Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page. It is also available as plain text as well as XML.

"iBaitcock I ~ Serving USC Since 1908 J.T. Wagenheim, Editor in Chief Shayla Stutts, Viewpoints Editor EDITORIAL BOARD Jay King, Gordon Mantler, Rob Rodusky, Greg Perez, Carson Henderson Public schools / /li i n Zt A* i a 1 si s\ 4-1 4- ^ 4- ? i uicruiui Luid diiuuiu munvuit fjurtrus, administrators to utilize resources Though an educated public should be foremost in the minds of the state's citizens, taxpayers evidently are not pleased with the students that the state's public schools are producing. This doesn't have to be discouraging news. While the proposed tax rollback would create a staggering effect, it also makes a statement about exactly who should fund the education of everyone else's children. Educators and parents should feel motivated to search for a con cerned source of funding. Hf|> Imagine a society without public education. Children would grow up lwl< in more segregated school systems than ever before, learning to accept X only the familiar instead of expanding their comfort zones to, include those of different races and backgrounds. Hypothetically, people who couldn't receive private education would join the labor force or work at home. This is unlikely to happen in a atteni technological society. woul< In reality, state public schools might soon experience a severe cut of about $180 million. Although some parents have the luxury of removing their s^y a children from public schools and educating them privately, other par- AS ents do not. posiU As education leaders scramble to find replacement funding for ofde schools, the focus should be on the child, not political power and per- jc ^ sonal gain. The fragile gift of education requires some creative molding careei to meet the needs of a school and its students. religi According to Barry Moss, assistant to the associate dean of academic I a and student affairs at the USC College of Education, "Schools can have wjjat booster clubs to save money. They can turn off the air conditioning on profe weekends, have shorter school days and hours and work more around a str( the parents' schedules." have These types of changes could potentially improve parental involve- yOU a ment in educating children. Perhaps, the proposed funding cutback ps, could lead to positive changes in the academic and home lives of stu- a dents. Parents can cease the attitude that it is only the teacher's job to -p^is educate cmidren. weU For better or for worse, a large chunk of property owners are jubilant an(j \ about the proposed tax rollback. It isn't as simple as saying that public paren education is someone else's responsibility. jties? Now, we might have to look toward Finding educational support j a from the right sources. Such a quest would be indicative of the positive l0 jjs! changes that will ultimately benefit our childrens' intellectual and per- stilj sonal growth. had a Tax proposal to deny sr educational support ? The property tax cut proWays and Means Committee I remei chairman, brought elation from ttp| ' H and i many landowners across the know The plan would cut residen- left n tial property taxes in South Ye Carolina by an average of 50 fall ii percent to 60 percent, saving ? ? that s homeowners a good chunk of Wf money. be a| Everybody likes to have a lit- Anna tie extra money. That's under- exempt. The more land one man i ctonrldhlp Rut ic fhic nlfin rpollv .? - ? uu.IUW/>v. ^ui ?o owns, ine more one pays. Jt5e< the most practical or responsible And the wealthy tend to be I've I thing to do? Not at all. the ones with a lot of land. tionsl Even considering a plan that This is considered a progres- My would cut taxes for primary and sive tax and hence a more fair are bi secondary education by $180 tax. Those who are able to pay respoi million annually without more should pay more so the books proposing a way to make up the tax burden can be lifted some- classe lost revenue is irresponsible what off the middle class and Alt government, plain and simple. the poor. love Cutting that much money out What the Boan plan does is Waitii of the school budget should not cuts a progressive tax and either Thi even be an option. A state with raises the regressive tax or cuts waitir such an abysmal educational education. In other words, it is a system should only be thinking smoke screen to cut taxes for ^ a about increasing funding, not the wealthy, no matter who or order slashing it. what gets hurt in the process. stretcl Boan and other legislators Maintaining the public school musl | assure educators and the general system is not too important to The public that the money will be the wealthy since they usually Waitii made up somehow. I'll believe send their children to private uniqu' it when I see it. school anyway. They don't care nature But let's say the Legislature if the system loses its funding or does attempt to make up the lost if the middle and lower classes *ci wi revenue. It has many options. It have to struggle