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14 TUESDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2004 BOARD EDITORIALS COLLECTIVE MISTAKE State employees’ needs are important, but workers should be careful not to press for collective bargaining rights during inconducive times. North Carolina should take care of its employ ees —but these tough financial times leave little room for the expansion of pay and ben efits. Recent qills for officials to allow state workers to bargain collectively bring valid criticisms to light, but they aren’t convincing enough in the present context. It is possible that the long-term effects of col lective bargaining can pay off for the state. David Zonderman, an N.C. State University history profes sor who specializes in labor issues, told The (Raleigh) News & Observer that research has shown that avoid ing costs associated with employee turnover such as retraining expenses and productivity losses has offset the cost of increasing pay in many states. But now is simply not the time to legalize col lective bargaining in North Carolina. Though state employees deserve more money, the reality is that they will have to be patient, as lean years might still befall the state. Officials have been acting in good faith to meet workers’ needs. The General Assembly passed leg islation during the summer to increase employee salaries by at least SI,OOO across the board, increas ing the state’s cost of salary disbursement to about $273 million. In the long run, this increase certainly isn’t enough for hardworking state employees, but those efforts shouldn’t be discounted, either especially in a state that has to face huge budget deficits. Another thing to consider is that states are respon sible for taxpayers’ dollars. Given the belt-tightening that has been taking place during the past few years, it seems less reasonable for workers to demand lever age to improve their conditions. Although higher pay increases do need to be implemented, North Carolina simply does not have the money at the moment. Lean times call for frugal measures, and a huge pay increase would not fall under that category. In addition, allowing collective PERILOUS REQUISITE Congress should not impede academic freedom by mandating that federally aided schools teach their students about the Constitution. The U.S. Constitution, of course, is a funda mental cog in the clockwork of our democratic conceptions and ideals. But as important as the document is, the nation’s schools shouldn’t be forced into teaching it. U.S. Sen. Robert Byrd, a Democrat from West Virginia, inserted language into a federal spending bill that would require schools receiving federal aid to dedicate at least part of one day a year to instruct their students on the Constitution. Specifically, schools would have to provide some sort of constitutional programming on Sept. 17 the anniversary of its signing. Byrd is known as one of the foremost constitu tional scholars in the nation’s legislative branch, and his great appreciation for the document is widely known. But his personal passion shouldn’t translate into a stipulation that federally funded schools teach a particular topic. Congress needs to cut this provision out of the spending bill before it ultimately passes. If Byrd’s col leagues do support his addition, they will be doing a disservice to education officials by hampering their ability to design their own curricula. Members of Congress would be entering unstable territory. If they allow for this particular modicum of federal control over what schools should teach, it will set a dangerous example. Vincent Ferrandino, executive director of the National Association of Elementary School Principals, told The Los Angeles Times that he would not welcome such a change. “It’s the kind of interven tion from the federal level that really has no place in our system of education,” he said. Instead of being forced to educate their students about the Constitution, schools nationwide should do so of their own volition. EDITOR'S NOTE: The above editorials are the opinions of solely The Daily Tar Heel Editorial Board, and were reached after open debate. The board consists of six board members, the editorial page associate editor, the editorial page editor and the DTH editor. The 2004-05 DTH editor decided not to vote on the board and not to write board editorials. GJfj? SaiUj OJar MM PROFESSIONAL AND