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have to demonstrate proficiency in a also gain greater fluency in their own. soil may give some inuiviuuais the impres- 1
<br /> second language. The CIM test is giv- Language instruction is an essential sion that disposing of any chemical sub-
<br /> en to sophomores; students in sixth part of a good education, and Oregon stance on the ground is OK. The occurrenc-
<br /> grade today will be expected to meet shouldn't settle for second-rate. As the es of contaminated groundwater through-
<br /> the language requirement when Legislature drops one foreign lan out Oregon clearly argue that it is not.
<br /> they're halfway through high school. guage requirement, it should rededi- DENNIS NELSON 3/�-4j4 j
<br /> That means school districts in Oregon cate the state to its more comprehen- Eugene
<br /> ,r'must offer language instruction in sive foreign language standard.
<br /> Teachers' cause is just
<br /> Sillfeud, solution Sadly, it appears there will be a strike
<br /> Yeasy by teachers of the Fern Ridge School Dis-
<br /> trict. If this happens, there will be no win-
<br /> he Democratic National Com- Democratic officials, Joe Andrew, the ners among the district's students, resi
<br /> mittee recently huffed and new co-chairman of the DNC, pledged dents and teachers. It is still possible for
<br /> puffed about not seating Ore- to "resolve" the dispute by this Sep- owever, de-
<br /> pends on the school board everyone to be winners. and Superinten-
<br /> gon's delegation to next year's nation- tember. He didn't say how he would dent Patrick Burke.
<br /> al party convention because the resolve it, just that he would. He also The district has stubbornly refused "just
<br /> state's presidential primary is con- said that he likes mail elections. cause" protections afforded in most Lane
<br /> ducted by mail. National party rules The ideal resolution would be for County school districts. On the eve of the
<br /> prohibit states from conducting pri- Congress to enact a system of regional Fern Ridge Education Association's strike
<br /> maries or caucuses before March 7, presidential primaries to bring order vote, the district tried to intimidate teach-
<br /> 2000, to ensure that Iowa and New to the chaotic nominatingers by demanding that all keys to school
<br /> Hampshire retain their kickoff spots process. property be turned in before spring break
<br /> in the their f spprotsb- That would end the ridiculous situa- and that all personal property be removed.
<br /> int, says nominating DNC,calendar.that Thewill tion in which Iowa and New Hamp- (Interestingly, "construction during spring
<br /> mail ballots for its ispra Oregonel prima- shire receive disproportionate atten- break" was the reason for the demand, yet
<br /> tion. It would also give the candidates students were not required to do likewise.)
<br /> ry on Feb. 22 — before the magic time to visit each region and learn of .The district has wasted taxpayer money to
<br /> March 7 date. its concerns. mail propaganda in favor of its negotiating
<br /> This is really a nonissue. Yes, then position. This mailing closed by decrying
<br /> state will mail out ballots ahead of the the absence of a regional system, the.possibility of arbitrators ("outsiders ")
<br /> state armail date. But ofthOregon can unilaterally move its Pres- deciding a dismissal case. The board then
<br /> DNCwon't be counted until March ballots4, a idential primary back to May, when gave us an example of its fear of outsiders
<br /> week after the date. The DNC a all other primary contests in the state by attempting to keep Fern Ridge constitu-
<br /> celpia- are voted upon. It makes no sense for ents from attending a recent board meet-
<br /> ently feared that the national media a small state such as Oregon to be ing! Apparently, we, too, are considered
<br /> or various presidential campaigns swallowed up in the heavily front- outsiders!
<br /> would poll Oregon voters between the loaded primary season now in effect. Instead of stubbornly clinging to this
<br /> time the ballots are mailed out and It would take action by the current draconian position, Superintendent Burke
<br /> when they're counted and declare an Legislature to move the state's presi- and the board should agree to common-
<br /> Oregon winner. Big deal. dential primary. But this should be sense workplace protections. If they do not,
<br /> A day after the huffing and puffing one issue upon which even the highly teachere will on a strike, and I will Itbjoining uh
<br /> teachers the picket line. (Although I
<br /> and threats of a protest by Oregon polarized Legislature can agree. have a Junction City address, I live within
<br /> the Fern Ridge School District and have for
<br /> • nearly 20 years. I still have a child in
<br /> Sit •tins one out 3P-6/4I school) FREA's fight is truly a just cause
<br /> for"just cause."
<br /> GARY JARVIS.
<br /> ime is on the side of the city of as the hazard presented by the tree is ,function City
<br /> Eugene in the latest imbroglio clearly marked, there's no rush to cut
<br /> over the fateof a tree. Pro- it down. The protesters can stay in the
<br /> testers have climbed a bigleaf maple tree as long as they like. Perhaps in A toast to a bartender
<br /> near the Owen Rose Garden in a de- time they will come to accept the ar-
<br /> termined effort to keep the city from borist's assessment of the maple's Eugene's premier bartender,Bob Virtue,
<br /> cutting it down. Eugene's arborist health. They may cling to their conic died last week.He was 81.
<br /> tion that the cityis overlyeager to cut In the late 1950s many struggling Uni-
<br /> says the tree is rotting, and a section big trees. They may decide there are varsity of Oregon students worked for Bob
<br /> of the Willamette River bike path hasin the Eugene Hotel's famed Bib and Tuck-
<br /> been closed to keep bicyclists and oth- bigger battles to be fought. They may er Room, slicing cocktail topping and wash-
<br /> eveners from being hit by falling limbs. get bored after they realize that ing glasses behind the longest bar between
<br /> It's a familiar tune, but the city the city has declined to play its as-. Portland and San Francisco. It was a rich
<br /> should decline to be the protesters' signed role in another of these milieu.
<br /> dance partner. An attempt to roust drames s.closure of a section of a well-
<br /> Edward R. Murrow,Jack Carson,Ginger
<br /> the tree sitters from their perches used section of the riverfront bike Rogers, Andre Previn, Shelly Berman, Slim
<br /> iiii_ would be all but guaranteed to bring Pickens, the Frog Lady, and assorted bums
<br /> sten- path creates an inconvenience for bik- and grifters stood by as Bob demonstrated
<br /> about another emotional and
<br /> p ers, joggers and strollers. Those who the frappe,sling and fizz. He taught us how
<br /> tinily dangerous confrontation be- grow weary of detouring around the to placate a lady, cut off a lush and assist a
<br /> tween protesters and police. hazard site will know where to take gentleman to the exit, sometimes with
<br /> It doesn't need to happen. As long their complaints. vigor. ...
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