The aims of education
Markets at play | Letter, April 24
Some continually agitate for “market demand” to be the chief consideration in higher curriculum. They have been at it for years now, pushing bean counters’ notions of the classical western liberal arts education that Gov. Ron DeSantis and others say they want, but really don’t. Through history, adept and eager students would travel to distant universities to study with the widely known, best minds in their fields. Generally, those weren’t accounting or marketing classes. Some recent letters to the editor reminded me of University of South Florida professors I had 40 years ago. One, an English lit professor, was a frail old Englishman, white as an egg, with a brutalized, ratty, gamey cardigan sweater, the elbows worn through. He had a brown stain in his white beard from his pipe, which had an ever-present and long thread of drool swinging from its bowl. He began every class with some verse from one of the Romantic poets, or Kipling. I’m sure he held forth just as readily with no audience at all. He was a treasure, but bean counters would not have approved. At 22, I realized I’d learned nothing of Africa or its colonization by Europe by that age, so I took two courses on the subject from a wonderful professor, a small Igbo man from Nigeria, educated in English schools there. He spoke with a beautiful clipped accent, had a wonderful mind, was bemused by the United States, and he opened a new and wonderful part of the world to me. Again, bean counters wouldn’t have approved.
Steve Douglas, St. Petersburg
A cutting question
Famous Tampa Bay trees | April 24
If old growth trees are valuable to a home sale, why are developers razing old growth trees? This is in context to an old home on a double lot bought a few months ago by a developer just a block from my home in Childs Park. They tore down the house (expected) — and took out every single tree on that property. It was quite shocking to see the latter happen. That experience inspired me to wonder how we can get developers to value old growth trees. I never like to look to the government — or more regulation — to save us. I love to look at the market (that is, ourselves) to save us. So how do we (the market’s “demand”) express that we value old growth trees? How do we make it so developers (the market’s “supply”) start preserving and valuing these old growth trees? After musing over these questions the past months, I was so shocked to see a listing for the new house a block from my home pop up on Zillow. The house now sits on a sandy, concrete lot, but for sales purposes, it’s imagined in a rendering as surrounded by lush old growth trees that the developer cut down to build this very home.
Tara Hubbard, St. Petersburg
A tip for restaurateurs
To tip or not to tip | Column, April 25
I had the privilege of a visit to several European countries a while back and was mildly shocked and pleasantly surprised when a waiter told me that tips are appreciated, but not expected since servers are paid a salary. This is something our country has generally resisted vehemently, claiming it would raise prices for customers. Well, seems to me it would balance out. The diner would save by not tipping, but pay more for the meal. I was a server, in my younger days. I know what it is to hope customers will come in, hope the cooks make an enjoyable meal and hope the customers like you. Our eateries need to treat their wait staff with the respect of a living wage and not like a dog begging for a bone.
Leslie Phillips, Brooksville
The church and abortion
Biden speaks on abortion | April 24
I write to express deep concern regarding President Joe Biden’s public support for abortion, which starkly contradicts the Catholic Church’s teachings on the sanctity of life. Notably, the president made the sign of the cross in Tampa this week where he gave a speech in favor of abortion rights. This occurred within the Diocese of St. Petersburg, headed by Bishop Gregory Parkes, and was a gesture that has profound implications given the setting and his influential position.
The church teaches that abortion is a grave moral wrong. Canon law reserves excommunication for severe acts that threaten the church’s integrity and mislead the faithful. The president’s actions, particularly within the Diocese of St. Petersburg, arguably warrant such a response, not as a punitive measure but as a call to repentance and realignment with church doctrine. The bishop has the authority and the duty to address this significant pastoral challenge. The faithful look to him for guidance when prominent Catholics publicly challenge our core beliefs. This is a moment for decisive action that reaffirms the church’s stance on life and aids the president’s spiritual journey through the stark reminder of his obligations as a Catholic.
William E. Mills III, Sanford
Multitasking and cellphones
Schools to revise cellphone rules | April 22
Why is it so taboo to bring up the delicate subject of extracting a phone from a student while in school? Cellphones and smartphones are primarily used as a social communication tool to share opinions, photos (mostly different profiles of the same individual), and to text and check on one’s real time tracking of how well they are liked at any particular moment.
With all of the tasks required to monitor, share and respond, it’s unlikely that full focus on anything can realistically happen. Multitasking is a myth, and it’s disproven daily by contributing to auto and pedestrian accidents, bumping into someone or something while walking, or responding with the proverbial “what did you say?“ when making an attempt to be human while passing one another.
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Explore all your optionsWhen cellphones started in the marketplace and became affordable for many, parents typically supported them as a tool for safety. As time went on and the Blackberry trended as the status symbol for students, it was to save the child from social embarrassment, no longer just a tool for safety.
Today, it’s boiled down to Android and Apple, with pretty much all the ability of a laptop computer with a primary function of keeping the user socially connected full time. With proof that no one has the ability to focus on two tasks concurrently, keeping phones locked up while a student is in school is a no brainer. If it’s imperative that a parent contact their child while in class, just call the school.
Darryl David, St. Petersburg
Use them for good
Schools to revise cellphone rules | April 22
Compare the cellphone to a laptop or tablet. All three are tools of our modern era. Proper training on how to use each appropriately is needed. Parental and school guidance and oversight is also needed to properly guide youth in the proper use of the device. Let’s face it, there are a lot of questionable apps out there, and proper use of the device in school should contribute to learning or be there for emergencies. We need to accept that this technology is here to stay and proper use of it is more important training than trying to restrict it.
Daniel Reiniger, Safety Harbor
Already there
He adored Trump, and then rejected him. How? | April 24
Assuming Rich Logis’ transformation is for real, there are many of us who did not need to go through such a transformation in the first place.
Peter Throdahl, Clearwater Beach
