Letters to the Editor 03-20-2006
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By -
- Valley Principal Responds - Valley Injustice - Important Ordinance - Valley Apology - Valley Injustice - Iraq
Valley Principal Responds
Editor, Times-Union:Our boys basketball team was honored to have won our IHSAA sectional and participate in the regional tournament at Blackford High School on March 11. While we did not win our round-one game with Jay County High School, the Tippecanoe Valley community can be proud of the way our student athletes represented our school, community and Kosciusko County. Even in defeat they were winners and demonstrated how athletics, at its best, should look.
But something else also occurred that did not well represent our school and community. Even before the game ever began, during the singing of our national anthem, our student section decided to give an organized cheer well before the end of the "Star Spangled Banner" was completed. We received a chorus of boos from all the opposing schools once the singers finished. We deserved their displeasure.
As principal of Tippecanoe Valley High School, I feel compelled to apologize for the actions of a few of our overzealous students. Their actions were disrespectful to everyone who calls themselves an American. This matter has been addressed with the entire student body and we hope it will never occur again. Further, it is my wish that each of our parents have a serious discussion with their student about this issue and discuss respect and how they expect their children to behave in public.
This incident was indeed unfortunate and put a serious black mark on an otherwise very positive year. Our student support for basketball has been outstanding and has meant so very much to the young men and women who put it all out there on the basketball floor. Ironically, our students have sung the national anthem at nearly every game and not interrupted our band, our choir, or the exceptional performances of Ed Rock. Game officials have commented how much they enjoy coming to Tippecanoe Valley High School and the outstanding game atmosphere and spirit.
We want to keep the outstanding spirit our kids bring to games. However, we want to eliminate the disrespectful behavior that can now be seen so often on TV at many of the college and pro games. "Over-the-top" behavior seems to be the cool thing to do and it has fostered a deterioration of civility among our kids, as well as a few adults, who feel that since they paid their way into a game that the game officials and coaches are fair targets for their own personal disrespect. Modeling is a most powerful teacher.
Tippecanoe Valley High School has and will continue to foster an atmosphere that teaches respect and honor for our country, our school, and for self. We may not always succeed but we will persevere, we will not quit and give into the forces that attempt to erode civilized conduct. Again, our apologies.
Michael Overmyer, principal
Tippecanoe Valley High School, via e-mail
Valley Injustice
Editor, Times-Union:I attend Tippecanoe Valley High School. There, I admitted it. As this is such a horrible curse, feel free to humiliate and degrade me as you wish. But before you do, listen to my story, please. Hear about the injustice and hardships students at my school have to face before you judge us.
Since my family moved here 22 years ago, we have heard horror story after horror story about the judicial system in Warsaw. This helped prompt my father into choosing to live in an area of the Valley district. We soon learned that Valley students tend to get the rough side of the law in Warsaw. Many of my peers have mentioned tales of Valley students being charged with crimes he or she did not commit. When a Valley student does commit a crime, they tended to punish the student far worse than the student actually deserves.
I disregarded these until recently when the stories finally hit home. A close friend of my family has been charged with a serious crime. The prosecuting attorney assumed he went to Warsaw Community High School because of his address and treated the crime as a minor infraction. The true crime was only a misdemeanor. However, when the attorney learned that he attended Valley High School, he was charged with a felony. He came so close to being almost let off the hook, to being charged with a far worse accusation. Personally, I find this unjust.
I do not know how you feel about my school, but I believe the students attending have enough unfairness to deal with. A good portion of the students do not even live in this county. Their parents' tax dollars do not benefit my school. Because Warsaw is a larger school, they get most of the funding. I do not disagree that it should be that way, but where is our funding coming from?
Many students, such as myself, are forced to attend Valley despite being far closer to Warsaw. We are not as advanced as Warsaw is. We do not have the technology or equipment Warsaw has. Not all, but a few of our teachers are indifferent and have poor teaching methods. To top this off, the authority at my school seems to think that appearance is far more important than the students or their educations. We are underprivileged, we are understaffed, we are underfunded, and to make matters worse, we are treated unjustly.
