Readers Write 11/4

HEALTH CARE

Access to right tests could cut death rates

I am deeply concerned by “Lawmakers may revisit state health care insurance mandates” (ajc.com, Oct. 22), which questioned the value of the critical patient protections now offered under Georgia law.

The American Cancer Society is not changing its cancer screening guidelines, and we continue to support existing Georgia laws that guarantee insurance coverage for certain medical tests and procedures.

Laws that guarantee health benefits save lives by ensuring access to critical cancer screening tests such as mammography, colonoscopy and Pap tests, as well as cutting-edge clinical trials. Scientific evidence shows that access to appropriate use of these screening tests could reduce certain cancer death rates significantly.

John R. Seffrin, CEO of the American Cancer Society, and American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network

EDUCATION

Support programs
to help Latino children

Edward Schumacher-Matos wrote a guest column entitle “Scary Trend for Some Immigrant Kids” (Opinion, Oct. 30). In this article he stated that the Mexican-Americans have fallen behind other immigrant groups in terms of crime, school dropout rate and teen pregnancy. He failed to mention that in Georgia the Latino dropout rate is the highest in the nation.

What a staggering implication this dropout rate has for our country, and for our state, as the Latinos are the fastest-growing group of immigrants in this country. There is only one answer for the Latinos who are being left behind, and that is education. For the past 10 years, Los Niños Primero, “Children First” has been preparing at-risk Latino children and their parents to participate and reap the benefits of public education. Support programs such as this one so that we can begin to give Latino children the added boost needed to compete academically in the schools.

Martha Barrios Mead, Co-chair, Los Niños Primero

STATE PARKS

Jekyll Island coverage
is greatly appreciated

I have been a subscriber to the AJC for many years. The main reason I continue to support the newspaper is your continued commitment to good investigative reporting.

Although the op-ed piece by Babs McDonald (“Jekyll giveaway robs our state jewel,” Opinion, Oct. 23) does not, strictly speaking, come under that description, your willingness to air stories about possible wrongdoing is greatly appreciated.

The press and the media that keep a sharp eye on government and corporate power are essential to the success of a democracy. Please keep running stories about the Jekyll Island situation as you have in the past. If we allow Jekyll Island to be stolen from us, it will be our shame.

Roberta Sedam, Atlanta

STATE PARKS

Perdue’s buddies get
too much favoritism

“Jekyll giveaway robs our state jewel” is dead on! The preferential treatment given to Gov. Perdue’s buddies, LLC, is unconscionable. The JIA has ignored the principles of good business and good governance, in order to make a deal that would make Chicago politicians blush. Bottom line be damned!

Howard Sculthorpe, Jekyll Island