MAIL Bo

Friday, March 31, 2000 — North Shore News - 9

Don’t let teachers cut tutors NYVD residents not too
busy for democracy

Dear Editor:

Does anyone realize that
the right of parents to have
their child tectored on school
property will be legaliv lost
this year? How many of vou
remember being tutored dur-
ing your lifetime? | do. I
remember many good stu-
dents who have been tutored
and [ remember students who
would have dropped out of
schoo) without the exira help.
Ir’s as if the BCTF believes it
owns the schools!

Hey, BCTF, the citizens
and parents own the schools,
Certainly, both schools and
education have changed. A
very obvious change is the
high proportion of ESL stu-
dents to English language-
based students. Tell the immi-
grant support groups that
your children will not be per-
mitted to be tutored on school
property. Does that make

sense? fn truth, when a child is
tutored, the classroom teacher
is treed to attend to needy stu-
dents whe cannot afford
tutoring.

There is also a change in
the way that the school day is
scheduled. Many secondary
students have study blocks ora
two- to three-period gap in
their school day. This is one
time when students meet with
their tutors. There are about
20% of students with a specific
learning disability such as
dyslexia (language-based LD)
or discalcula (a math-based
LD). As French is not required
for university entrance, chil-
dren are often tutored during
their class’ French period. It is
considered a better use of the
students’ time to become
adept at basic skills than to
become confused over yet
another language. Parents are
not available during the day to

take their children to a tutor.
For those children who do
have a cide, they lose time
from the periods before and
after the tutorial when they
could be in class.

One has to ask the BCTF,
do you really think that only
students should tutor cach
other? Do vou have time to
train peer tutors in every sub-
ject as well as in teaching itself?
What kind of world is it when
the kids have only each other
to turn to for help? Bear in
mind that they have tried to
make it with the classroom
teacher's help and they could-
n't.

This motion was passed by
the North Van Teachers’
Association fast year. It will be
ratified by the entire province
this year if interested groups
do not fight it.

S.E. Bookless
North Vancouver

Fast ferries, slow toilets

Dear Editor:

Rubbing salt into open
‘wounds is not a pleasant habit,
but the farce of the new fast
_ ferries prompts this letter.

I was unfortunate enough
to find myself, along with a
multitude of other sufferers,
on the 3 p.m. “Pacificrap”
* from Nanaimo to Horseshoe
Bay on Saturday, March 25.

‘That there was no comfort-
-~able seating goes without say-
ing but some were unable to
find a seat of any sort, and, of
course, the so-called safety reg-

ulations prohibic travellers
from returning to the comfort
of their cars. Perhaps those
safety. regulations could do
with reviston.

But the ferry lived up to the
title above when 1 found
myself in need of common
relief. The men’s toilet was
closed and people were urged
not to try to break in. The
same apparently applied to the
women’s.

ultimately found the other
toilets and was able to get into
the men’s, The women were

Take home

less fortunate as evidenced by
the half dozen urgent feniales
hopping from foot to foot
waiting in a lineup outside
theirs. After reaching bursting
point some of them brcke into
the men’s uttering oaths
against you know who, and
declaring that gender doesn’t
count when needs must.
Perhaps the ferry authori-
tics should rent a few porta-
bles, or close the toilets in the
parliament buildings.
Lawrence Boothroyd
West Vancouver

a Supermodel. -
And save enough for
— anew bed. —

You've dreamed about it

since you were a hor sone-

crazed teenager, .antasizing

about the whole world see-

ing you together, all envious of the wild
~- pleasures you share.

Now you can have a Cannondale bike

.of your very own, and save up to $800 as

we clear out our 1999 models at BSP. These

ure prime specimens, hand-made in the

USA and race~proven on the glamorous

world cup circuit. So come down and

get one right off the runway. C=
"If you've got the stamina.

cannerctait:

Super V 700 -Regular: $2499"
Sale: $1999

"Super ¥.2000 Regular: $3799
Sale: $2999

Froo Regular: $1599
Sale: 31299

BICYCLE SPORTS PACIFIC

We know what riders want.

North Vancouver: 3026 Mountain Highway, next to Starbucks + 988-1800
Vancouver: 999 Pacific at Burrard + 682-4537

thes Lae a
WERE tore EAE EES

Pp ee bes are,

Dear Editor:

I must disagree with Noel Wright's claim that
the last election in North Vancouver District
proves that voters do not want direct democracy
(March 19 columa}. Every poll ever taken in
B.C. has indicated clearly that if voters are asked
directly: Do you want direct democracy? the vast
majority will say ves. That is precisely the reason
why our previous district council under Don
Bell's leadership made sure such a question was
not allowed on the ballot during the fast elec-
tion.

Of course, Noef Wright is correct in suggest-
ing that voters are busy people —- they have
bosses to keep happy, kids to chauffeur, laundry,
household chores, yard work, mortgages and
Visa bills. But voters are not too busy to vote, at
feast not those 35% of them that bother to vote
during municipal elections.

Voters know that direct democracy does not
mean government by referendum. They know
that the vast majority of decisions will still be
made by our elected councils and that only now
and then, particularly important decisions can be
made by referendum. I doubt that this would

happen more than once every two or three years.

The reason why all the direct democracy can-
didates except Ernie Cri t were defeated was that
they all strongly endorsed the waterfront task
force report of establishing a continuous public
trail along the waterfront from Maplewood Flats
to Deep Cove. They thus ran headlong into the
powerful and well-financed concerned citizen
association.

By falsely claiming that a wail would be so
expensive that it could only be paid for by high-
rise development along, the waterfront, this asso-
ciation terrified voters into believing that mas-
sive tax increases would be imminent. What is
more, this anonymous association, no address,
no phone number, got all the anti-waterfront
trail candidates elected, except one. That one
exception was Ernie Crist, who strongly sup-
ported both the waterfront trail and direct
democracy.

So please, Noel Wright, do not tell us chat
the voters of North Vancouver District are too
busy for direct democracy.

Reimar Kroecher
North Vancouver

Ail politicians look after their own

Dear Editor:

To the best of my know!l-

Liberal and Conservative

ta his March 17 column
Trevor Lautens states with
respect to David Schreck:

“He's a casebook study of
how the NDP (a) looks after
its own, (b) awards lovalty,
and (c) shamelessly uses its
politicians (and their han-
dlers} and bureaucrats as
interchangeable parts.”

"

edge, these are not distin-
guishing features of the NDP
alone but (a), (b), and (c)
apply equally well to every
other governing party in this
province and country as well
as in any other part of the
world.

Particularly well-known
examples are: our federal

Susaa W.
Lions Bay, BC

parties.

I am not so sure that
those who bemoan this fact,
as most of us do at one time
or another, would act very
differently were they in such
a governing position.

Klaus Rieckhoff
North Vancouver
k_rieckhoff@sfu.ca

this store is so calm and relaxing..."

"..you have a great selection of quality products!” -

Katherine K.
Wes Vanrouves, AC

“_.your genuine concern for the well being of your
clients is perfectly complimented by your
vast knowledge of the health industry..."

Pail B.
North Vancouver, BC

PEAK NUTRITION, — |

Peak Mutrition... The Vitamin and Sports Nutrition Specialty Store. a

bah Be Pa PE tae et