I am not saying that all students at Valley are innocent. I just want to know why is it that because a few choose to participate in illegal activities, we all must suffer? Why can't we have true, untainted justice? It is clear that the situations we have to deal with are not fair. So why can they not be just?
I would like to see this county become a reputable one. I would like to see a fair judicial system work. I am asking the adults of the community to have the voice that I cannot have and vote for just officials. Make the authority fair. Make it so that despite whether I attend Valley, or Warsaw, or Triton, or a different school, that I am treated fairly.
Melissa Kerkhoff, via e-mail
Warsaw
Important Ordinance
Editor, Times-Union,Our officials get plenty of critticism from we voters, and some of it is richly deserved. In fact, we've used this column to draw a bead on our county commissioners for not taking positions that we believed were clearly the correct path.
Now is the time, though, to heap praise that is just as deserving as our previous criticism. When Commissioner Brad Jackson encouraged a zoning ordinance amendment to help restrict the damages of "funneling" at our lakes, he took a giant step up to the plate. In asking the county planning staff to propose an "anti-funneling" ordinance, and add financial penalties on those who would ignore necessary erosion control measures at a building site, Commissioner Jackson demonstrated he understands some of the concerns that have been expressed over the past few years. It's a beginning for those of us who have been attempting to out-shout special interests for some time. The future needs additional common-sense zoning.
We are certain there will be very vocal objections from those who would consider their own financial gain more important than perpetuating the finite lake natural resources we are blessed to have in this county. This is not the time to allow special interests to water down this proposed amendment.
The amendment to restrict "funneling" and put teeth into erosion controls is long overdue. These amendments need to become law before damage to all our lakes is insurmountable.
The proposal for a "lake district" residental zone around all our lakes also deserves the support of all citizens in the county. After all, where would our local economy be without these resources?
Dan Lee
Warsaw
Valley Apology
Editor, Times-Union:First of all, I would like to say that I'm sorry. Not only to you Miss Tucker, but to those other Tippy students who did not trash our national anthem last Saturday.
I should not have included you in my previous letter to the editor. I'm shocked to understand from you that such a thing has went on all year and that your principal had never mentioned anything to those students. And nor did he put a stop to it.
I had been under the assumption that he had never known of anything like that happening before.
I'm thankful to you and your classmates who share my views on how we should all show respect to our national anthem and what it stands for. I would also like to say that you have every right to be proud of your team and their accomplishments.
Getting to the regional is no small thing, and as I understand it, you have several returning players for next year's run. I wish you luck.
Again, let me say that I apologize to those students who did not take part in the trashing of our national anthem.
Good for you!
Ron Lightle, via e-mail
Montpelier
Valley Injustice
Editor, Times-Union:I attend Tippecanoe Valley High School. There, I admitted it. As this is such a horrible curse, feel free to humiliate and degrade me as you wish. But before you do, listen to my story, please. Hear about the injustice and hardships students at my school have to face before you judge us.
Since my family moved here 22 years ago, we have heard horror story after horror story about the judicial system in Warsaw. This helped prompt my father into choosing to live in an area of the Valley district. We soon learned that Valley students tend to get the rough side of the law in Warsaw. Many of my peers have mentioned tales of Valley students being charged with crimes he or she did not commit. When a Valley student does commit a crime, they tended to punish the student far worse than the student actually deserves.
I disregarded these until recently when the stories finally hit home. A close friend of my family has been charged with a serious crime. The prosecuting attorney assumed he went to Warsaw Community High School because of his address and treated the crime as a minor infraction. The true crime was only a misdemeanor. However, when the attorney learned that he attended Valley High School, he was charged with a felony. He came so close to being almost let off the hook, to being charged with a far worse accusation. Personally, I find this unjust.
I do not know how you feel about my school, but I believe the students attending have enough unfairness to deal with. A good portion of the students do not even live in this county. Their parents' tax dollars do not benefit my school. Because Warsaw is a larger school, they get most of the funding. I do not disagree that it should be that way, but where is our funding coming from?
