Opinion
Tuesday, April 18, 1995
Page 4
Nebraskan
Editorial Board
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
JeffZeleny.Editor, 472-1766
Jeff Robb.Managing Editor
Matt Woody.Opinion Page Editor
DeDra Janssen..Associate News Editor
Rainbow Rowell.Arts & Entertainment Editor
James Mehsling.Cartoonist
Chris Hain...Senior Reporter
Safety last
Expanded background checks help kids
We don’t care about our children.
This was the message sent by the Nebraska Legislature’s Educa
tion Committee when it killed a bill that would have authorized the
Department of Education to perform backgrounds checks on those
applying for a teacher’s license.
Currently, people convicted of felonies are automatically rejected
if they apply for licenses. A possible rule change could extend that
ban to persons convicted of some misdemeanors, including abuse,
neglect or injury to another person.
This is exactly what we need.
Our children are our most valuable resource, especially in these
days, when so much is riding on the future. And we need to do
everything possible to ensure their safety.
Keeping convicted abusers from being in front of the blackboard
is a great way to do that.
State Board of Education member Kathleen McCallister said the
Legislature will be participating in any abuse that could have been
prevented by the approval of the bill.
The Daily Nebraskan agrees. Said McCallister: “If they have time
to spend a week and a half on Micron, then they have time to spend
on preventing child abuse.”
Exactly.
Micron was supposed to be an investment in the future. This bill
would have been investment in our children.
That’s the same thing.
Perk up
Coffee bar puts students’ interests first
The flavor and aroma of chicory is alive and well in the Ne
braska Union. Behind that taste and smell is an idea students should
take advantage of.
When Espresso Express opened last week in the union’s Crib, it
meant more than the birth of a trendy coffee bar. It signifies a uni
versity commitment to students’ wants and needs.
Thoughts of turning the Crib into something other than a study
room have floated around for years. The common objective remains:
creating an alcohol-free alternative for students, faculty and staff.
Espresso Express might be the answer to that objective.
Organizers of the coffee house—which is open Monday through
Thursday nights from 5 to 10—say comedians, one-act plays, fire
side chats, disc-jockey nights, topical lectures and student talent
nights will be considered for entertainment.
The Nebraska Union is faced with the constant struggle of read
ing students’ minds and predicting what they will and will not like.
During the last four years, the unions have become much more stu
dent-oriented, and Espresso Express is just the latest example.
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It was incorrectly stated on Monday’s editorial page that major
league baseball’s Opening Day has passed. The editorial should have
referred to the beginning of preseason exhibition games.
Editorial policy
Staff editorials represent the official
policy of the Spring 1995. Daily
Nebraskan. Policy is set by the Daily
Nebraskan Editorial Board. Editori
als do not necessarily reflect the views
of the university, its employees, the
students or the NU Board of Regents.
Editorial columns represent the opin
ion of the author. The regents publish
the Daily Nebraskan. They establish
the UNL Publications Board to su
pervise the daily production of the
paper. According to policy set by the
regents, responsibility for the edito
rial content of the newspaper lies
solely in the hands of its students.
Latter policy
The Daily Nebraskan welcomes brief letters to the
editor from all readers and interested others. Letters
will be selected for publication on the basis of clarity,
originality, timeliness and space available. The Daily
Nebraskan retains the right to edit or reject all mate
rial submitted. Readers also arc welcome to submit
material as guest opinions. The editor decides whether
materia] should run as a guest opinion. Letters and
guest opinions sent to the newspaper become the
property of the Daily Nebraskan and cannot be re
turned. Anonymous submissions will not be pub
lished. Letters should included the author’s name,
year in school, major and group affiliation, if any.
Requests to withhold names will not be granted.
Submit material to: Daily Nebraskan, 34 Nebraska
Union, 1400 R St, Lincoln, Neb. 68588-0448.
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Send your brief letters to:
Daily Nebraskan, 34
Nebraska Union, 1400 R St,
Lincoln, Neb. 68588. Or fax
to: (402)472-1761. Letters
must be signed and include a
phone number for
verification.
