A Better REGION 8

Misusing Cell Phones at School

Much to the chagrin of teachers and administrators fighting between students at school has been going on as long as any of us can remember.   But in this new technological age, we have a new element that has to be addressed.  Students with video-ready cell phones have started recording fights with their cell phones and posting them on-line.  A quick search of You Tube yields thousands of such postings.  In fact, it is obvious that many of the fights happen for the benefit of the camera. Now I have a hard time understanding why a student would need a cell phone at school to begin with and I know that there are legitimate reasons for some.  But let's be honest.  For most kids, having a cell phone is a luxury.  And that luxury is being abused all across this country.  Parents, if your child has a video ready cell phone, then monitor the images they are capturing.  School administrators must also step up to write or enforce policies that address the use of cell phones on campus.  Many districts have policies addressing use but they now have to address the misuse of cell phones on campus.  Our children are at school to get a classroom education, not to become bloodied internet stars.  While we are all proud of our young people and their ability to embrace technology, some have gone too far. This new show and tell world has many benefits and pitfalls. Teaching and guiding our children through it as parents and educators will make this A Better Region 8.

A Better REGION 8 - Cell Phone Misuse in Schools

From the Better REGION 8 Mailbag

I realize I’m not the only guy in Region 8 that has an opinion. And from time to time I like to share the opinions our viewers share with us. Recently I did a couple of editorials on allowing concealed carry weapons in church. Here is what M.G.  Tate had to say on the subject:

Guns have no place in churches! If an event occurs as did in Maryville, Illinois the best anyone could do is react. This would not prevent the initial violence. If several law abiding gun carrying citizens react by pulling out their guns and begin firing, how many more innocent people might be hurt or killed? Perhaps a metal detector and a security guard at all entrances would be a better choice.

Mike Todd offered this opinion:

I wouldn't go to a church that arms the congregation. Let's remember the legal permit-holding man in Memphis that shot another man over a parking spot! An armed society is not necessarily a safer one. I don't want a bunch of gunslingers shooting it out in church where my children and grandchildren sit. This is an isolated incident that shouldn't cause us to react. What about those of us who don't own guns. Should we bring our bows and arrows?

Well, Mike, looks like you can keep your archery set at home. That measure recently died in the state senate.

If you have an opinion, please feel free to send it to me at abetterregion8@kait8.com.

A Better Region 8 - From the Mailbag

Rewarding Good Teachers

President Barack Obama has said it's time to start rewarding good teachers and stop making excuses for bad ones. The President went on to say that he favors merit pay for teachers. This would mean treating teachers like the professionals they are, while also holding them more accountable. I think we all can agree that’s a great idea. Good teachers should be rewarded and bad teachers should be shown the door. The future of our region and our nation rests in the hands of our teachers. If they do a good job, our children will be well equipped to lead our nation in the generations to come. If teachers do a bad job, we will all suffer the consequences.  But here is the tough question- how do you judge a good teacher? It has to be based on more than student test scores. Just because a student performs well on a test, doesn't mean they have developed into a well educated person. No doubt testing needs to be part of the equation, but other performance factors will need to be considered as well. And, while I appreciate the president’s comments on the matter, we need more than just sound bites. We need leadership. And not just leadership from government. We need leadership from parents and students. If your child has benefitted from the skills of a good teacher, let your school know about it. That kind of teaching doesn’t show up on a multiple choice test. Principals and Superintendents need to know when a special teacher has had a positive effect on a student’s life. Your interaction will help them define the qualities of a great teacher and it will make this a Better Region 8.       

A Better REGION 8 - Rewarding Good Teachers

Guest Editorial- Dr. Matt Garner on Colon Cancer Awareness

March is National Colon Cancer Awareness Month.

What better time for us to join the Northeast Arkansas Colon Cancer Coalition in helping raise awareness in Region 8 about colon cancer.

There is good news and bad news about colon cancer. First the bad: Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States. Statistics show that in 2002 more than 56,000 Americans died of colon cancer. In Arkansas over 1700 people were diagnosed with colon cancer in 2008.  That’s over 4 a day!