Many students, such as myself, are forced to attend Valley despite being far closer to Warsaw. We are not as advanced as Warsaw is. We do not have the technology or equipment Warsaw has. Not all, but a few of our teachers are indifferent and have poor teaching methods. To top this off, the authority at my school seems to think that appearance is far more important than the students or their educations. We are underprivileged, we are understaffed, we are underfunded, and to make matters worse, we are treated unjustly.
I am not saying that all students at Valley are innocent. I just want to know why is it that because a few choose to participate in illegal activities, we all must suffer? Why can't we have true, untainted justice? It is clear that the situations we have to deal with are not fair. So why can they not be just?
I would like to see this county become a reputable one. I would like to see a fair judicial system work. I am asking the adults of the community to have the voice that I cannot have and vote for just officials. Make the authority fair. Make it so that despite whether I attend Valley, or Warsaw, or Triton, or a different school, that I am treated fairly.
Melissa Kerkhoff, via e-mail
Warsaw
Iraq
Editor, Times-Union:After the end of World War I the British took possession of and occupied three Mesopotamian provinces and created what we now know as Iraq. A good number of British were alarmed at this move and publically challenged the occupation which later proved to be a failure. Here is a portion of a letter written to the London Times sometime around 1920:
"The people of England have been led in Mesopotamia into a trap from which it will be hard to escape with dignity and honour. They have been tricked into it by a steady withholding of information ... Things have been far worse than we have been told, our administration more bloody and inefficient than the public knows. It is a disgrace to our imperial record, and may soon be too inflamed for any ordinary cure. We are to-day not far from a disaster ...
"We say we are in Mesopotamia to develop it for the benefit of the world ... How long will we permit millions of pounds, thousands of Imperial troops, and tens of thousands of Arabs to be sacrificed on behalf of colonial administration which can benefit nobody but its administrators?"
Those were the words of T. E. Lawrence, also known as Lawrence of Arabia. As we recognize the third anniversary of our occupation of Iraq, it seems worth remembering that those who forget the lessons of history are doomed to repeat them.
David C. Kolbe, via e-mail
Warsaw
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- Valley Principal Responds - Valley Injustice - Important Ordinance - Valley Apology - Valley Injustice - Iraq
Valley Principal Responds
Editor, Times-Union:Our boys basketball team was honored to have won our IHSAA sectional and participate in the regional tournament at Blackford High School on March 11. While we did not win our round-one game with Jay County High School, the Tippecanoe Valley community can be proud of the way our student athletes represented our school, community and Kosciusko County. Even in defeat they were winners and demonstrated how athletics, at its best, should look.
But something else also occurred that did not well represent our school and community. Even before the game ever began, during the singing of our national anthem, our student section decided to give an organized cheer well before the end of the "Star Spangled Banner" was completed. We received a chorus of boos from all the opposing schools once the singers finished. We deserved their displeasure.
As principal of Tippecanoe Valley High School, I feel compelled to apologize for the actions of a few of our overzealous students. Their actions were disrespectful to everyone who calls themselves an American. This matter has been addressed with the entire student body and we hope it will never occur again. Further, it is my wish that each of our parents have a serious discussion with their student about this issue and discuss respect and how they expect their children to behave in public.
This incident was indeed unfortunate and put a serious black mark on an otherwise very positive year. Our student support for basketball has been outstanding and has meant so very much to the young men and women who put it all out there on the basketball floor. Ironically, our students have sung the national anthem at nearly every game and not interrupted our band, our choir, or the exceptional performances of Ed Rock. Game officials have commented how much they enjoy coming to Tippecanoe Valley High School and the outstanding game atmosphere and spirit.
We want to keep the outstanding spirit our kids bring to games. However, we want to eliminate the disrespectful behavior that can now be seen so often on TV at many of the college and pro games. "Over-the-top" behavior seems to be the cool thing to do and it has fostered a deterioration of civility among our kids, as well as a few adults, who feel that since they paid their way into a game that the game officials and coaches are fair targets for their own personal disrespect. Modeling is a most powerful teacher.
