By Staff
Tax dollars don't cover extras'
I would like to respond to a letter to the editor ("Ideas on education," The Meridian Star, April 6, 2004) in which the writer suggested "remove sports from the schools and return them to the Parks and Recreation Department. … Parents whose children participate in the activities with Parks and Recreation would then be responsible for providing the funds for the extras, and the tax dollars we are forced to pay could actually go toward education."
She must not have a child in school, or she would know that tax dollars do not pay for extras or even some necessities. Parents and teachers pay for supplies needed for class. PTO programs have fund-raising activities to pay for other school needs. Bands have fund-raising activities to pay for uniforms and travel.
As for sports, I will only address what I know. I have a granddaughter who participates in softball and cheerleading at Northeast. Softball is funded by family and friends through concession stands and other fund-raising programs. Since my granddaughter has been involved, fund-raised money, not tax dollars, has paid for new uniforms and a covered practice area. Cheerleading is mostly paid for by the parents with help from some fund-raising programs, not tax dollars.
Sports programs may not be a priority to a child's education, but I think it can educate it many ways: sportsmanship, teamwork, commitment, physical fitness to name a few.
Darlene Gressett
Toomsuba
Behind the casino layoffs
I am writing to comment on the news article about the layoffs at the Silver Star and Golden Moon casinos. I have been an employee there for five years and I have never seen this type of mass firing. We were given a new boss. His name is Mario A. DiGuiseppe. Ever since he came in, he has downtalked the employees and has been gunning for everyone's job. We have held meetings by him where he has made fun of Southerners and rednecks, and questioned the intelligence of the most dependable employees.
The firings started on Saturday and continued until Monday. So far, all of the people who were terminated by their "at will" policy were employees who have been there since day one. They got rid of all of the pit bosses, then started on the floor supervisors and last on the dealers. But instead of doing the layoff like most companies, starting from the bottom, they started firing from the top to the bottom.
Everyone who was fired was the best and the most dependable employees they had. We have worked weekends, every major holiday and put all of our time in to move up. But instead, we are all being fired for actually knowing our job and having the most seniority and dependability.
I just think that this is an outrage and that someone should look into why they are getting rid of their best employees. We are all being punished for doing a good job. Could you please tell me, where is the fairness in all of this, and what is actually going on, because none of this is right.
Penny Jamison
Philadelphia
Families matter
Let us define the word family. A father, a mother and children are defined as a family. We see posters saying Uncle Sam wants a few good men. I feel Jesus today is desiring some good strong men. Shall we look at the perfect example, the beginning of Jesus' ministry. He chose 12 men to begin his church. They were far from perfect men, but they had a perfect teacher, Jesus Christ.
The Lord Jesus is calling some men today who will be faithful and obedient to his word. This call is universal. God is looking for families that will live for Him.
If our homes are going to survive there must be men who will bow their knees to the Creator in repentance, saying to God, we will not serve pleasure, money, things, but we, as for me and my house, we will serve the true and living God.
Mildred Goodin
via e-mail