to keep the curcan cut the state budget by 6 rent funding intact. surviv percent, including higher educa- Don't ever think that the *Te tion, cut the non-education bud- Legislature is anything but the mm get by 9 percent or raise various friend of the wealthy. It is the so-called sin or flat taxes. bastion of the status quo and My guess is it will be the lat- win probably be for years to ter, which could mean a 6 cents come. sales tax or a ridiculously high Until the state's educated cigarette tax by 1995. people realize that voting for These types of taxes are con- conservative Republicans and sidered flat because they tax faux Democrats isn't the best everybody with the same per- for society or the individual, centage. However, Uiese taxes we'll continue to see inane are actually regressive, hitting plans such as Boan's proposed, the lower and middle classes and passed, harder than anybody else. Comparatively, those who Gordon Mantler is University have homes and land pay prop- Editor for The Garnecock. His erty taxes, while many of the column appears every other poor who don't own land are Wednesday. VffiWFQ] How should pr "In Charleston, we have the 1% optional sales tax. Also, a lottery would be ' fair because it is voluntary, whereas the sales tax hits everyone." ? ?* ?\ 1- - jeiimier Ljougneny Political Science senior aster Mindsituition beti y father knew which college I shoi 1. After college, he also knew which j< i be appropriate for me. He had opinit my choices of girlfriends. Dad was ne bout offering advice, college students, you are in the envia on of being able to make a great num cisions about your lives. There are acadt cisions, courses and majors. There r decisions. There are choices about mai on and lifestyle. im sure everyone has got an opinion you should do. Parents speak loudly; so ssors. Research shows that our friends h; mo imnart r?n rtpricinn malrino Yr?n \ a great number of people who will o! dvice and wisdom. >rchologists know parents and peers hi bility to influence your decision maki is appropriate. These people know ) and you have grown to trust their resp ove. Yet, how far should our friends < ts influence our own decision-making al ssert that as students in college, you n< ten to your own voice. Each person ha quiet voice within that guides day-to-< 'ior. Our parents, friends and teachers hi mple opportunity over the years to give 1 moral, political and social foundation, ns, we have good decision-making ab verless in Colum urviving tl ady to make the move back to campu; nbered to pack my toothbrush, alarm cl< ny young, fertile mind ready to acqi ledge. mehow, at the end of summer madnes: ty heart somewhere else, s, like many college students, I let my; i love with someone back home. And n omeone is hundreds of miles away, rile I start my second semester here, hi ttending the U.S. Naval Academy polis, Md. I said goodbye to my midsh it the end of June. :ause he left before the end of the sumir >een an old pro at this long-distance re lip situation for two months. ' summer is now officially over. Clas ick in full swing. I can feel the weight risibility for fall semester in the stack ? and syllabuses from this first week :S. >ng with that, because of my long-distai affair, I am a full-time contestant in i ng Game. is relationship will be based entirely ig for and wishing for the things I ca at the moment: a good-night kiss, a wi smile or a hug to let me know he cares, for this love to survive the 500-m ti between USC and the academy, we b< become masters of the Game. :re is no set of ground rules to play I tig Game because every relationship is e as the people involved. But as hum : dictates, my experiences might run par th yours. re are a few guidelines that might help y 'e long-distance love. rms of commitment. Every couple shoi TT T we want i The Gamecock er letters to the edito . some thought or if everyone know abc author to the Russe them. Keep in mil edit all letters for si NTS imary and secondary edu< "I'm in favor of the lot- "It should come I tery. Georgia just institut- alcohol, cigarette and ed the lottery and they've ury taxes. Boosting brought in millions of taxes will also be a c dollars to state-supported rent to abusing t schools. It is the most products; the tax wil cost effective method." two birds with one st( John Smith Jennifer Bre Business senior Student Perst Program gra< ter than 'unaski les, [__ of As a professor, I try to teach my students to do be critical thinkers. I ask them to evaluate evir ave dence, sift through alternatives, eliminate biases vill and reconsider their own preconceived ideas, ffer While I have ideas about specific career choices, they are my ideas. While I may espouse ave a particular political, social, religious or psychong. logical view, they are my views. I have a right nnrl rQP?r*noiUll?