ENVIRONMENT
So glad Johns Creek is fighting trash on stilts
Regarding “Cities brace for billboards” (Metro, July 18), three cheers for Johns Creek for not wanting 31 billboards to destroy its neighborhoods.
Take a good, hard look at the Buckhead Village area. There are so many billboards that you can barely see the buildings. I have never found anyone who wants or loves this trash on stilts. They only make neighborhoods ugly and are distracting to drivers.
I say, fight against these billboards, and let your leaders know that you do not want your neighborhood ruined. Do this today — before your area looks like Buckhead, from Roswell Road to Sandy Springs.
Carol Muldawer, Atlanta
EDUCATION
Healthy environment at home is mandatory
Let’s look at and accept reality. For a student to learn, improve and achieve, there are elements that must be in place. Along with the school system in which a student is enrolled, effective parental input and involvement must be a part of the formula. With 20-plus years of experience as a clinical social worker in the Atlanta Public Schools system, you bet I know the ingredients that must exist as we assist in the development of successful students.
A well-trained teacher is certainly a major part of the formula, but let us not forget about parental input and the home environment. Parental interest, reinforcement and support of the student’s learning are all integral parts of successful performance and achievement. A healthy home environment is a must.
Cheating is wrong, but good teaching and parental involvement must be in place. Teaching involves academics and positive behavior patterns. Delivering this kind of role model must be the joint responsibility of the parent and teacher.
Claire Crooks-Harrison, Atlanta
DEFICIT
Why not furlough some of the federal employees?
According to the president and the news media, the result of not increasing the debt ceiling may result in (possibly) not sending Social Security checks, not paying our military, etc.
For several years now, state and local governments have compensated for lower revenues by furloughing teachers, police, firemen and others. Why has the administration not mentioned furloughing the U.S. Department of Education, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and others for a couple of weeks? I’m sure we could come up with a few dollars to pay our military and retirees.
Bill Cembor, Sandy Springs
RELIGION
Don’t forget other side of ‘In God We Trust’
Regarding “License plate vote to be borne again” (News, July 16), with all due respect for Scott Madigan’s comment that our country was founded on religious principles, I hope he doesn’t forget that it also was founded on the principles of separation of church and state (as well as respect for diverse points of view). Optional IGWT stickers achieve an admittedly imperfect balance among competing principles. That’s the nature of compromise — which is in the best interest of civil society if it expects to remain civil.
Pete Kraus, Lilburn