 The good news is: Colon cancer is one of the most preventable cancers.

As a matter of fact, a recent study suggests that 90 percent of colon cancer deaths can be prevented with periodic colonoscopies. That’s right … nine out of 10 colon cancer deaths can be prevented. And all it takes is regular examination.

Americans have about a one in six chance of developing colon cancer, with most cancers beginning as small, noncancerous clumps of cells called polyps. Over time, some polyps can become colon cancers. But regular screening lets your doctor identify polyps and remove them before they become cancerous.

The test is pretty straight forward … a colonoscopy … and it’s done by a physician who specializes in diseases of the digestive system. It allows him to look at the lining of the large intestine using a flexible scope equipped with a tiny camera during an exam done under light anesthesia. It is painless to the patient.

Regular colon cancer screenings – colonoscopies – should begin for most people at age 50 and be repeated as recommended by your physician.

Between 2002 and 2004 there were there were 363 people in Northeast Arkansas who died of colon cancer. If we apply the nine-out-of-10 rule, that means 325 of those deaths could have been prevented with proper screenings.

Consider that … then talk with your doctor to schedule a screening.

It WILL make for a Better Region 8.

Spend the Money on Students

Each year Arkansas school districts are required by law to publish their performance reports in Arkansas newspapers. Representative Monty Betts of Searcy, a former school superintendent, has authored a bill, HB 1554,  that would remove the publishing requirement and would instead allow school districts to  publish the report on their websites. The bill has been passed in the House and is in committee in the Senate. Now, some folks in the newspaper business don’t believe passing this bill is the right thing to do. A recent editorial in the Jonesboro Sun alleged that this was an attempt to hide what school districts do from the general public. That allegation is ridiculous.  You see, some newspapers, not many, publish these required notices at little or no charge. That’s the way it should be. But some other newspapers are charging exorbitant rates,  I’ve been told as high as $2500, to publish this information. That means that some newspapers are lining up at the public trough and feeding heartily on your taxpayer dollars. When you realize that we have 250 school districts in the state of Arkansas, that’s a lot of money  and it’s not right. Publishing these reports on the internet makes sense. It makes them available to everyone, including the media for publication or broadcast,  24 hours a day- 7 days a week. And I’ll make this promise to every superintendent in Region 8- send us your performance reports and we will publish them on kait8.com free of charge. Folks,  Passage of HB 1554 is the smart thing to do. It allows our school systems to save thousands of dollars in unnecessary newspaper charges which can then be spent on textbooks, computers, band instruments or whatever is necessary to provide a well rounded education to the children of Arkansas It will put your education dollars to work as they were intended, educating children, and it will make this a Better Region 8.

A Better REGION 8 - Spend the Money on Students

Ethical Treatment of Animals or Grandstanding?

In the last week you have seen several stories about the abuse and neglect of a house full of animals in Hardy. Over forty animals were abandoned and left to fend for themselves. It was a horrible thing to see.  Some of the animals survived. Many did not. Whether you are an animal lover or not, we all owe a debt of gratitude to Northeast Arkansans for Animals for stepping up and helping save those that could be saved. This local non-profit group is not affiliated with any national organization and fights long odds to do the very best they can for our animals. To everyone associated with NAFA…Thank you for your efforts.

 

On a related note I was not surprised to hear that a national animal rights organization- People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, or PETA- was also in Region 8 this week.  However, I was surprised that they didn’t seemed to be too concerned about the ethical treatment of animals in Region 8. Instead, they spent their time standing in front of a KFC to protest, of all things,  fried chicken. I felt it was a little inappropriate. The KFC franchise they protested is a locally owned franchise. A local business just trying to do the best that they can do. They are in the food business. These PETA folks need to understand most chickens are not raised as pets, they are raised as food and we all subsist on food. Some of us even eat fried chicken. PETA needs to quit focusing on the food supply and start focusing on serious animal abuse. If anyone from PETA is reading this right now, stop worrying about  making headlines, and help make this a Better Region 8.

