A shame if school pride causes community to overlook board member’s message
To the Editor:
In the recent discussion generated by the comments of School Board member John Gregg it seems there is a crucial point being overlooked. It is true that there are already a number of great things about Lawrence Township Public Schools, in general, and Lawrence High School, in particular, there is also room for improvement. Because there are a number of existing programs that are of high quality is not a reason to stop striving for excellence in all areas.
It is not the role of the School Board to simply trumpet the successes of the school system. Citing a list of the recent highest achievements does nothing to undermine the basic point that there are a number of ways that our schools could be better. We elect the School Board to represent our concerns and us. To do their job well School Board members need to think critically about the school system, to focus on areas where there is room for improvement. I believe that was John Gregg’s intent in his statement about what makes a great school. It is unfortunate that the tone of his comments, and narrow focus on external measures of academic success, came off as offensive to some, and it is true that success in school takes many forms for children of different talents and abilities. But even so, as a community we should aspire for greatness in our public schools, and we should actively seek ways to improve the education that we offer our children.
I am not an expert on all the needs within the school system, but for 13 years I have had children in the system, and I have an idea of where some weaknesses lie. Lawrence High School offers some AP classes, for which my children are grateful. But from College Board statistics I found on the Web I see that students at Lawrence High School took AP exams in 13 subjects in 2005-2006, while in Hopewell the number of exams taken was 22, and in Princeton and West Windsor 24. Why should our students have fewer opportunities to take AP classes than students in neighboring communities? I note that at present there is no AP class offered in any of the foreign languages taught at Lawrence High School.
I have also heard that teachers at Lawrence High have been given additional administrative responsibilities over the past year, and that this added burden has inspired some teachers to seek positions elsewhere. The influence that a great teacher has on a child’s education cannot be underestimated. If administrative burdens will start driving good teachers away then we need to find alternative ways to relieve those burdens, so we can keep the best teachers in the classroom teaching our children.
It would be a shame if, in a wave of school pride, the community overlooked the basic idea that John Gregg was putting forward that we should aspire to a great school system, and we should pursue that goal by examining areas where we can do better. Why should any of us object to that?
Marian Zelazny
Larkspur Lane
Lawrence High graduate speaks on recent letter from board member
To the Editor:
John Gregg’s point was that however great pieces of the Lawrence Township Public Schools are, they are not great as a whole, but rather have the potential to be great with effort and attention by the community that supports them. To prove John Gregg’s point one only has to look at the decisions made by our own Board of Education President, Laura Waters. Although our special education program is on the cutting edge of technology, theory and methodology, our program for our other students is falling short. Laura Waters clearly knows this, as she has chosen to not send her children to Lawrence Public Schools; they attend private school.
I was proud to have voted for Mr. Gregg, as he clearly has seen that to serve the students of Lawrence Township best we must continue to strive to do more and be better. The Board of Education should not rest until all students are being served as well as possible, not just a select population. Our students need to be competitive in today’s global economy and to do so they need every tool we can give them, including classes in business and foreign languages that are used in business such as Chinese and Japanese. The current classes offered in Italian and German are not a necessity, but learning to communicate with the rest of the world, via more classes in technology, communications and the sciences are.
Being complacent and standing still is the same as falling behind as the rest of the world passes us by.
Janet L. Kushner
Bergen Street
Lawrence High School class of 2003
Residents give kudos to student for letter regarding board member
To the Editor:
Bravo to Lawrence High School student Jamie Titus (appeared in June 21 issue). In response to criticism of school board member John Gregg’s comments as to the current state of Lawrence Township schools, and amid cries of "elitist" and "snob," emerges the voice of a student, stating this simple truth: The high school is great, but it could be better.
Over the past few months, we have heard both Principal Roman and Superintendent Meara in separate addresses to parents of incoming LHS freshmen refer to the school as "the best high school in New Jersey." We see nothing wrong in supporting them, and Mr. Gregg, in making it so.
Seth and Rachel Park
Lawrenceville Road
Tourette association volunteer urges public to learn more about Tourette DNA Center
To the Editor:
While participating in the third annual TSANJ (Tourette Syndrome Association of New Jersey) Camp Bernie weekend earlier this month, I learned of the establishment of the Tourette DNA Center at Rutgers.
To discover that this is the largest university-based cell and DNA repository in the world, with New Jersey being host to this sorely needed TS-DNA sharing program, is awesome news.
What is now needed is for the families of New Jersey to join together and share with these researchers their blood samples. To do this they are invited to go the TSANJ Web site at tsanj.org and read more.
This is pioneering, groundbreaking research. To date, there hasn’t been any sharing of the research. This program will now open it up to the causes and a possible cure for Tourette syndrome.
As a parent, I now look forward to a future with even greater hope and promise, knowing there will be better treatments to help ease the pain and suffering of this mystifying, widely misunderstood disorder. I dare to hope for a cure, not only for those suffering right here in New Jersey, but for all of those myriad suffering people living and contending daily with this disorder from all around the world.
Alicia Grimaldi Brzycki
Dayna Lane
Volunteer Coordinator
TSANJ Family Support Group
Carbon offsets allow Americans to continue excessive consumption
To the Editor:
In the 21st century, the previously avoided issue of global warming has become a pressing matter for the world. Despite this imminent threat, many Americans have rejected the warnings and continue to drive gas-guzzling SUVs. The lax Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards categorize SUVs as light trucks, exempting them from environmentally sound miles per gallon requirements. Throughout its life, the average SUV releases a horrifying 100 tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
As Americans search for ways to "go green" and help the ozone, they battle with their love for convenience and luxury. A new business has developed which plans to eliminate this dilemma by selling the public "carbon offsets." Companies such as Terrapass.com, Carbonfund.org, and Nativeenergy.com, channel their customers’ money into ozone improving projects such as tree planting and wind energy. These programs are supposed to neutralize the detriment caused by car emissions. However, these new organizations play on the desires and guilt of America’s public, allowing them to continue their lifestyle of excessive consumption. The sale of offsets has a striking resemblance to the Catholic Church’s sale of indulgences.
When one visits Terrapass.com, the slogan reads "prevent global warming, reduce carbon dioxide pollution, promote alternative energy." Despite their facade of full environmental advocacy, offset enterprises have found a comfortable niche in America’s free market, oil dependent economy.
In April 2006, Terrapass, in a corporate alliance with Ford, created the Greener Miles program. Greener Miles presents Ford customers with the choice of initially purchasing an offset program. Ford currently manufactures eight SUVs with a MPG rating of 20 or lower. By giving consumers an illusion of aiding the environment, while allying with an auto conglomerate, Terrapass has encouraged Ford’s car and SUV market, therefore impeding environmental progress.
America needs to make a huge leap forward in environmental protection. This would require a vast reduction in oil dependency, and an effort to institute methods of clean and renewable energy. These new offset organizations will only encourage the oil dependent economy and its SUV market. Americans must realize that their hedonistic lifestyles will leave the world in a state of environmental disaster.
Julian Lampert
Darrah Lane East

