Newspapers / The Brunswick Beacon (Shallotte, … / Oct. 17, 1991, edition 1 / Page 5
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Letters To The Editor (Continued From Preceding Page) deal wiih feelings, thoughts, beliefs, auiludcs, values, habits. behavior and family life? The federal Match Amendment or Pupil Privacy Act, which Quest states in their workshop guidelxiok that they do not violate, says tluit psychological, psychiatric or person ality testing or treatment defined by this law u> be any activity not di rectly related to acadcmics which at tempts to determine or treat any of the above without prior informed written consent of a parent or guardian of a minor is forbidden. Also, all materials used are to be made available to parents. Since this is the case, why arc the probing, per sonal diary-like journals, "my reflec tions" they're called, which all chil dren taking A/A (Quest) arc required to write their feelings, thoughts, atti tudes, family life, etc. in? why are they required to write these personal things in them? Why docs the guidebook say Quest docs not do journal ing? And why arc the children instructed by the advisor/ teacher that these jour nals may not be brought home and must not leave teachers' possession? Guidebook also instructs teachers not to correct or grade grammar or spelling in these journals. Isn't that a strange instruction for a teacher? Why does the guidebook, in giving teacher instructions for dealing with a student trying to sabotage the class, call the student a saboteur? If Quest (SFA) is in total compli ance with state requirements and federal law, why did the N.C. State Board of Education remove it from the state's approved list of recom mended drug curriculums at their April 1991 meeting? We have a copy of these minutes and also a letter from Steve Hicks, chief consultant of the Department of Public Instruction, staling Quest was removed because it did not meet state stanilards. Jeff Cumbic told our local board of education at the September 1991 meeting that Quest would be rein stated on the state -approved list at the state school board's October 1991 meeting. This statement was based on information received from Steve Hicks. 1 and a friend attended that suite board of education meeting Oct. 2 and 3, all committee meetings and full board meeting. At no time was Quest (SFA) mentioned nor does it appear on the agenda. At great time, expense and trouble, we attended to hear for ourselves the presentation of Quest. However, alter these most en lightening two days, bclore leaving Raleigh we attempted to sec Steve Hicks. In view of the fact that there are several letters from the Department of Public Instruction, Mr. Hicks, plus the minutes from the April state board of education meeting, all of which have only confused the whole Quest issue further. I felt a brief visit could perhaps be helpful in answer ing some of our questions. Mr. Hicks refused to see us, even for two or three minutes. Wouldn't you think he'd want to speak to these concerns and put people's minds at ease? 'Hie workshop guidebook instructs that children who arc removed from Quest are to be given a profitable or positive alternative. Are the growing number of children at Shallouc Middle being provided with a posi Uvc alternative as is the child at South Brunswick Middle who was removed? ()r arc they being treated as though they're being pumslied kept hi the oil ice, a conference room and a counselor's office lorhidden U) talk t?r look around? And have they been told no class is going to be created lor them? I and many others salute and applaud them lor bringing iheir Bibles and reading them during this time even though they are for bidden to speak to one another. Isn't it interesting that 35 miles below us in Horry County in South ( antlina die county school board has ruled that it would probably violate the C onstituiion if the Gideons were allowed to give all fifth graders a Bible even if permission slips were sent home like sex education permis sion slips? And isn't it amazing that <5 miles above us in New Hanover County the rather lopsided committees ap pointed to review and recommend to the schixil board the sex education proposals and direction they should go would hardly even listen to and rcluscd to recommend anything that the three (two on one and one on one, two committees, 30 people to tal) the three people who were pro abstincncc-bascd education en dorsed. And isn't it really ironic that we're hearing more and more from folks who've just come from Russia that even the officials there are asking, begging, "Please bring Bibles and Christian literature, please go in our schools and tell our children about God and about Jesus. We have no hope, no faith, no values. They have no