Tippecanoe Valley High School has and will continue to foster an atmosphere that teaches respect and honor for our country, our school, and for self. We may not always succeed but we will persevere, we will not quit and give into the forces that attempt to erode civilized conduct. Again, our apologies.
Michael Overmyer, principal
Tippecanoe Valley High School, via e-mail
Valley Injustice
Editor, Times-Union:I attend Tippecanoe Valley High School. There, I admitted it. As this is such a horrible curse, feel free to humiliate and degrade me as you wish. But before you do, listen to my story, please. Hear about the injustice and hardships students at my school have to face before you judge us.
Since my family moved here 22 years ago, we have heard horror story after horror story about the judicial system in Warsaw. This helped prompt my father into choosing to live in an area of the Valley district. We soon learned that Valley students tend to get the rough side of the law in Warsaw. Many of my peers have mentioned tales of Valley students being charged with crimes he or she did not commit. When a Valley student does commit a crime, they tended to punish the student far worse than the student actually deserves.
I disregarded these until recently when the stories finally hit home. A close friend of my family has been charged with a serious crime. The prosecuting attorney assumed he went to Warsaw Community High School because of his address and treated the crime as a minor infraction. The true crime was only a misdemeanor. However, when the attorney learned that he attended Valley High School, he was charged with a felony. He came so close to being almost let off the hook, to being charged with a far worse accusation. Personally, I find this unjust.
I do not know how you feel about my school, but I believe the students attending have enough unfairness to deal with. A good portion of the students do not even live in this county. Their parents' tax dollars do not benefit my school. Because Warsaw is a larger school, they get most of the funding. I do not disagree that it should be that way, but where is our funding coming from?
Many students, such as myself, are forced to attend Valley despite being far closer to Warsaw. We are not as advanced as Warsaw is. We do not have the technology or equipment Warsaw has. Not all, but a few of our teachers are indifferent and have poor teaching methods. To top this off, the authority at my school seems to think that appearance is far more important than the students or their educations. We are underprivileged, we are understaffed, we are underfunded, and to make matters worse, we are treated unjustly.
I am not saying that all students at Valley are innocent. I just want to know why is it that because a few choose to participate in illegal activities, we all must suffer? Why can't we have true, untainted justice? It is clear that the situations we have to deal with are not fair. So why can they not be just?
I would like to see this county become a reputable one. I would like to see a fair judicial system work. I am asking the adults of the community to have the voice that I cannot have and vote for just officials. Make the authority fair. Make it so that despite whether I attend Valley, or Warsaw, or Triton, or a different school, that I am treated fairly.
Melissa Kerkhoff, via e-mail
Warsaw
Important Ordinance
Editor, Times-Union,Our officials get plenty of critticism from we voters, and some of it is richly deserved. In fact, we've used this column to draw a bead on our county commissioners for not taking positions that we believed were clearly the correct path.
Now is the time, though, to heap praise that is just as deserving as our previous criticism. When Commissioner Brad Jackson encouraged a zoning ordinance amendment to help restrict the damages of "funneling" at our lakes, he took a giant step up to the plate. In asking the county planning staff to propose an "anti-funneling" ordinance, and add financial penalties on those who would ignore necessary erosion control measures at a building site, Commissioner Jackson demonstrated he understands some of the concerns that have been expressed over the past few years. It's a beginning for those of us who have been attempting to out-shout special interests for some time. The future needs additional common-sense zoning.
We are certain there will be very vocal objections from those who would consider their own financial gain more important than perpetuating the finite lake natural resources we are blessed to have in this county. This is not the time to allow special interests to water down this proposed amendment.
The amendment to restrict "funneling" and put teeth into erosion controls is long overdue. These amendments need to become law before damage to all our lakes is insurmountable.
The proposal for a "lake district" residental zone around all our lakes also deserves the support of all citizens in the county. After all, where would our local economy be without these resources?
Dan Lee
Warsaw
Valley Apology
Editor, Times-Union:First of all, I would like to say that I'm sorry. Not only to you Miss Tucker, but to those other Tippy students who did not trash our national anthem last Saturday.