BUSINESS STAFF Mulfinger, Judy Pham, Kate Polichnowski, Kia Thacker and Laura Youngs, repre sentatives. Display Advertising: Kate Bingham, Amy Fuschino, Jorie Gripman, Andy Lunnen, Sarah Oglesby, Annette Parker, Phabienne Business and Advertising: Paul Isom, general manager; Chrissy Beck, advertising _ director; Lisa Reichle, business manager, Megan Gilchrist, retail sales manager, Ellen Withrow, assistant business manager. Customer Sendee: Stacy Hopkins, Erin Kurowski, sports copy; Selena Beckman- Harned, Jenny Doster, Chrissy Edwards, Rachel Ferguson, Tricia Horatio, Jen Kling, Andy McNulty, On Shtuhl, Leila Watkins and CatWiHiams. Design: Jennifer Alliet, Sulhye Bang, Amy Dombrower, Jessa Giroux and Ginny Hendrix. Editorial: Jillian Bandes, Chris Cameron, Dan David, John Kunza, Alyssa Levine and Joseph Starnes, editorial board, Meg Austin, Emily Batchelder, Matt Compton, David Havlick and Jonathan Yeomans, columnists. Features: Kirsten Valle, senior writer; Laura Bost, Jacqueline Brill, Emily Fisher, Julia Furlong, Ali Gray, Elana Jones, Lily Kuo, Mary Grace Miller, Adam Rodman, Allison Rose, Andrew Satten and Sarah Schwarz. Online: Ed Bowman, Megan Edison, Kansai Graham, Stephanie Jones, Albert Park and Chris Stone. Photography: Garrett Hall, senior pho tographer, Erin Andrews, Gillian Bolsover, Lirys Cuilinan, Leah Groaning, Daniel Ham, Miranda Harpie, Pat Lapadula, Julia Lebetkin, Ricky Leung, Sara Lewkowicz, Hunter Mcßae, Allison Money, Carter Murphey, Brandy Nash, Mike Reabe, Monica Shah, Samkit Shah, Whitney Shefte and Brandon Smith. Projects Team: Susie Dickson, Jamie Dougher, Sarah Rabil, NiravVora and Cleve R.WootsonJr. Assistant Editors: Becca Moore and Jim Walsh, arts & entertainment, Shannan Bowen, Meredith Lee Miller and Dan Schwind, city; Scon Spillman and Rebecca Wilhelm, copy; Daniel BeDen and Tiffany Ward, design; Jeff Kim, editorial; Torrye Jones and Linda Shen, features; Alex Foley, online; Justin Smith and Andrew Synowiez, photography; Daniel Blank, Mary Duby and Gabrielle Deßosa, sports; Daniel Malloy and David Moses, SportSaturdav; Erin Gibson, Kavita Pillar and Amy Thomson, state S national; Brian Hudson, Stephanie Jordan and Joseph Schwartz, university. Arts & Entertainment: Nick Parker and Kristen Williams, senior writers; Jacky Brammer, Nicole Bobitski, Andrew Chan, William fonvielle, Margaret Hair, Amy Jackson, Ayofemi Kirby, Leah Konen, Kate Lord, Salem Neff, Robbie Mackey, Ben Pittard, Tom Previte and Jackie Randell. Cartoon: Doug Anderson, Fitz Holladay, Steven Oklesh and Evann Strathern. City: Brianna Bishop, Jonathan Burns, Meghan Davis, Jennifer Fair, Gregg Found, Spencer Gipple, Matthew Hair, Zachary Jepsen, Megan Lavine, Katie Lewis, Sara Lewkowicz, Lindsey Listrom, Jake Potter, Blair Raynor, Brandon Reed, Kathryn Reed, Adam W. Rhew, Catherine Sharoky, Sam Shepard, Tanner Slayden, Liz Stanley, Ted Strong, Eren Tataragasi, Emily Vasquez, Antonio Velarde, Olivia Webb, Jon Weiner and Alley Wolber. Copy: Shannon Hennessy and Rachel The editorials are approved by the majority of the editorial board, which is composed of the editor, editorial page editor, the associate editorial page editor and six editorial writers. The Daily Tar Heel is published by the DTH Publishing Corp., a nonprofit North Carolina corporation, Monday-Friday, according to the University calendar. Callers with questions about billing or display advertising should call 962-1163 between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. Classified ads can be reached at 962-0252. Editorial questions should be directed to 962-0245. ISN #10709436 OFFICE: Suite 2409 Carolina Union CAMPUS MAIL ADDRESS: CB# 5210, Carolina Union rl U.S. MAIL ADDRESS: P.O. Box 3257, Chapel Hill, NC 27515-3257 bargaining could lead to unions having an excessive amount of power over vital state services. These concerns are all the more salient after con sidering a recent strike on the Pennsylvania TUmpike. Workers called for a strike'during Thanksgiving weekend to pressure the Pennsylvania officials to yield to the demands of unionized toll workers. The move cost that state almost $2 million per day. Allowing employees involved with some of North Carolina’s most vital public services to hold contracts with their employers could lead to similar conse quences. Imagine if a large number of teachers went on strike in the middle of the school year. Although this scenario undoubtedly