_Editorial
Education in need
of tax levy passage
Edmund Burke once Mid, “You can never plan
the future by the peat." This may or may not be true,
but the future can be secured in the actions of the pres
ent. So it's up to city voters to give overwhelming ap
proval to Eugene's 4) school tax levy tomorrow.
For die past five years. Eugene schools have sur
vived without a new tax base, but the easy Miiing of
past years is over.
City voters need to realize the great responsibility
that faces them in funding education, whether they ap
prove of taxes or not. Although Gov. Neil Goldschmidt
{and many of us) would like to shift the burden of
school costs away from property taxes, no choice re
mains now but for the school system to rely on this tax
as a major portion of revenue. It's up to voters to see
this levy through and maintain the high quality of edu
cation for which Eugene is known.
If the tax levy fails, almost $4 million (the amount
of the levy request) will be cut from the existing budg
et. The results would be daunting and too much stands
to be lost.
Supportive services and staff members such as
counselors, bus drivers, coaches and cafeteria staff
could be cut: English as a Second language teachers
and speech and hearing therapists could be laid off:
and our commitment to multi-cultural education and
racial equality could be severed. If the previous ser
vices are saved, class size would have to Increase 20 or
30 percent. This would markedly reduce individual
care and attention to students. These are awful choices
to have to make.
But these choices, if they can be called that, won't
have to be made if voters approve the 4} tax levy and
add 46 cents to the present $17.90 per $1,000 of as
sessed value on property.
When the School Board began locking at next
school year's budget, it became apparent that an enor
mous tax increase would be necessary to save educa
tion. Rather than go overboard, the board decided to
cut 127 staff positions in order to save $4 million. This
brought district spending to a more maintainable level,
but a 7 percent increase in tax dollars above the normal
6 percent growth In the tax base is still required. This 7
percent increase is being asked for tomorrow.
Voters who are tired of taxes should use their best
judgment and realize the necessity of this levy. Main
taining the high quality of education should take prior
ity over other necessities — for the sake of the future.
5Kg£fcssias
DUQUE
r
THE GOOD
NEWS IS
I WON THE OTHER
Non-revenue sports deserve IFC funding
Oh the times, they are a changin'.
Historically, the University’s student
body has shown an unfaltering commitment
to funding non-revenue sports and, specifi
cally, women’s athletics. But recently the In
cidental Fee Committee voted to deny the
Athletic Department a 9.5 percent increase
in revenue allocation to non-revenue sports,
which is unfortunate.
Though we can understand 1FC budget
constraints, we believe they have ignored
the feelings of students by denying the ath
letic department what would amount to only
an additional $2.45 a student a term in inci
dental fees.
This is also a slap in the face to the Uni
versity on a national level, which is often
considered an institution that promotes
equality in the athletic arena — regardless of
gender.
More often than not. and most certainly
in the recent past, students have willingly
paid fees to support non-revenue sports.
Student support also is evident in the con
sistently large attendance levels at various
athletic events.
Moreover, members of the University’s
women's athletic teams have consistently
maintained CPAs above a 3.0. And yet, few
er scholarships are available to these women
who most deserve them. This seems rather
foolish when compared to the almost 100
full-time scholarships available to the Uni
versity's football team, whose on-field suc
cess has ridden in the past few years on the
shoulders of just a few star athletes.
The women's athletic teams have more
than proven their abilities and their need for
finances. It is doubtful that we would see
members of the IFG sweeping Mac Court or
selling programs at athletic events to keep
the IFC in working order, as athletes of non
revenue sports have had to do. The women's
athletic teams have proven themselves time
and time again. The IFC's decision hardly
rewards them for their efforts.
Concerned University students are now
circulating a petition to be presented to the
IFC voicing support of non-revenue sports.
In light of the petition and the uproar and
indignation by those of us who support
women's athletics, the IFC should reconsid
er its faulty decision.
Letters
Beware agenda
Jon Wollander's U;tt*!r
"Slanted polls" (ODE, April
2tt). shows the need for Im
proved reading comprehension
so people will recognize false
arguments typical of such writ
ers.
Writers wanting to advance
understanding choose words
carefully and fashion their
ideas with precision to elimi
nate ambiguity Wollander’s
lettor documents his interest in
avoiding precision in definition
and logic. Teachers must train
students to critically analyze
writing.
Unhappy with Callup poll
evidence of public support for
the 1973 Supreme Court Roe
vs. Wade decision, Wollunder
consciously fashions invalid
words into emotional buttons
like: " ... which legalized
mothers killing their preborn,"
" ... common reasons mothers
gave for aborting their child."
" ... to kill her unborn baby."
and “preborn babies "
Wollunder exploits emotion,
shunning reason llis use of the
word "preborn" suggesting
something more than a fetus,
recognizes the Supreme Court
would not accept and might
punish his use of the word
"child" in reference to its deci
sion.
Women become "mothers"
when they give birth to a child.
Pregnant women are pregnant
women — not mothers. Even
ludaic law recognizes a fertil
ized egg developing as a fetus
in a women's uterus becomes a
"baby" or "child” only when
it is separated from the womb,
naturally or surgically, at birth.
Christian zealots long en
gaged in undermining our Con
stitutional liberties believe the
present Reagan Supreme Court
offers optimum opportunity to
achieve their religious agenda.
Let us beware.
Bert Tryba
Kugene
Stop graffiti
Unfortunately, some mem
bers in the University commu
nity are using our free speech
right in an extremely perverted
manner graffiti.
I'm not talking about the
mindless graffiti in bathroom
stalls or classroom desks. These
marks represent the bored indi
vidual tiiat has no respect for
property, but to the ignorant
everything is lairing One could
expect that from this person,
but not the person directed by
goals which are quite laudable,
goals representing that individ
ual's rights.
l)o these individuals think
that printing on buildings,
sidewalks and other such struc
tures will successfully promote
their cause?
1 am ail lor the peace move
ment. but defacing property is
not tiie way lo bring about
peace! I am specifically talking
about the “U S. out of HI Salva
dor" graffiti in front of Ger
linger Annex. To me. this is in
itself a disgusting contradic
tion. This person not only per
verts the cause, but also embar
rasses those who are at live in a
positive way.
This is not the only human
rights graffiti on campus —
"Gay rights..I'hink globally.
act locally," and "Stop rac
ism" to name a few. Are these
individuals so helpless that
they have to sneak around and
voice their views destructively,
not to mention illegally?
A word to those who feel the
need to use graffiti to speak
out: (Iraffiti does not help pro
mote your goals. If anything, it
hinders them; it is an incred
ible eyesore, and finally, it’s
just not right. If peace is what
you want, live peacefully!
Dan Hawkins
Philosophy
Choose
To address the eloquent Bert
Tryba (ODE, May 4): Course of
ferings in comparative religion
should be made available to
students who would choose to
select them. The operative verb
here is "choose."
Whether or not the material
presented is biased toward the
substantiating of judeo-Chris
tian belief is presumably up to
the instructor. If a student dis
agrees with the perspective, he
or she is certainly allowed to
either drop the course or ex
press dissatisfaction, to either
the individual instructor or the
department itself.
Because religions and belief
systems of all forms are promi
nent components of our culture
and society, courses examining
them should continue to be of
fered at the university level.
Just as students can select
whether or not to register for
these classes, they are also free
— within our society — to ei
ther accept or reject a belief,
whether it is based upon faith
or hard empirical evidence.
G.S. Parson
Student
_Letters Policy_
The Emerald will attempt to print all letters con
taining comments on topics of interest to the Univer
sity community. Comments must be factually accu
rate and refrain from personal attacks on the character
of others.