
me, but 20 years ago when black teachers were available to teach in this
community, they had to leave and go to Washington, D.C., to Detroit, to
Philadelphia, they had to leave this area to get jobs. And now people are
complaining because, oh well, there is no one available in the community and
we have to go outside the community. Well, excuse me, they will have to go
outside of the community, because they blew it in the first place. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 When I went to school there were all Irish teachers, and they used to call
us kids dumb polacks, too, and we didn't make a big fuss over -- like you do
-- about (black people). ... &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Only if it is an appropriate candidate, and the qualifications are as good
as anyone else, then maybe it should be taken into consideration. Otherwise
no. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Diversity should definitely be a part of hiring... . One of the main
reasons why education in this area is as screwed up as it is, is the fact that
you have to be related or a close friend of a school board member or someone
in county politics to get a job as a teacher. So all of the well-qualified
teachers that, you know, might have different ideas and new outlooks to bring
to this area have to leave the area. I know a lot of people who would really
make good teachers but had to look outside the area simply because they don't
have any relatives on school boards and you can't get hired. Maybe one thing
that we should look into is, first, a strict anti-nepotism law against
teachers having relatives on school boards. Also, we may want to look into a
sort of an exchange teacher program, where we can send one of our teachers for
a set period of time into a school where a higher proportion of minority
students are and bring a minority teacher into our school districts. That
would not only give our children exposure to minorities but it would give our
teachers -- most of whom have relatives in this area, were born and raised in
this area and had never the opportunity to experience different types of
people -- and let them realize that there is a big world outside and we have
to be part of it and we have to educate our children to be part of it. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 No, I don't think so. I think everyone ought to be treated with respect and
forget the diversity. ... You ought to be treated with respect, regardless of
color, race, age, discrimination, for any reason, etc. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 First of all, diversity isn't the problem in this Valley. It's nepotism.
You could be purple and you would be hired in the school districts or the
courthouse if you have the right connections. Secondly, I wish everybody would
just stop whining about everything. I'm going to start contacting your
newspaper every time I don't get a job I interviewed for. Perhaps they did not
hire me because I'm a woman, middle age and of Polish descent. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 That's ridiculous. That's what screwed the schools up in the first place.
All these silly notions about everything being important, except reading and
writing. Let's hire teachers based on ... gee, their ability to teach. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 I'm a little bit worried about the kind of answers you are going to get on
this question. I certainly believe diversity is important, and how tragic a
comment like the Hazleton area superintendent who said, "I don't see where it
makes any difference." I would urge her in all seriousness and all sincerity
to go to China and to spend a month teaching there, and see what it's like to
be a minority. And only then after that experience, or some other country,
India, or whatever, where you don't know all the cultural rules, and you are
definitely second in line. And only after that would she understand and have
the humility to realize they, like many of the school districts, have a
serious problem on their hands. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 No, I don't think diversity should be a part of a school district's
decision to hire teachers. I think we should all concentrate on the important
things: children on drugs, carrying knives and guns to school. I think we
should start educating the parents along with the teachers, on how to help the
children, that this is bad. Not diversity. Let's think of something more
important. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 I think that diversity should be allowed in school. I am a parent of two
biracial children and I moved them from one Wilkes-Barre school to another. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Well, diversity should absolutely not be a decision when you are hiring new
teachers, unless that person is the most qualified. If you have 100 people,
100 white people that are the most qualified, so be it. If you have 100 black
people that are most qualified, then look at the black people. But you should
not pick and choose a color just to be put in a position. If they do not meet
the qualifications, then they should not even be considered. And that's with
any job. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 States are doing away with affirmative action programs, and in my opinion,
if school districts began hiring minorities just because of the color of their
skin then that would be something like affirmative action. Now if they are the
most qualified applicants, then that would be fine, but if you're going to
pick over someone who is more qualified, because they are minority, that's
absolutely wrong, and definite discrimination in my view. I don't think we
need it, and the bottom line is pick the most qualified applicant, regardless
of the color of their skin. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Absolutely not. Diversity should not be a part of the school districts'
decision to hire a teacher. I'm sick of diversity being shoved down my throat.
Absolutely not, and I'm tired and sick of it, and I think something should be
done to stop it. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 No, qualifications should be the only factor in hiring a teacher. One
minute minorities are angry because they are not treated equal, and the next
they want special treatment to jump over everybody because they are a
minority. Let them take a number like anybody else and go to the end of the
line and wait their turn. What is wrong with being like a white fireman or a
teacher, or a white teacher? The parents show the children that they are
different by sticking their picture in the paper in an article that pointed
this out. It is not bad unless the parents themselves feel that way. They are
the ones that are actually making the children feel odd and different. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 No, diversity is just another word for quotas, and quotas aren't America. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 We already hire teachers by diversity standards in Luzerne County. Every
school director, regardless of his or her race, religion, or country of
national origin, gets to hire a certain number of relatives for teaching jobs.
What more can anybody want? &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 No, I do not think that diversity should be required. It's another form of
affirmative action. Let's go with the best teacher for the job. Let's forget
all this other stuff. Get the best teacher. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Yes, I believe that diversity should be incorporated when they are hiring
public school teachers, because we do pay taxes as everyone else does and also
they should be qualified. So I want to get that question out there, because I
know many of your callers are going to say yes, but they have to be qualified.
We don't expect anything else. I think it would be nice for students to see
someone that they could look up to as role models just as any other student
would like to see someone they could identify with. So yes, I do believe that
diversity should be considered when hiring public school teachers. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 How about the school district just concentrating on teaching the students
how to read their diplomas when they get out of high school? How about that?
And how about all of us damaged children of the 1920s, '30s, '40s and '50s,
who didn't have diverse professional staffs? Boy, are we ever screwed up. ... &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 More News Talk responses &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 -- Page 3A &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Diversity Should Not Have Role In Hiring Teachers, Most Callers Say 
A Report In Thursday's Paper About The Lack Of Minority Teachers In Luzerne 
County Public Schools Drew Comments From More Than 30 News Talk Callers.

Diversity Should Not Have Role In Hiring Teachers, Most Callers Say A Report In Thursday's Paper About The Lack Of Minority Teachers In Luzerne County Public Schools Drew Comments From More Than 30 News Talk Callers.