Grading scales
In regard to grading scales and
Beth Finsten’s commentary (April
13), my point of view is that of an
experienced high school mathemat
ics teacher, as well as that of a
student.
Education should not be limited
to what you are tested, especially
material within a major. I would
want my pharmacist to have spent
the time studying all “six chapters”
so 1 could receive the best service,
not because I wanted her to set the
curve.
Grading scales aren’t designed
for poor studiers or for classes with
an overload of information; they are
designed to accommodate students
at a wider range of testable knowl
edge.
Polly Ann Najarian
graduate student
agricultural meteorology
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grooms and concession workers and
farmers who grow the grain and hay
for the horses. It is farriers and
veterinarians and the people who
sell the tack and those who deliver
the feed to trainers. And it is valets
who saddle the horses and exercise
riders and security guards and pony
people and tote technicians who
work on the equipment and mainte
nance people to keep up the bam
area, and let us not forget the
breeders of these beautiful animals.
I wish I could say that Nebraska
horse racing is a strong industry.
Unfortunately, I can’t. Most
everyone knows that with all the
competition in Nebraska and the
neighboring states, horse racing is in
trouble. But if live racing doesn’t
survive in Nebraska, let us not shrug
off the industry with the attitude that
it was nothing more than one of the
many forms of gambling available.
It is so much more.
Kristina Morrow
junior
veterinary science
firmly believe the education I have
received is far superior to that of my
institutionalized peers.
The editorial showed a lack of
investigation into home schooling.
Contrary to your statements in the
editorial, home schooling provides
more time to specialize in art, music
or drama. I play piano, clarinet and
violin. I am a member in a 40-piece
orchestra that performs weekly, and
I have taught piano lessons.
In addition to music, I devote
time to studying the Jewish Holo
caust. Both the Lincoln Journal and
The Journalist have printed articles
about my Holocaust research center
— the only one in Nebraska.
In reality, home schooling
provides more time to specialize in
areas of interest. It is very clear the
editor’s skills in line-leading and
being a crossing guard did not
prepare him to do serious research,
a skill needed in journalism.
Annie K. Lenzen (age 17)
director
\Ioira«* TTn
In the “Game over” editorial
(April 11), the Daily Nebraskan
writes, “It all started in the
Comhusker State with horse racing
Then it was keno. Soon after, it wa
the state lottery. What next?”
If I didn’t know better, I would
have thought that horse racing
started a few years ago, with keno
and the lottery following immedi
ately on its tail. Horse racing is
portrayed as the precursor of all
gambling evil.
I’m guessing that there has been
horse racing and parimutuel
wagering in this state for better tha
50 years. Keno came along in the
last 10, and lottery in the last five.
As a serious horse-racing fan, I tak
exception to the SPORT of horse
racing being lumped with keno,
lottery and slots as though there is
no difference between them.
Horse racing is a tradition in
Nebraska. Maybe some attention
needs to be paid to the fact that
horse racing is an industry. It’s nol
just a few executives and grocery
store clerks selling tickets in
addition to their regular duties.
It’s jockeys and trainers and
Kerry Eddy/DN
Home schooling
As a home school student, the
editorial ‘Time to test” (April 12)
greatly offended me. I have been
home-schooled for nine years and I
Lincoln
College rodeo
I am happy to report to Lynn
Clark that all of the participants
over whom she showed such great
concern at the UNL College Rodeo
received only minor injuries, and all
are back in class doing fine.
I am also happy to be able to
report that NONE of the animals
that were used in our rodeo were
killed, injured or hurt in any way,
and I do hope her concern is
assuaged by this fact. The idea that
thousands of animals are killed and
injured each year in rodeos is
preposterous.
We in intercollegiate rodeo take
pride in the humane treatment of our
livestock, and while injuries do
occasionally occur, they are in fact
rare. We are also required to have a
veterinarian standing by during our
performances in case an injury does
occur.
George Pfeiffer
associate professor
UNRA Advisor