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SANDY (O r . ) POST Thur»
F«t> 12 1^81 (Sec I)
The Sandy Post
Editorial & Opinion
Von Braschler. Publisher
Caroline Duff Office Manager
Mark Floyd, Editor
Don Dillon, News Editor
Enlist now to help collar burglars
R e sid e n ts c o n c e rn e d w ith
Sandy's epidemic of burglaries can
help put the collar on local crime.
Sandy police are sponsoring a
timely crime prevention program
and seeking community volunteers
to assist them
There's a growing need for the
c o r r e c tiv e m e a s u r e s . L o cal
statistics show there were 91
burglaries in Sandy last year alone
A large number of these burglaries
occurred downtown, but private
residences were hit heavily, too
The new crime wave includes
juvenile burglars who often find
easy access to homes and offices
ripe for the picking
Sandy police are moving to com
bat the crime wave, as their 42 per
cent record of c le a re d cases
testifies (That’s twice the national
average of a growing national pro
blem )
The high number of burglaries
and other thefts not involving forc
ed entry, however, has many San
dy residents and shopkeepers wor
ried Many businesses have install
ed electronic alarm systems or
hired a security guard Some have
done both. Others have banded
together to discuss solutions to a
common problem
Clearly, the problem belongs to
the whole community, and the
whole community should deal with
it.
The best wav to deal with recurr
ing burglaries in a small communi
ty, police say, is to inform the
pu b lic on w ays to trip up
burglaries Make it tough for them.
So Sandy police will sponsor a
th re e -p h a se in fo rm atio n and
group-hei’' program beginning
March 10-11.
The March meeting at the Sandy
Community Center will train police
and volunteers to train the public.
First focus will be home security
with program information of use of
locks, fences and other measures to
impede burglars.
Second phase will cover proper
identification of valuables. Police
can trace and often recover stolen
property if it is identified w’ith
serial numbers (driver’s license is
ideal) marked on the items, with a
matching list in safekeeping
Final program phase will help
neighborhoods institute a block
watch program, where neighbors
keep an eye out for one another
during absenses.
Commendable attention to a
growing burglary problem here
show's police concern and should be
matched by citizen involvement.
The best way to get involved and
stifle crime here is to volunteer to
assist Sandy police in their crime
prevention program
Why not attend the March 10-11
volunteers training meeting at the
Community Center. What have you
got to lose0 (VB)
Changes abound at the Sandy Post
Changes abound at the Sandy
Post — many visable and others
subtle, and readers may find some
interesting
Starting this issue, the local crew
at The Post have typeset their own
news copy on computer-age elec
tronic terminals This frees us
from dependency on Gresham
typesetters
A n o th e r
change
a llo w s
Hoodland, Eagle Creek and other
classified ad customers to phone in
their want-ads toll-free when they
dial 667-6633 long-distance. Simply
tell the classified receptionist that
you are a want-ad customer m ak
ing a collect call
Other changes include our own
photography darkroom for pro
cessing our pictures inside The
Legislator’s report:
During the interim I served for the first
time or a committee that is responsible for
raising the money spent on such basic things
as basic school support and property tax
relief This Revenue Committee decide> the
types and amounts of taxes that must be im
posed in order to fund state programs
1 am serving on the joint Revenue Com
mittee this session and — needless to say —
we are faced with man\ serious problems
Further compounding the problem is the re
cent announcement by fiscal officers that
they would have no realiy firm revenue date
until June
It appears that the state will receive even
less funds on which to base its budget than
was first anticipated
The governor has proposed selective tax
increases on cigarettes liquor, business
profits and insurance premiums plus a
freeze on persona income tax reductions
due to become effective next year, in order
to pick up some of the gap
The speaker of the House and president of
the Senate recently issued a directive that
calls for computation of an operating level
at only about 9b percent of the governor s
recommended budget level Using the
governor's revenue projections, it appears
that basic school suppor’ and homeonwer s
property tax relief would share in the 10 per ■
cent reductions
I agree with a number of legislators who
believe that we should fu lfill our com
mitments to school children by assuring tat
school support should not be less than a
statewide average of 36 percent of the cost
for primary and secondary education and
also fu lfill our commitment* to homeowners
by continuing property tax relief at 30 per
cent
I feel that these programs should not be
sacrificed at the expense of other demands
f
School flap draws more fire
After reading the Sandy
Post's
feature article and the
Post building, plus a new local
letters to the editor last week
television magazine as weekly in concerning certain school
sert to our newspaper Another ad problems. I began to see a
dition at The Post involves the birth misunderstnaing being for
of my concerns and
of our companion weekly publica mulated
past statements quoted by
tion, “ Mt. Hood Trade Days. The the paper.
