Letters to the Editor, Sept. 27

To the Editor:

I have had a very upsetting situation to happen recently.

My great granddaughter, Rylei Hale, was put into developmental kindergarten at Community School by her mother, Amber Hale. She put her in Community School as we keep her during the week while her parents are at work at irregular hours and we live in the Community School district with the bus coming right by our house.

After Rylei had been in school a week, her Mother received a call from the Board of Education telling her that Rylei could not go to Community School as they did not live in that school district and told her to come get her that day. Her parents do live in the Liberty school District. Her mother was at work and told Mr. Looper at the Board of Education that she could not come get her that fast.

Rylei was tested at school and the developmental kindergarten was what she tested to be in. Liberty School does not offer this class.

After talking to Ron Adcock, Amy Martin, and Diane Neeley, who are on the school board, and Mr. Ed Gray, Mr. Looper, and Ms. Farrar, at the Board of Education, all informed us that there were no waivers and she had no choice but to enroll her at Liberty or take her out of school.

We are constantly hearing "No Child Left Behind" but our school officials could care less that Rylei was tested to be in developmental kindergarten and Liberty School does not offer that, making Rylei start behind.

It is a shame that nine people on the school board can make a rule that no one can break, no matter what the case.

Also, Rylei was in a class of twelve students and now that class isn't even full. A space is available but we can't put her in that class? What a shame .... No child left behind!!! What a joke!!

Arlene Jones

Shelbyville

Cap and Trade scheme not best for America

To the editor:

Although the House passed the Waxman/Markey climate change legislation this summer and succeeded in including a cap-and-trade scheme as part of the bill, it is not what is best for the American public financially or environmentally. When the Senate takes up energy legislation this fall, they instead should consider a carbon tax proposal that will reduce emissions and give money back to Tennesseans and Americans.

The cap-and-trade bill that passed in the House and that could be proposed in the Senate is a pork-laden bill that leaves no transparency and does little to help the environment. Solutions need to be offered that reduce the effects of climate change, but they need to be the right solutions. Th e answer to our problems is not a system that confuses the majority of the American public and lawmakers while increasing taxes on industry and the American family.

A carbon tax plan that returns 90 percent of the revenues from the tax in the form of tax relief to the people and businesses that use the taxed energy will reduce carbon emissions and offset the tax hikes and energy costs that Americans will pay. In a cap-and-trade scheme that money is absorbed by the government instead of being given back to the people who pay for it. In fact, a carbon tax that recycles its revenue would give nearly $3.6 trillion to households and businesses which would be large enough to reduce the annual payroll tax rate for workers and businesses by two percentage points and cut carbon emissions by as much as current cap-and-trade proposals.

Let's find a solution to climate change that focuses less on making money to expand the government and more on helping the environment in a way that doesn't harm Americans and American businesses!

Helen Belcher

Murfreesboro

Eat fruits, vegetables to cut pancreatic cancer

To the editor:

I was saddened to hear about legendary actor Patrick Swayze's death. His brave, public fight against pancreatic cancer inspired many others. Millions of Americans will miss him, and people are also looking for ways to protect themselves from this deadly disease.

Pancreatic cancer is almost impossible to cure. But as a dietitian, I know that diet and lifestyle changes can help prevent this disease. According to a new study, fat from red meat and dairy products significantly increases the risk of pancreatic cancer. Researchers analyzed the diets of more than 525,000 participants to determine whether there is an association between dietary fat and pancreatic cancer. The study found no association between plant-food fat and pancreatic cancer.

Fruits, vegetables, and other low-fat vegetarian foods could actually prevent pancreatic cancer, according to other studies. One study found that consuming foods rich in flavonoids--apples, grapefruit, broccoli, and berries--may decrease pancreatic cancer risk by up to 59 percent. For more information about how a healthy diet can help prevent cancer, go to www.CancerProject.org.

Susan Levin, M.S., R.D.

The Cancer Project

Washington, DC

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