would be to the delight of many schoolchildren, it would cripple one of the primary services that the state provides to its citizenry. Given the tight constraints that the state budget is under, state employees will have to be reasonable in advocating for raises. That includes not pushing for the right to collective bargaining. Unionization that would spread to the more essen tial areas of state government could also be abused by labor officials, whose main interest is to further the goals of their constituents. There is nothing wrong wiffi that, as that is the purpose of a union, but the state should be wise enough to look out for the good of its citizens. When the overall welfare of the state and the need for employee raises conflict with each other, North Carolina’s well-being must remain the top priority. Collective bargaining could be beneficial to work ers, but it would not serve the taxpayers and citizens of the state at this point. The state must keep employees’ interests in mind —but there is also an obligation for employees to consider what would lead them to serve the state bet ter as public servants. At least for now, both sides would be better served by keeping legal bargaining off of the table. After all, the freedoms espoused in the First Amendment are closely connected to the academic freedom that U.S. schools should be able to enjoy. It’s important for students across the country to learn about the separation of the three major branch es of the federal government. It’s important for them to learn about checks and balances. It’s important for them to learn about the rights such as to a fair and speedy trial and to due process granted to U.S. citizens by the document. Without a basic understanding of this law of the land, students would be at a loss. But that understanding cannot come on a single day once a year for students at any level. The best that such a requirement would do would be to create a feel-good opportunity of no real value for educators or students. The last thing that teachers need is for federal government officials to stroll into the classroom and dictate what the instructors should be teaching their students on any particular day. It’s an understandable goal, but this is not the approach to take in helping educate students. The federal government could better help schools teach about the Constitution by focusing on areas in which schools can improve on a day-to-day basis. Whether that improvement comes through improved testing procedures or by way of increased funding and grant money is up for debate. Biit trying to impose a specific agenda that sets aside a single day isn’t any kind of solution. It infring es on academic freedom without having enough value to justify such an infringement. The Constitution teaches us that we have inalien able rights that we are free to exercise. Legislators should choose to honor that freedom by keeping their arbitrary dictates out of the classroom. Parker, Kelsey Sam, Rebecca Stocked and Adam Westin, account executives Advertising Production: Penny Persons manager, Michelle Rial, assistant. Classified Production: Cindy Huntley. manager; Debbie Rosen, assistant. EDITORIAL STAFF Sports: Ben Couch and Brian MacPherson, senior writers, Meaghan Cole, Matt Estreich, Briana Gorman, Derek Howies, Will Isley, Alicia Jones, Laisee Rintel, Rachel Soder, Andy Wales and John Zhang. State & National: Laura Youngs senior writer; India Autry, Lorelle Babwah, Kristin Bostic, Dana Bseiso, Arendell Carlton, Kevin Chandler, Marium Chaudhry, James Edward Dillard, Alexandra Dodson, Amy Eagleburger, Sherri Engel, Lillian Goldenthal, Brooke Gottlieb, Natalie Hammel, Juliana Hanson, Hilary Hellens, Eric Johnson, Megan McSwain, Anh ly, Aaron Pruitt, Mark Puente, Katherine Tompkins and Carly Triche. University: Heather Andrews Kathryn Bales, Elizabeth Black, Kelli Borbet, Rachel Brock, Georgia Cherry, Deborah Cramer, Claire Dorriet, Katherine Evans, Shari Feld, Dan Grinder, Lauren Harris, Katie Hoffmann, Al Killeffer, Caroline Kornegay, Lindsay Michel, Charlotte Murphy, Stephanie Newton, Stephanie Novak, Marta Ostrowski, Javaeria Qureshi, John Ramsey, Catherine Robbs, Jenny Ruby, Carly Salvadore, Kristie Spellman, Jacki Spies Lizzie Stewart and Erin Zureick. Editorial Production: Stacy Wynn, manager. Printing: Triangle Web. Distribution: Triangle Circulation Services Opinion ON THE DAY S NEWS “The Constitution