hope. Please bring them hope." Is it true that die time for A/A was taken from band, chorus, art and physical education? Is it more im portant to spend this ever-shrinking instructional time exploring and doc umenting our children's private feel ings and family life? Have the teach ers at Shallottc Middle been instruct ed that children for no reason are ev er to be allowed to miss A/A class? I have spoken directly to Quest International twice and was told by them dial there is a 1985 edition and a 1988 revised edition only. There is a at this time a drali of what will be published in Fcbruxiry or March as an insert into unit six. This consists ol lour pages, two sheets front and back, which do suite clearly the wrong and harmful no usage mes sage. 1 have a copy of this draft and all other documents, letters and books referred to herein. If the Quest material our children have been instructed from since '89 '90, 6th-8th grades, has been in total compliance, the question then is why is this insert necessary? And will it be sufficient to offset six other units which seek (o indoc trinate each child into believing that they have the right to decide for themselves about drugs, alcohol, smoking, sex, etc.; in other words to choose for themselves what Uieir own values will be? Having been re peatedly been led to examine and ponder their beliefs, feelings, values, family, ctc., and then further instruct ed to take risks and using decision making processes to make their own choices, is it any wonder that all available research, even Quest's own, shows a marked increase, as much as 40%, in involvement in drugs, alcohol, smoking ami sexual promiscuity, and, a greatly reduced perception *?? risk'' What else could be the result when 10- 14-year-olds are taught that as long as they go through the live-step decision-making process, that whatever their decision, it will be right tor them? A quote I mm the 1WX revised edition says, "Some teachers may not be comfortable teaching this kind of course, and we strongly recom mend that no one lie required to do so." Shouldn't this cause red llags to be raised by teachers and parents? What about our trusting, innocent children? Must they be required be cause of parental ignorance or misin formation to submit to this? 1>> the teachers of Brunswick County know that there is a federal Equal Em ployment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) ruling (IMX4) which clearly prohibits employers from requiring employees to be subjected to new age type training which would vio late their own beliefs; and that as de fined by this ruling, Quest employs many of these new-age techniques? Do the citi/ens of Brunswick County understand that "All it takes for evil to prevail is for good people to do nothing?" (Edmund Burke). Chairman Donna Baxter, speaking for our board ol education, said that since the board members had not re ceived a single phone call iri opposi tion to Quest and since they hail only heard positive comments, it would be continued this year in our schools. Perhaps some phone calls are in or der, and some visits to sch<x>ls, and some questions ol your own, and some more letters to editors, school board, central office . Department of Public Instruction, Steve hick, and even Lt. Gov. Jim Gardner who, when I asked if he was aware of Quest, assured me he was and would like any information regarding it. Quest (SEA) is now fully imple mented at Shallotte Middle and South Brunswick Middle with plans to shortly include 1. eland Middle and Waccamaw, grades ft X. 1 was not the only one, or one ol two, who raised questions and con cerns, with much information anil evidence, and asked lor answers ol our Brunswick County Board ol Education at the September 1991 meeting. There were at least 14 o til ers there also to voice the same con cerns. The "Hurry." Ms. Usher, is that there arc uxi many qucsuons which UK) many people don't want asked and for which they don't have answers. Take a lesson from the workshop guidebook, the page teaching effective listening (I'm not kidding? it's really there): "When listening to the speaker (Quest train er) accept what you hear even il you don't agree." Shades ol George Orwell. 