A Better REGION 8 - Ethical Treatment of Animals

On Guns in Church

27 year old Terry Sedlacek allegedly walked down the center aisle of the First Baptist Church in Maryville, Illinois Sunday morning, exchanged words with Reverend Fred Winters, then pulled out a .45 caliber pistol and shot him through the heart. The story is unsettling. By all accounts Reverend Winters was a good man and an outstanding minister. His congregation and his entire community mourns his loss.  

Three weeks ago as the state legislature considered rescinding the law prohibiting concealed weapons in Arkansas churches, I shared my opinions and stated that I don’t believe guns belong in church. Many took me to task on that commentary including Garry from Bay who had this to say:

“I don't know what the guys name is who gives commentary at the end of some programs, but he needs to read this and explain why he feels law abiding citizens should NOT be able to defend themselves in church. A pastor is dead and two more were injured, one critically, because nobody had a gun EXCEPT THE BAD GUY!. Life or death decisions like his causes innocent defenseless people to die. What if anything does he propose to do in a circumstance such as this? Throw a hymnal at him?  “

There are advocates for carrying guns in church that surely feel the same as Garry does about my opinion. And it would be a lie to tell you that I haven’t thought a lot about that since Sunday morning. I went to the internet looking for information about guns in church. I didn’t find many proponents but I did find a website called churchsafety.com. This site offered several good ideas for protecting your congregation including violence response teams, increased security measures and armed security. I would encourage all church leaders to visit this site.

Despite what some might say, there is no magic solution for eliminating murderous violence. In a free, open society, where we all live with some degree of mutual trust and a belief to do no harm, there is no reliable way of preemptively stopping someone intent on harming others. While my opinion may have waivered it has not changed.  Putting a pistol in every pew is not the answer and it will not make this a Better Region 8.

A Better REGION 8 - On Guns in Church

There Ought to be a Law II - Legislator Takes Action

A month ago I stood here and praised the residents of Region 8 who collectively rose to the occasion to provide service and relief to their neighbors. I also addressed those who responded poorly to the situation and pointed out that we had experienced a rise in criminal activity. And I asked you to contact your Legislators and demand that a law be enacted that increases the punishment for criminal activity during a declared disaster. Well you responded and Region 8 you have been heard in Little Rock. Representative Ray Kidd of Jonesboro has authored legislation that will do just what we asked. The Private Property Protection Act will enhance the penalties for theft in any declared disaster area. It will provide a necessary deterrent for criminal activity and if the criminals are not deterred, they will face stiffer sentences. This bill is currently before the House Judiciary Committee and will need more support if it is to become law. So I will ask you once again to contact your state senators and representatives and urge them to support The Private Property Protection Act. I would also like to take a moment to thank Ray Kidd and the many others who have worked on this bill. Your actions will make our state and Region 8 a better place.

A Better REGION 8 - There Ought to be a Law II

Taking the Stimulus Plan Personally

I truly believe that all Americans are on the edge of their seats waiting to see if the Obama Stimulus Plan will get the economy moving again.  While we hear about new initiatives almost every day, so far the plan has focused primarily on bank lending practices, homeowner benefits and the personal credit crisis.  The first two items are largely in the hands of the government. However, the personal credit situation is something we can all have impact on.  For more than a decade, America has been driven by the belief that the economy will always grow and that we should consume all that we can because there was no risk of things slowing.  How wrong we all were.  Currently the majority of Americans have some measure of fear when it comes to the future.  So we have gotten ourselves into this mess, now what can we do to get out?  First of all, don’t wait on the government to fix everything. Take responsibility for your actions and spend wisely.  Have a plan that respects your financial resources.  Next, set a good table for the future with smart, conservative investing.  Get rich quick schemes are largely that – schemes that will help someone else get rich quick at your expense. Additionally, you can prepare for the future by examining your credit report.  There is a federal law that allows you free access to your credit report once per year.  Check yours out.  Know what lenders know about you and work diligently to improve your personal financial situation.  Taking charge of your finances and adding some personal responsibility will make our nation stronger and will make this a Better Region 8.

A Better Region 8 - Taking the Stimulus Plan Personally