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Tuesday, December 03, 1996     Page: 2A

Say so
   
I would just like to call and report how disappointed I am with the
supervision of the Dallas Senior High School. Not only did we have the recent
mercury spill, we had sexual harassment by football players of our
cheerleaders. … We (also) had a 10th grade boy beaten up in front of the
school office by a football player and another 12th grade student. Things are
out of control at the Dallas Senior High School. Please parents and taxpayers
speak up. We have got to get someone in there that can organize and discipline
and organize that school. Please help us get some organization and supervision
up there. Things are out of control.
    Editor’s note: A report on the injury was filed with Dallas Township
police. The victim suffered head injuries and was taken to Mercy Hospital.
This call triggered a story about the injury that was planned for today’s
paper.
   
I’m glad the president is sending relief workers and troops to Zaire. I
think it’s the right thing to do.
   
I was very pleased to read Judge Toole step down as president judge.
However, I would be more pleased if he resigned.
   
Yes, this is in reference to the mercury contamination at the Dallas High
School and the editorial in The Times Leader defending the actions of the
school administration. The article in The Times Leader documenting a similar
contamination in Kansas shows what can be accomplished if you have competent
administrators. In Kansas they acted quickly, did not endanger the health of
… students. In Dallas, administrators’ incompetence … endangered the
health of the infants and students. In addition, I feel The Times Leader
editorial board did a disservice to the community by trying to make excuses
for the incompetence of the Dallas administration. Both of them should
apologize to the Dallas community. And if the Dallas administration is not
prosecuted for reckless endangerment, they should at least be looking for new
jobs.
   
I would like to know how you decide which story is put on the front page
and what story is buried on the obituary page. On (a recent) paper, on the
front page, you write about the defeated politician (Tom) Stish, and his job
prospects. On the obituary page you have an important story about Social
Security being put at the mercy of Wall Street, privatizing it. We must not
forget, before 1929 there was no Social Security. It was privatized, and there
was the worst stock market crash in history. Shall we put senior citizens at
the risk of a volatile stock market? No. That should be covered prominently on
the front page, and you should pay more attention to this.
   
Editor’s note: Placement of stories is a judgment call. Several editors
contribute to the process. The goal is to predict what will interest and
inform readers.
   
Myself … and most of my neighbors, would be glad to pay the $12 to $17
more a year taxes to keep our police officers full-time on our street. And I
don’t think that the police are (wrong) in giving Mr. McGroarty a ticket. If
he was illegally parked, he should get one, and if he thinks he got one
because they were (wrong), then obviously he thinks, that even though he was
illegally parked, they should have let him go. I think Mr. McGroarty should
stop playing little Caesar.