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EL UVALDE TIMES
November 9,1991
This I Have To Say
By Olga M. Rodriquez
Lord I am thankful for my health, for my husband and daughter and the memory of my beautiful son in heaven, for my family and my friends.. May your Thanksgiving Day be a joyous and safe one. Let us give thanks for the community we work for. Lets accept the challenges each day brings with the hope that God will always see us through.
The inspiration from others....
This little newspaper is made possible because of the stubbornness of this editor. It is the same kind of stubbornness I see in so many businesses people I visit. Day after day I know they struggle to make ends meet, not just economically, but in finding all the energy required to keep up with family and business demands at the same time. I am inspired by so many of my friends that have had disappointments, set backs, road blocks of one kind or another, and still keep on going. When my newspaper has typographical or grammatical errors, I wish I could take every copy back and start all over. In retrospect, however, I see that as a lesson to accept myself despite my faults. There are some things we just can't do anything about and all we can do is keep on trying. Thank you, Lord for all those inspirations out there that keep me g0ing;	l • vju ■
What 's right is right and what's wrong is wrong...
I truly believe that the students in Mrs. Mesko’s chemistry class have been wronged. They need chemistry^to go to college. Many of the students arc taking honors courses and maintaining good grades. Mrs. Mesko should have worked with the parents and students to create a true learning environment. She should have notified parents of their possible failing at the three weeks time. To read my niece’s (Sandra Romo) account of her excitement in her debate class with Ms. Karen Kolinck , (see page 7) I see such a contrast from one teacher and another! Let us hope this matter will be resolved quickly and fairly to the benefit of all concerned. Parents beware of false grades.
Its the knowledge that counts!
An "A" or "B” on your child’s report card may be as phony as a counterfeit dollar. A grade point average may be a manipulated one, so even being named Valedictorian or Salutatorian may be a matter of some teacher’s opinion, not actual academic achievement. Don’t wait until your child leaves high school to become angry at how our children are being taught in Uvalde.
We need effective, dedicated leadership
All parents in Uvalde should start lobbying right here and now and insist that the school board hires the next superintendent based on true and proven qualifications. We need to change this ’’country club’’ environment we seem to have inherited from many, many years ago and keep only those qualified and dedicated individuals who deserve to be paid $60,000, $50,000 and $40,0000 to work in our central office. We need a superintendent who will be an excellent role model for his subordinates-one who really cares what the community thinks about his work, and one who really cares about the students, the parents and his employers-the taxpayers. One who cares that today’s education will provide us with tomorrow's leaders.
The Jail Issue....
The issue with the jail is a complex one. Conditions inside the jail, I have been assured, arc deplorable and dangerous. Mr. Vasqucz' intentions to put the issue to a vote created tremendous voter response, but it seems to me that the bottom line is tha the majority voted against it is because they do not want to pay higher taxes. Let us hope that the outcome of the election will not work against us in the near future. Once lesson is learned, I believe, and that is that we have to try to pull the community together rather than work in all different directions.
The complaints against Mr. Walkings were unfair....
My opinion on the complaints against principal Gayle Watkins is that they arc unfounded. 62 staff employees put their name on a proclamation of admiration for the enthusiasm and dedication that Mr. Watkins had created , not only for the students but for the teachers as well. I came away saddened by the state of affairs when the privilege of going before the school board was turned into a presentation of unfounded allegations. If Mr. Luevano had
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Chemistry Students Should Be Re-taught and Re-tested
” The most horrifying thing is that there have been many victims...(all) those who have were cheated (of learning) in previous years. ”
Nothing is harder than fighting the established tradition, and nothing makes you more angry than realizing that your child has been wronged. Wronged, not just in grade, but in lessons not learned.
Large numbers of children failed chemistry last six weeks; but even larger numbers barely passed. This was all done without notification to student or parent at three weeks or a re-tcach ever having been done. All that is asked of the school system, by the parents, is that the problem be corrected by reteaching and re-testing these students. This would be done so the students could learn chemistry. We have been told over and over again "that's just not possible". As of today, October 15, 1991; no one within the "system" wants to do anything about the obvious nolearn situation. We have been
Parent requests action on speed
violators on First Street
Street is popular route for young speedsters
Dear Editor:
I live on 106 N. First St and I am very concerned about the traffic violations on my street. A few months ago there was an accident here due to excessive speed. I was a witness to the accident and I stated that the young lady from Del Rio had made a yield as she was heading south and was turning east to the alley behind the Pizza Hut. The other young man had taken off from the Pizza Hut going north.
dismissed as parents who have interest only in football, band, or any of the other extra activities that have been altered by this. It seems inconceivable to those in the central office that we are interested in how much or how little our children have learned. They have told us all about numbers and percentages, you know, all the state rules; but no one will discuss re-teaching the children what they should have learned the first six weeks. They seem to much prefer the septic method of grade altering.
Yes, fighting the "system: is no fun. You find out really fast who your friends are. Who controls the system, and who the system controls. These things we expected to find, but the most horrifying thing we found was, other victims. Those who were cheated in previous years. Those who never came forward, or came forward and were rebuffed by the
Still, the police woman gave the ticket to the girl instead of the young man.
At that time I also told the police woman (that investigated the accident) that nearly everyone that leaves the Pizza Hut, heading north or south on First Street always take off very fast. The answer she gave me made very mad because she stated that the reason they need to go very fast is because there is a
"system". Possibly some didn’t realize they were cheated until several years later, when at some university they found how very little they had been taught.
The real victims here are the children who have been overlooked in all the "fairness" that has been so freely handed out. Once school board member reminded me that even teachers who make mistakes have to pay bills and make a living, so we must not not judge hastily. I surely hope he doesn't' choose his physician by how hungry he looks. However if he does, I hope that "in all fairness" he can overlook the life changing and damaging mistakes that occur.
Yours truly,
A parent trying to be involved in her child's education.
Joyce Wright
small hill and the people arc trying to make it over the hill! I believe that everyone should be concerned about children that are at play or walking by.
I asked her what I had to do to speak to someone about having a speed bump or a sign stating that children are at play. She stated that I could talk to the City but that she doubted that they would do anything about it because she
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EL UVALDE TIMES
El Uvalde Times is published monthly on the second Saturday of each month at 231 S. Getty, Uvalde, Tx 78801. Deadline for news is a week before publication date.
El Uvalde Times se publica mensualmente en el segundo Sabado de cada mes en 231 S. Getty, Uvalde, Tx 78801. El ultimo dia para recibir noticias es una semana antes del sabado de publicación.
Pubhsher/Editor: Olga Muñoz Rodriquez Business Manager: Maria Elena Gonzales
Photographer: Ricardo Flores
Contributing Writers:
Jane Chavez	Richard O. Gonzales, Attorney Ricardo Flores	Gracie Romo
Geronimo "Jerry" Chavez	Alejandro Perez Alfredo R. Santos
Original articles appearing in this newspaper are the property of El Uvalde Times and should not be reprinted without the consent of the publisher. Errors or omissions will be prompity corrected in the next publication when brought our attention.
231 S. Getty St., Uvalde,Tx 78801 512 278-6007
'San Antonio: P.O, Box 691701, San Antonio,Tx 78269-1701