is the sole source and guaranty of national freedom” CALVIN COOLIDGE, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT COMMENTARY We never should favor money above our childrens clean air On Monday, I breathed about 23,000 times. Today I expect to do the same. You’re probably right about there with me. We all do it. Breathing. That’s what’s at stake in a decision facing North Carolina regulators in the near future when the state’s Environmental Management Commission meets to respond to new federal regulations for power plants and other industries. These North Carolina officials face a choice: hold to state rules that use a more limited baseline for clean air standards, change regulations to match relaxed fed eral rules or modify state rules to accommodate some of the new federal standards. This decision could determine whether North Carolina’s air will grow cleaner or dirtier for years to come. It’s a decision that I hope we won’t each regret 23,000 times a day in the future. In North Carolina, we actually passed a nice piece of legislation in 2002 that targeted the state’s larg est polluters and required 14 aging coal-fired power plants to reduce emissions of key pollutants. At virtually the same time that North Carolina was working to improve its air quality, the federal government seemed to move in the opposite direction. The cur rent administration brought about new legislation parts of which were taken verbatim from energy industry memos to let old power plants upgrade operations without improving their pollution controls. Particulates coming from these coal-burning power plant stacks are among the leading culprits of global climate change, and pub lic health scientists increasingly point to them as a significant cause of asthma in children and respiratory ailments in adults. READERS 4 FORUM More support is needed for those with loved ones serving the country abroad TO THE EDITOR: On the forefront of the minds of many Americans is the war on terrorism —and in times of war, there are many victims. One population that is overlooked in the vibrant college community of Chapel Hill is the families and friends of the servicemen and seivicewomen fighting for our safety. My husband is a member of the U.S. military. He has been deployed and will be spending the next eight months in Iraq. I have been seeking help in dealing with the emotional issues caused by this separation within the University community of Chapel Hill. I have contacted the Department of Psychology’s clinic to inquire about its resources in dealing with students and community members experiencing separation anxiety related to the deployment of a loved one. I w£is informed that there are currently no trained psychologists that specialize in psycho therapy for students with this need. They also informed me that the clinic does not offer any support groups to those students struggling with the separation or loss of a loved one at war. I then contacted the University’s Counseling and Psychological Services, which offers free counseling to UNC students. I took advantage of this program and found it helpful to talk with a psychologist about my situation. However, I still see an urgent need for estab lishing strong support networks geared toward helping those with loved ones overseas cope with emotions such as anxiety, insomnia, excessive worry and a sense of loneness. Misty Benfield Senior Nursing EDITORIAL CARTOON : — 1 ■' Project Landmine is seeking support of more students for its upcoming event TO THE EDITOR: It’s hard trying not to be a Scrooge during the holidays. That’s why Project Landmine, a part of Advocates for Human Rights in the Campus Y, understands that sometimes you want to get something tEmgible in return for your money. During the first week of classes in January, Project Landmine will be in the Pit selling tickets for its Jan. 24 charity entertainment event, Minesweep 2005 —a night where campus dance and singing groups will come together to give you a great show. Tickets are only $5, and 100 percent of sales will go to Adopt-A-Minefield. This is a nonprofit affiliate of the United Nations that works toward land-mine cleanup overseas in countries where land mines are everywhere and money is scarce. The more people that are involved, the more successful we will be in eradicating the horrible land-mine crisis. Please e-mail Manisha Panjwani at mEinisha@email.unc.edu with any