19X4 and Animal Farm! 1 accept as highest acclaim the accusa tions of paranoia and McCanhyism, especially considering who they came from, and why, voicing con cerns and questions about our most precious heritage, our children. Quest (Skills for Adolescence) ft-X is still a rcmovcd-for-noi-mccting statc-rcquircmcnts-curriculum at this time and since the April 1991 state board of education meeting. Mrs. Janet Pope Shallotte Exchange Ideas Without Name-Callinq To the editor: Thank you for publishing my let ter Oct. 3, and thank you for publish ing Dr. Lee Langston's response Oct. 10. This is great. This is Amcrica at work; ideas being freely exchanged without name-calling or using smear words like McCarthyism. My letter was not in response to Dr. Langston's spccch. It was in re sponse to the article published in the Beat on Sept. 12 and he was quoted as using both smear words, McCarthyism and schizophrenia. Wortls like that upset me because I've heard them before. Once in Charlotte I was accused of being a VOTE WALLY AUSLEY YOUR MAYOR HOLDEN BEACH member of the KKK because I said I was not in favor of forced school busing. This kind of thing docs not belong in American society. I agree with Dr. Langston, our students and teachers arc responsi ble, but we must give them a better curriculum to work with, otherwise there will be no improvement. The good old days were when the average person could afford to go to the doctor and the hospital, buy a home instead of a trailer, and one person working with a average job could support their family. Yes, the gixxl old days did seem much better. I'm sure there are a lot of people in America who would shout if they could return. Mr. Editor I've had my last say concerning this matter. Call your next case. William H. Stanley Shallnltc W. A. And W. H. Not Same Stanley To the editor: The W. A. "Bill" Stanley who lives on the Bricklanding Road is not the W. 11. Stanley who has writ ten those letters to the editor in the newspaper. W. A. Bdl Stanley Rt. 9, Shallottc BEDLINER SALE COMPLETE BEDLINER FOR $199 ?FREE INSTALLATION ?FREE TAILGATE LINER WARRANTY INCLUDED g) 1 WEEK ONLY! While They Last! Damaged Or Used Bedliners FROM $99 1093 Hwy. 501 Bypass Conway, S.C. (803)347-6300, 448-9339 Buildings and Truck Covers PHOTO BY Bill FAVH SANDWICH TKKNS are often seen among Royal Terns on our beaches. Look For Surprises On The Beach IIY ItlM. FAVKR One ol the exciting things about spending some time on the beach is the possibility ol discovering something new. it can be a shell you haven't found before, or a piece of driftwood polished by the sea. or a species of bird you didn't expect to see. I was surprised last week when I discovered among the Royal Terns several birds with long black, ycllow-upped bills. They were a little smaller than the Royal Terns and somewhat larger than the Common Terns and we identified them as Sandwich Terns, formerly called Cabot's Terns. The guidebooks tells us these birds often are found with Royal Terns and even nest among them. Both arc regular summer residents of the Carolina coast. Sandwich Terns are long, narrow-winged, pale looking birds with a gray back and a black cap. The leathers at the back til the head are elongated and ap pear to be a crest. In winter the forehead becomes FAVKR white. These interesting terns are found along the Atlantic coast and on the European coast. They appear larther north in Europe because of the influence of the Gulf Stream. Their name comes from association with Sandwich, England and they carry the scientific name of Sterna Sundvicensis. Sandwich Terns often feed offshore and look for small fish, shrimp, marine worms, and squid. They are a fast and powerful bird when flying and are hard to distinguish from the Common Terns unless you can see the bills. The Royals have an orange-red bill with a black tip in summer and this bccomcs mostly dark in winter plumage. The best distinguishing mark of the Sandwich Tern is the black bill with its yellow up. The call of this interesting bird is a grating, rather loud "kirrik," "kirrik." Now is the lime to be on the lookout for these and other special birds along our coasts. Migration is under way and almost any day we can expect to find some surprises as we walk out on the beach. Keep your eyes open and look among the familiar gulls and terns to see if you can spot something new. It's fun! SOUTH WIND SIGNS CUSTOM PAINTED SIGNS ANY SIZE SPECIALIZING IN CUSTOM ELECTRIC SIGNS AND INSTALLATION & REPAIR 754-8439 HOLDEN [BEACH ROAD . THE CLOCK SHOP 2230 E. Dolphin Drive Long Beach. NC 28465 (919)278-3028 Buy ? Sell ? Repair ? Modern ? Antiques '.D. PUCKETT. Sr. '.A.W.C.C. 103377 House Caiis Case Repair Brunswick County Shriners are cookin' seafood for you at the Oyster Festival Here's the delicious menu... Roasted Oysters....3 10 serving Oyster Cocktails s5 Clam Chowder s3 bowi Shrimp Cocktail s4 Fried Flounder Plate s8 with slaw, hush puppies and tea Seafood Combo Platter..? 12 fried scallops, fried flounder, boiled shrimp, slaw, hush puppies and tea 'W aHUSf?W?C< Hf AOON Enjoy the festival and seafood by the area's best cooks Friday and Saturday, Oct. 18-19 at Seaside!
The Brunswick Beacon (Shallotte, N.C.)
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Oct. 17, 1991, edition 1
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