6 — Sunday, April 12, 1998 - North Shore News north shore news VIEWPOINT _ Shore winners I: you go down to the woods 41s NICE To See JHE REFORM PARTY . FINALLY COME ON 9 BOARD! / items for the auction. But Kids on the Shore’s out-of- the-gate success story is just part of the story. An equally impressive aspect is that it has been accom- plished without public money. In this age of sport-funding crises, Kids of the Shore has defied popular opinion and thrived on little more than the dedication of its creators and the passion of its benefactors. The blessing of both North Shore school districts was also key to the program’s taking those first tentative steps. No doubt some world-class riders will come out of the program, but the true success of Kids on the Shore should be measured by the sheer number of kids that will receive a healthy outdoor experience — and a greater appreciation of themselves. ..AND, TO APPEAL To A BROADER NUMBER OF OF PEOPLE, WE WiLL BECOME. THE “UNITED =~ ALTERNATIVE” today, you better look out for -bikes. The sport of mountain biking has -_ taken hold of North Shore young- sters in a way seldom seen these days. In just its first year of opera- tion, the inspired Kids on the Shore mountain bike program boasts a motivated and. excited membership numbering in the hundreds. Supported by North Shore pro riders Alison Sydor, Lesley Tomlinson and Bruce Spicer, and : operated on:the generous volunteer + spirit of North Shore teachers and parents, Kids on the Shore enters its ., Sophomore year in solid shape. A > recent dinner and.silent auction " raised $7,000 to offset the inevitable - costs involved in running the pro- ~ gram. Forty companies donated mai ilbox rane s views. Dear Editor: 7 “7 am awriting in ‘regards to 5 Shannon ‘Humphreys. Ever. since she started her column, I have eagerly waited to see .- What novel idea she would come up with. She has never let me down, The story about the young policewoman had --me in'stitches, I felt I was right there with her, out in LaLa Land. Her detractors would say it is unsafe to be driving _ and-not paying attention to the road signs, of course it is!!! - Let’s just’ say”... stuff happens, and she writes about it. ° ‘The réal kicker came today when i read her article “Building bonds through brotherly love” (March 27/98). I grew up with four brothers and have learned so much them, :how to hold your fist when you are punching ne, how to ride a bike, play football and just a little into the way a man thinks. My husband thinks it’s, Tdon’t w and ski_like the devil:-He doesn’t think it’s so < Bre clicopte * -Shanno: Humphrey i is. tobe commended for her i caring column, I look forward to next ur garden” or “How to teach your ‘/husband to put the toilet seat down” or even “How. < carned every onc of my grey hairs, a short story for every- eC.” : : North’ Vancouver. , MAILBOX POLICY. ; ie editor must be legible (preferably type: written) and include your name, full address and telephone umber. Due to space.constraints the North Shore News ot uublish all letters. ; North Shore Neva. founded in 1969 2s an Suburban newspaper and qualified © - independent Under Schedule 111, Paragraph 111 of the Excise Tax Act, is pudtshed each Wednesday, * Friday and Sunday by North Share Free Press ; Lid and distributed to every coor on the Nort: ‘Shore. Canada Post Canadian Publications Mait Sales Product Agreement No. 0087238. Mating ates avalabi on teques. Distribution Manager 986-1337 (24). 61,582 (average ruler, ‘Veednesday, Fide & Sindy) Th North, Shore News ‘Is published by North Shore Free Press Ltd., ta lot of makeup, can mountain bike like.” ‘Michael Walker Fraser Institute Columnist ' EDUCATION minister Paul Ramsey has expressed indigna- tion about the decision of the Surrey school board to pull from its school libraries books | which portray homosexuality. - Mr. Ramsey has said the board had better watch out or he is going to take ‘action against them for. daring to go against the policy of the department. That policy evidently includes expos- - ing children ro a wide range of lifestyle choices so that they will be broadened in their outlook. What’s wrong with this picture? First, it doesn’t matter what the banned books are-or what they contain. What is important is the principle The principle: Paul Ramsey wants to pres3-is that schoo! boards have no right interfering with the educational oppor- "_. tunities that the department of educa- gh funny, :“. tion wants to impose on every, kid in the i exciting top will it be “How weeds can be made. province. They, the poobahs of educational _ propriety, will decide the menu of ideas and values to which children will be exposed. Period. But just for fun, let’s consider the possibility that the appropriate source of values and attitudes for children i is the | family. Now suspend your snorts of derision ~ and hear me out: The way this would work i is that fam- ilies first would have values and then would, both by explicit instruction and ” PETER SPECK. oe Publishers. « 985-2131 (101) prie Stephexsoa Classitied Manager , 986-6222 (202) "tes contents cy 1997 | North Shore Free Press Lid, All rights reserved.” ‘Publisher Peter Speck, from 1139 Lonsdale Avenue North Vancouver, B. Cay V7 2N4 implicitly in their behavior, pass those . values on to their children. Then, in order to reinforce these val- ues they would associate with other fam-. - ilics who shared thcir values by going to the same churches and clubs, and by sending their children to schools which also reflected those values. : These schools would be privately controlled, of course, although funded by the government. The parents would control the schools by controlling the school board - governing cach specific school. There would, of course, be a wide range of values ~— schools for the Xs, the Ys and the Zs. Ir used to be said that you couldn’t have private schools because some would flop and then what abour the children?. That was before it was recognized that public schools are flopping like a bay rar of flounder. But conflict of values simply wouldn’t arise, since parents would ensure their children. were in a school whose values were known, and of which they approved. ; Of course, some of the valiies taught by these schools would be offensive to some parents, but they wouldn’t have to. send their kids there. For example, some schools would teach that a woman should never expose any part of her skin in public. - Others would teach that the sexual practices of certain groups are sinful, whereas others would teach that such people should be ordained ministers: Some would say evolution is an heretical concept —- others would deny-: the existence of any god. of different of The Fraser Listitute, a Vane \ free market think tank. . “This sort of ‘World would de elop if Canada did like Sweden under i its las * government. Namely, adopt a voucher system so thar parents would be given a certificat for each oftheir children which wou _ the creation of 300 new private s . which embod _Tinguistic aspit ues and tions of the! population - Of course, this’ sort of system: pre-: di It would presume a ministe! cation willing to permit the expressi Emily. values in the school: It. would involve the presumpi : that parents, not bureaucrats. determine. the values i in a sch The economics:are clear. The politics are, well; let's just sa that it’s impossible to imagine! * — Michael Walker is executive directo: mised : “QO oO a a WISH HAPPY 80TH birthday tomo row, April 13, to retired broadcaster Jack Webster. . ooo: WORTH A THOUGHT: ify jour - dreams don’t come true,-be thankful “your nightmares don’t either. LETTERS.TO THE EDITOR Letters must include your name, full address & telephone number. VIA e-mail: wenshaw @ direct.ca = Wa Display Manager Promotions Manager” 980-0611 (165) 985-2131 (246) > Genera! Office Manage: - 885-2431 (105) internet: http:y/www.nssews.com : Michael Racker ~ News Edit JS SBE 2191 (IAPS _ Andrews McCredie’ ~ Spare Commi Edita 985-2131 (147):