I should not have included you in my previous letter to the editor. I'm shocked to understand from you that such a thing has went on all year and that your principal had never mentioned anything to those students. And nor did he put a stop to it.
I had been under the assumption that he had never known of anything like that happening before.
I'm thankful to you and your classmates who share my views on how we should all show respect to our national anthem and what it stands for. I would also like to say that you have every right to be proud of your team and their accomplishments.
Getting to the regional is no small thing, and as I understand it, you have several returning players for next year's run. I wish you luck.
Again, let me say that I apologize to those students who did not take part in the trashing of our national anthem.
Good for you!
Ron Lightle, via e-mail
Montpelier
Valley Injustice
Editor, Times-Union:I attend Tippecanoe Valley High School. There, I admitted it. As this is such a horrible curse, feel free to humiliate and degrade me as you wish. But before you do, listen to my story, please. Hear about the injustice and hardships students at my school have to face before you judge us.
Since my family moved here 22 years ago, we have heard horror story after horror story about the judicial system in Warsaw. This helped prompt my father into choosing to live in an area of the Valley district. We soon learned that Valley students tend to get the rough side of the law in Warsaw. Many of my peers have mentioned tales of Valley students being charged with crimes he or she did not commit. When a Valley student does commit a crime, they tended to punish the student far worse than the student actually deserves.
I disregarded these until recently when the stories finally hit home. A close friend of my family has been charged with a serious crime. The prosecuting attorney assumed he went to Warsaw Community High School because of his address and treated the crime as a minor infraction. The true crime was only a misdemeanor. However, when the attorney learned that he attended Valley High School, he was charged with a felony. He came so close to being almost let off the hook, to being charged with a far worse accusation. Personally, I find this unjust.
I do not know how you feel about my school, but I believe the students attending have enough unfairness to deal with. A good portion of the students do not even live in this county. Their parents' tax dollars do not benefit my school. Because Warsaw is a larger school, they get most of the funding. I do not disagree that it should be that way, but where is our funding coming from?
Many students, such as myself, are forced to attend Valley despite being far closer to Warsaw. We are not as advanced as Warsaw is. We do not have the technology or equipment Warsaw has. Not all, but a few of our teachers are indifferent and have poor teaching methods. To top this off, the authority at my school seems to think that appearance is far more important than the students or their educations. We are underprivileged, we are understaffed, we are underfunded, and to make matters worse, we are treated unjustly.
I am not saying that all students at Valley are innocent. I just want to know why is it that because a few choose to participate in illegal activities, we all must suffer? Why can't we have true, untainted justice? It is clear that the situations we have to deal with are not fair. So why can they not be just?
I would like to see this county become a reputable one. I would like to see a fair judicial system work. I am asking the adults of the community to have the voice that I cannot have and vote for just officials. Make the authority fair. Make it so that despite whether I attend Valley, or Warsaw, or Triton, or a different school, that I am treated fairly.
Melissa Kerkhoff, via e-mail
Warsaw
Iraq
Editor, Times-Union:After the end of World War I the British took possession of and occupied three Mesopotamian provinces and created what we now know as Iraq. A good number of British were alarmed at this move and publically challenged the occupation which later proved to be a failure. Here is a portion of a letter written to the London Times sometime around 1920:
"The people of England have been led in Mesopotamia into a trap from which it will be hard to escape with dignity and honour. They have been tricked into it by a steady withholding of information ... Things have been far worse than we have been told, our administration more bloody and inefficient than the public knows. It is a disgrace to our imperial record, and may soon be too inflamed for any ordinary cure. We are to-day not far from a disaster ...
"We say we are in Mesopotamia to develop it for the benefit of the world ... How long will we permit millions of pounds, thousands of Imperial troops, and tens of thousands of Arabs to be sacrificed on behalf of colonial administration which can benefit nobody but its administrators?"
Those were the words of T. E. Lawrence, also known as Lawrence of Arabia. As we recognize the third anniversary of our occupation of Iraq, it seems worth remembering that those who forget the lessons of history are doomed to repeat them.
David C. Kolbe, via e-mail
Warsaw
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