*ii ?k ??.. iuu unvj iv,3pv7iioiLniii^ iu siuut uiciu wiui my mu ect dents. My students have a right and responsibiliind ty to consider, reject or accept these ideas, bil- Research shows that you are at a vulnerable time in your lives. During the college years, key ;ed decisions are made. Interestingly, men and s a women arrive at these decisions differently, lay Psychological research shows that women more ive than men are likely to let others make those us decisions for them. As In addition^ many..women see, .the world from ili- a male point of view; they evaluate their successes and choices by traditional male standards. ibia? le long-distant >, I ? xk r e'll in make their own policy. In my relationship, I made a promise to him and to myself that I ier would not put myself in a situation I couldn't ,|a_' handle. We promised to be honest with each other, ses even when we know it will hurt. Set some rules 0f now. If you haven't done so, start over, or else 0f you might already be a loser in the Game. Knowing the terms of commitment puts you one MCJJ (U1CUU. Dream loving. Most of the time I spend with him will be in fantasy. Don't deny yourself the opportunity to dream about the days when on you'll be together or reminisce about the days n?t and nights that have passed. 'Unfounded fears. These moments will come, ln and when they do, depression will set in. I find myself wondering if he'll develop a fondness ^ for women in combat boots just because they're not 500 miles away. ^ When I go out with my friends on the week^ end, I wonder if he'll stay in his room to study. ian This is wishful thinking. If I write to him about al_ the wonderful time that I'm trying to have without him, will he understand that I'm just trying ou to avoid the pain? Does he really want this? Is it worth all the trouble? Will he question this relajld tionship as much as I will? Am I worrying too 4 to know what) icourages all students, faculty r. If something concerns or uf you just want to get somethin] >ut it. All letters must be person; ill House room 321 and we'll dc id though that The Gamecock i :yle and try to keep them to 250 :ation be funded? trom An optional sales tax is lux- not desirable but definitethose ly inevitable. Schools leter- already have too many hose constraints on their bud1 kill gets." me." i DeWayne Cash iner Spanish Education innel graduate Juate ed-for' advice Thus, for those who do so, "Big is better; power is important; and the person who dies with the most toys wins." Every student, but especially women, needs to listen to his or her own voice. You have had years of experiences that will help you do the right thing. Where you are unsure, seek out the advice ol trusted people in your lives such as professors, clergy, friends and parents. But then, listen to that still, small voice that resides within, and follow your own calling. If you do not, you will find that happiness always lies too far away. My dad was full of good advice," most of which I rejected. Later, I came to conclude that he was often right. Today, I offer advice to my children on a regular basis. I teach, preach and instruct USC students daily. And yet, 1 believe that my children and my students wilj all ultimately do the right thing regardless of my advice. And here 1 am telling you how to think about your own thoughts. But, listen to me anyway. Lester A. Lefton is a professor of psychology. He chairs the psychology department, is an award-winning teacher, has written dozens of research articles and books. His course, Psychology 101, is one of the more popular courses on campus. :e love game much? Don't I have a French quiz in lite morning? Reality check. My first and foremost role here at USC is that of a student, not a long-distance girlfriend. My schedule lists 18 hours of classwork. There's just not enough time in die day to spend worrying. Academic probation on my permanent record is too high a price to pay for someone I'll see only four or five months of the year. Until I master the Game, I'll have trivial mattf?rc ac tnu /%r\ncr>lf?tirvn nri;pc I pKnco In IVIJ UO J VV/IIOV/IUUVII I'll'^vo i/VVUUOC A V/llV'Jv IV/ play along. Take Mailbox Lottery as an example. Everyday alter 5 p.m., I'll turn the dial, hokl my breath and pray that a letter from him is tucked between the cobwebs. The same anxiety occurs with the answering machine: did he leave a message, or was that my roommate's sister calling? Or the Rude Awakening. His picture stands beside my bed. It is one of him at "the Yard" in his ill-fitting whites. He's a world away from me, and every morning I realize that. Every morning I miss him. To succeed in the Game where others have failed, think positively, for in the event of a breakup, you should be proud that you do have your own life without him. I plan to take advantage of opportunities for myself such as activities, parties and time with friends. I would be fioreed to snrrifirp thecp if I try>nl everv moment thinking about him. To succeed in the Game, focus on the wonderful possibilities of your own life. Dora Devera is a columnist for The Gamecock. 'ou think! and staff to write )sets you, provokes g off your chest, let illy delivered by the ) our best to publish reserves the right to words.