Teaching appropriate behavior community responsibility
We were very disappointed with the Free Press editorial (Feb. 8) regarding the dance style at Cheney High School.
We were part of the “small group of parents” who attended a meeting with CHS administration to discuss our concerns with the growing problem of “freak dancing” in our schools.
(We didn't notice any of the CFP editorial staff at that meeting.) Our goal was to devise alternative ways for the kids to dance that is not offensive to everyone around them.
When one parent asked what “freak dancing” is, the administration and student body representatives said, “You don't want to see it.”
They were too embarrassed to show us, for they knew it would be offensive.
We are not against letting the kids have fun.
We are against the degrading manner of certain dancing. The dancing is described as “sex with your clothes on.” Is this appropriate in a public school setting (or anywhere for that matter)?
The CFP wants us to “let them decide.” So, should we take our kids to the local bar and “let them decide” if it is right to drink? Should we provide a dark, romantic room and “let them decide” if they should have sex? We should say NOT!
There are numerous other schools that have restricted dancing behaviors and even banned their dances because of this vulgar way of dancing.
If we don't instruct our teens on what is appropriate public behavior, then we are lacking in our responsibilities as parents and community members.
The CFP wants “both sides to give a little.” We are trying to teach our young people to make good decisions.
Cheney High School has not banned the dances altogether; they are just teaching our kids to respect others who find this type of dance very offending.
Peter & Teri Jo Christianson
Cheney
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Don't let 'inmates run the asylum' at Cheney High School
The opinion page article (Feb. 8) on letting Cheney students dance the way they want was wrong on so many levels it made my head spin.
For starters, it was a bunch of students who were fed up with the “freak dancing” (and who had stopped going to the dances) who encouraged their parents to approach the school and organize the codes of conduct for future dances.
Secondly, if students can get suspended for public displays of affection in school, why is dancing in a “sexually suggestive” manner at a school sponsored function OK?
Thirdly, why should 14- to 17-year-old kids get to vote on whether or not it is all right to dry hump their dates at a dance?
As a kid, I would have been in favor of it, but luckily the adults at that time weren't deluded enough to even ask my opinion on such a ludicrous topic. Talk about letting the inmates run the asylum!
Lastly, the writer said “Freaking is the style now, and kids will do it one way or another.”
Yes, smoking was the style at one time too (when I went to Cheney High we had an on-campus smoking area); as was hazing the underclassmen. Should we let the kids vote on those topics as well?
Just because a certain “style” is popular with the kids, doesn't mean that it should be approved of or encouraged by the adults. Kids exist to push boundaries.
Adults should be setting and enforcing them.
Gregorio Munoz III
Cheney
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Free Press out of line in its position on freak dancing
As a retired teacher and strong advocate of students, I eagerly read your article (Feb. 8) about freak/grind dancing.
Your paper directed me to a website where I could obtain more information that would enhance my knowledge about freak dancing and better explain your position of advocating freak dancing.
Imagine my horrified surprise and distaste upon reading your recommended website!
I cannot express too strongly how appalled, disturbed and angry I became at your endorsing such extreme inappropriate behavior in a publicly financed school environment.
The “technique” section as well as other links at this website borders on pornography.
I question that high school students need to be exposed to your advertising of this website.
Shame! Shame!
I have trust our school administrators will use common sense and will not let the children vote on this issue.
Mary Daugharty
Cheney
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No way are humans responsible for global warming
Global working is a ploy to get more of our money – as soon as our lawmakers can legislate a new law, they are trying to make us responsible for something we have no control over and are in no way responsible for.
Cattle and other livestock are freezing to death in Idaho, Utah, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Colorado.
“Flatulence from animals. The primary cause of the hole in the ozone layer.” Wink wink.
Twice the normal snowfall in Fairbanks, Alaska, and much colder than usual.
All are signs of “global warming”?
Volcanoes in Hawaii, Japan and a thousand other places around the world pour billions of tons of molten lava into the sea and cover thousands of acres of new material under the oceans, causing a rise in ocean water level as well as in temperature.
Harry E. Wear
Cheney
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EWU Police a waste of resources
The title of the Jan. 31 Easterner article “Joining forces” is a misstatement of the real problem.
Presently, Eastern Washington University has 13 officers, including the chief, and a payroll with benefits of approximately $780,000 per year.
The city of Cheney has 13 officers, including the chief and a payroll with benefits of approximately $780,000 per year. Costing approximately a total of $1,495,000 for community policing in two separate budgets.
This does not include ancillary costs such as secretarial staff, equipment, training and maintenance costs. The population of Cheney, including student residents, is 10,046 by the last census. That equates to 2.4 officers per 1,000 residents – double the statewide standard of 1.2 residents per 1,000.
No wonder EWU Chief of Police Tim Walters has implied that his officers do not have enough to do and need real experiences for training and maintaining performance levels.
There is not enough to do for 24 officers in the city of Cheney, especially on campus – and even less during times when students are absent for summers, breaks, holidays and many weekends. If they do not have enough to do on campus, staffing levels should be reviewed. Maybe the EWU police force is a necessary luxury and could be replaced with security personnel?
With some hesitancy, I suggest that the university fund two or three positions for the city of Cheney, a 20 percent increase, and move to a security patrol system on campus – maybe utilizing qualified criminal justice majors to give them some useful limited experience.
This would give the community excellent coverage and back up at least 1.6 officers per 1,000 population.
I believe the campus would have a net savings of more than $225,000 and the total community would gain additional unified protection without the waste of funds for over-coverage.
Maybe the university would use the savings to bring the fire protection contract current, which they have so far declined to do.
Tom Showalter
Cheney
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Velcro Army: What's coming next?
It's been quite a week. Between the former televangelist finding out he isn't gay after all (how they test for that in rehab I don't want to know) and having NASA put a whole new meaning on the cliché “What's up, Doc?” it took the Army to cap the week off with the announcement it has gone to “the Velcro look.”
Many of us remember in boot camp staying up all hours to get that “spit shine” on combat boots and dress shoes and making sure there were no “Irish pennants” on anything that was sewn onto our uniforms for morning formation and inspection.
Those of us who were issued brown dress shoes, and who had to dye them black before polishing, had it worse.
Now the Army has come up with the Velcro combat uniform. Everything -- nametags, service branch, unit I.D. – is attached with Velcro.
No more running down to the local “Mama Son” at the last minute to get patches sewn on before shipping out. Those days are gone. Even the combat boots are “rough side out” and no more shining them at all hours.
The battle uniform doesn't even have to be creased. Just throw it in the washer and wear it. We now have a “wash and wear Army” with no sharp creases to worry about.
As fast as things are changing in Iraq, and elsewhere, and with all hearings and committees that are taking place as to what to do over there if the surge doesn't work out, perhaps they should get with the time and call them “the Velcro hearings.”
Simply put Velcro on the back of each page of documentation. That way, they can simply substitute whatever is lying around to meet each day's different scenario.
After all, we had the Marshall Plan, the Paris peace accords for Vietnam, the roadmap for peace in the Middle East, etc., etc.
Our new and revised foreign policy should be termed “the Velcro approach.” If it's good enough for the grunts, then it should be good enough for those who send them into harm's way.
If it were only that easy.
Graeme Webster
Cheney
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