Thursday mailer will deliver free
First. I did not say, nor did
shopping news to neighbors in any member of the Lutheran
Welches, Brightwood, Zig Zag. Fellowship imply that all
members of the Sandy stu
Rhododendron. Kelso. Orient, Bor dent body or majority of that
ing. Sandy and Eagle Creek
body are abusers of alcohol
Of course, the big visable and other drugs What I did
was that drugs and
changes to come will include im say
alcohol are readily available
provements in news content, as on that campus, and it now
defined by our readers in our appears that they are in
readership preference survey (See terfering with the education
that public school is suppos
page 7, this section.) Many already ed to provide for each of our
have responded, and we thank children.
them for their cooperation We
Secondly. I did not say that
won’t be totaUy happy, however, the e d u ca to rs or a d
at Sandy High
until we have YOUR completed ministrator
School are inadequate That
questionnaire
would be a gross untruth, for
most members of that staff
are hard working concerned
public employees W'hat I did
say was there have been,
and still are. teachers at
Sandy whose behavior is not
above reproach Because of
the likability by the students,
they become role models and
set values that many con
cerned parents find offen
sive
Many parents, including
m yself, feel the school
should not have to babysit
our children and that the
students themselves should
bear some of the respon
sibilities of their actions
However, I tell you that
many kids between the ages
of 14 and 18 are not mature
enough to make decisions
that may well effect them for
the rest of their lives I fur
on state revenues and that the Ways an
ther believe that we do not
.Means Committee should act on these two
have to make it easy for
issues immediately
The committee should not ignore them un them to make those wrong
decisions.
til it is too late and further crippling of local
We do not have to have
governments or increase in income tax to
fund property tax relief or — even worse — open campuses, so that our
children can wander off and
an increase in both income and property
on when they desire, show
taxes to fund other budgets.
ing up just when their bus
Another thing that concerns me is that ci
leaves for home with neither
ty and county governments not be hit with
a letter nor a phone call from
legislated programs for which the local
the administration to an
governments end up paying
unknowing parent
The whole budgeting problem reminds me
We should not fail to notify
of the old story of an old man. a boy and a
parents when we know of a
donkey . Whatever is done will be wrong in
drug or drinking problem
someone s eyes
and we should not let the kids
im m e d ia te ly back into
Last week I wondered if a bill that pro
school who are knon
poses a change in the opening date of the
abusers influencing those
legislative session would surface Since
who are not, but easily
then the House Revenue Committee has
swayed
sponsored one that changes the date from
We should encourage good
the second Monday in January to the second
academic performance in
Monday in March That is their proposed
our athletes and not allow
solution for the delay in work caused by hav
them to engage in athletic
ing to wait until May or later to have basic
events with the present low
date with which to work
requirement* of four Ds and
Call me anytime through the toll-free
two Fs
Watts line 1 -MO-452-5674 Or dial direct to
We do not have to water
down our academic re
378 885<i
Shelter schools, tax relief
b> KEN JERNSTEDT
State Senator Dist. 2*
Letters to the editor:
quirements for fear a child
w ill drop out of school.
Perhaps if his or her mind
was challenged, the student
would find a sense of pride in
academic accomplishment
Parents of children who
have had no known problems
with any of the above items
of concern. I am indeed hap
py for you Perhaps you
never w ill be affected by
these particular happenings
But there are parents who
have been affected And the
particular events I chose to
relate to M r McMahan
th ro u g h the L u th e ra n
Fellowship meeting were
neither rumor nor hearsay,
but actual incidents seen or
experienced by either a close
friend or a member of my
own family
I and other members of the
c o m m u n ity have been
criticized for not coming for
ward sooner with these con
cerns. but we — possibly like
other parents — thought that
these events were only
isolated incidents
I now feel that there have
been too many ” isolated in
cidents,” and we all — as
concerned parents — must
try to do something to help
our school provide a happier
and mentally healthier at
mosphere. so our children
can reach their potential
both academically and as
good moral citizens
Steven H Sweitzer
Sandy
Charges rile
I am responding to the
front page article of the Jan
29 issue of the Sandy Post. I
was very offended at the
allegations made about our
teachers, students and ad
ministration
Our faculty has upheld
high standards in behavior
and conduct They devote
much of themselves to
school every day-not only at
school, but also in their
private lives They always
are willing to lend an ear to
listen to you, to help you out
when you don't understand
something, whether it be
personal or about school I
admire all of the teachers at
Sandy High, and I have
almost never had an occa
sion to complain about the
teacher or a class or any
member of the faculty.
John McMahan is a very
dynamic and caring man As
principal of our high school
he has a lot of responsibility
that 1 doubt you or I could
handle He really cares
about this school I have had
the opportunity to meet with
Mr McMahan on several oc
ca sio ns, as I am the
secretary of our Associated
Student Body I am impress
ed with his concern for the
welfare of us all He doesn t
have all the answers but I
know that he wants to help us
and that he is doing his best
to do that.
I am affronted at the
generalization made about
the students of Sandy High
We. the students, are not all
stoners or alcoholics In fact
only about five percent at
mo6t really are involved in
drugs and alcohol. The other
95 percent really care about
their school and are concern
ed about the reputation of
Sandy I know many people
who
are
o u ts ta n d in g
students and athletes, and
they are really exceptional
people
I am involved in a lot of ex
tracum cular activities in
and out of school in addi
tional to doing the best I can
scholastically , and I am no
means alone Many of you
who believe that no good
comes out of Sandy should
have come to the Booster
C lub banquet honoring
students and athletes from
the month of Sept through
Dec Several of the athletes
also were honored by being
nominated scholastically.