questions. Rebecca Rolfe Member Project Landmine Manisha Panjwani President Project Landmine TO SUBMIT A LETTER: The Daily Tar Heel welcomes reader comments. Letters to the editor should be no lon ger than 300 words and must be typed, double-spaced, dated and signed by no more than two people. Students should include their year, major and phone number. Faculty and staff should include their title, department and phone number. The DTH reserves the right to edit letters for space, clarity and vulgarity. Publication is not guaranteed. Bring letters to the DTH office at Suite 2409, Carolina Union, mail them to P.O. Box 3257, Chapel Hill, NC 27515 or e-mail them to editdesk@unc.edu. DAVID HAVLICK OVER THE HILL More than nine million U.S. children already suffer from asthma, and a growing amount of evidence suggests that air pollu tion is a critical factor. An October 2003 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that even when air quality meets existing U.S. standards, asthmatic kids tend to suffer from respiratory problems. This suggests that standards need to be strengthened further not weakened to protect our nation’s most vulnerable resi dents. These same types of power plants also contribute one third of all mercuiy emissions in the United States. Mercury con tamination, even in small doses, is known to cause birth defects, delayed mental function and an array of physical maladies in chil dren. It’s for good reason that Roy Cooper, North Carolina’s attorney general, recently announced plans to sue the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to force clean air standards on power plants in other states. Thanks to North Carolina’s “Clean Smokestacks” law, Duke Power and Progress Energy have been updating emission controls for their in-state power plants. The beneficial effects of this work already seem to be shining through even with increased urban sprawl and more Oltjp Mailg (Tor MM By Steven Oklesh, elven@email.unc.edu vehicle miles traveled in the state, North Carolina’s air quality has improved markedly during the past two summers. In fact, the state’s recent expe rience puts the lie to industry claims that air pollution upgrades will create undue hardships for a struggling economy. We not only can achieve this, but we ought to insist upon it. I have yet to meet a parent who would willingly sell his or her child’s ability to breathe in exchange for a slightly lower power bill. Some industry officials also seem to view the stricter state air regulations as a good thing. Bill Becker, the leader of an industry air pollution managers’ organiza tion, recently told The (Raleigh) News & Observer that stooping to the less protective federal rules would come as a setback to clean ing North Carolina’s air. If we ever pause long enough to notice, 23,000 times a day we should be reminded that we have no greater need and no more pre cious gift than that next gulp of clean air that brings us another moment of life. I hope that North Carolina offi cials take this to heart as they work through a complex tangle of air pollution regulations in the coming months and that they act in our collective best interest by approv ing the strongest protections avail able for our state’s air quality. As this comes as the final col umn for the semester, I’ll cast my best wishes for a clean and healthy year ahead as we head into the winter break. Thanks for reading and responding all semester l’ve enjoyed the conversation. Contact David. Havlick at havlick@email.unc.edu. Established 1893 111 years of editorialfreedom Mg ®ar www. dthonllne. som MICHELLE JARBOE EDITOR, 962-4086 OFFICE HOURS 11:30 A.M. -12:30 P.M. MON., WED. CHRIS COLETTA MANAGING EDITOR, 962-0750 NIKKI WERKING DEPUTY MANAGING EDITOR, 962-0750 ELLIOTT DUBE EDITORIAL PAGE EDITOR, 962-0750 EMILY STEEL UNIVERSITY EDITOR, 962-0372 RYAN C. TUCK CITY EDITOR, 962-4209 EMMA BURGIN STATE & NATIONAL EDITOR, 962-4103 JACOB KARABELL SPORTS EDITOR, 962-4710 KELLY OCHS FEATURES EDITOR, 962-4214 PHILIP MCFEE ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR. 962-4214 KATIE SCHWING COPY EDITOR. 962-4103 LAURA MORTON PHOTO EDITOR, 962-0750 RANDI DEMAGISTRIS NICOLE NEUMAN DESIGN EDITORS 962-0750 MARY JANE KATZ GRAPHICS EDITOR, 962-0750 BRANDON PARKER SPORTSATURDAY EDITOR, 962-4710 FEILDING CAGE ONLINE EDITOR, 962-0750 MATT HANSON PROJECTS TEAM LEADER, 962-0246
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