T his group of honored
students were a small por
tion of the large group of
outstanding students at San
dy Many parents came to
the banquet — parents who
cared and were willing to
come to school with pride,
because they are involved
through the activities of
their sons and daughters.
But what of the parents of
the other 1,300 students0 Do
they care enough about their
child to come to the teacher
co nfe re n ces held each
quarter0 Do they come to
ta lk w ith th e ir c h ild s
counselor0 The answer is no,
unless they come to com
plain
It really irritates me that
so many parents have hand
ed over the role of bringing
up their kids to the school.
The teachers are not their
parents, and the school is not
their babysitter, nor a day
care center where they can
drop off the kid It is a school
— a place of secondary
education to stimulate in
terest in learning
S tudents
should
be
d is c ip lin e d enough by
parents to want to come to
school, go to class prepared,
study at home, and want to
learn If the student doesn t,
don't put the blame on the
school. The school had
nothing to do with the upbr
inging of your child You did.
and it’s your responsibility
If your child drinks or is into
drugs again it's not the
school s fault
The school isn’t here to
teach your child his morals,
he (or she) should already
have his own morals, taught
by you. the parent If- they
don’t have enough self
esteem or intestinal for
titude to face the outside
world of school and face
become surrogate parents,
their peers, then what hap only to be chastised, should
pens when they graduate0
your teenager tell you of
I also feel that the state something or some need they
ment made by Tim Systma . have filled in for you
rings so true: ‘‘If you can't
How many of you so-called
deal with the pressure by
parents are non-drinkers
your peers, change your
and non-smokers0 Some of
peers ” We pick our own
you even smoke marijuana
friends, and we should be
If you want to really help,
able to see if we should need
search your own hearts
to change them.
What kind of example are
I invite the Hoodland men
you setting0 Just because
to attend a student council
you’re an adult doesn’t give
senate meeting to see what
you a license to set a bad ex
we do The senate is our
ample for your teenagers
lifeline, and the students
How long has it been since
here at Sandy do care For
you've shown a sincere in
the most part, we show it!
terest m what they 're doing”
Where they’re going in life 0
Paula Woster
How long has it been since
Senior at SUHS
you've hugged them and
said, “ I love you°”
So, you see, you’re just
looking for an excuse, so
meone to blame for your own
There are some teens to
failure as parents. Until
day th a t are re b e llin g
you're willing to face reality,
against any and all authority
how can you expect our
— parents, teachers and
teenagers to°
even the law Parents who
These problems started in
have tried to teach the child
the home, not in the high
right and wrong and lovingly
school.
disciplined and guided the
child through life sometime
Micki Ray
find themselves facing a
Sandy
totally rebellious child who
is caught up with a group of
yo u n g s te rs of s im ila r
nature
The often desperate, often
The family of V Robert
heartbroken parents only
Randall sincerely wish to ex
can do so much, as can the
press their gratitude for the
teachers. In cases like this,
grave effort extended by’
the parents — rather than
Ron Kipp of Birdie I^ane and
turning against the schools,
Hoodland Fire and Rescue
saying “ It’s all your fault’’
A special thanks to Dr
— must accept responsibility
Bruce Free and the rescue
for their child and try to join
team of Don Armintrout,
forces with the teachers and
Lane Wintermute, Mike Eby
sometimes the police to try
and Frank Douglas
to keep the teen out of jail
It is a comfort to know that
and in school.
these tra in e d e x p e rts
Adults must help each
responded to quickly and
other with the teens of today,
were at the scene in the time
keeping the teen in mind,
required to save a coronary
trying to help them learn in
victim, and we know that the
school, helping them learn to
best possible treatment was
cope in the world where they
given
live.
The sincere empathy of
Judy Bowman
these gentlemen in answer
Sandy
ing our questions during our
Mother of 6 teens and ex
time of sorrow cannot be ex
teens
pressed adequately
Jean Randall.
Kathleen Boom how er
I ’m a single mother with
and Carol Sommers
two daughters One is a stu
dent at Sandy High School,
the other a student at
Welches Elementary School
The Sandy Parent Teacher
I would love to meet those
Club would like to express
perfect people who were
our appreciation to all of the
responsible for the most
community for making our
unrealistic article I ’ve ever
first carnival and chili feed a
read
(J a n . 29 Post,
great success. We want to
* Residents complain of lack
thank all the area merchants
of discipline at SUHS ” )
for donating gifts and the
Discipline is something
many volunteers who helped
that must be taught in the
with
the event.
home by setting a good ex
We feel everyone felt a
ample and teaching respon
great deal of school spirit,
sibility to our teenagers.
and that’s what we re all
It is not a teacher s respon
about' Thanks again’
sibility to have to cope with
what a parent has failed to
Mary Marshall
do Teachers are human
P TC. president
too Yet they are put upon to
Show concern
Thanks given
Start at home
Many helped