Kids and Media
Mark and Keisha Hoerrner’s January story, Steering Toward Skepticism: The New Mexico Media Literacy Project, described a program that teaches kids to be critical and clear-eyed TV viewers. Jody Townsend told us about a PTA program that helps parents do the same.

Thank you for your article on media literacy. Our PTA members have been involved, too, in sharing critical TV viewing skills. Several years ago, National PTA partnered with the cable association to develop a workshop entitled “Take Charge of Your TV.” It’s mainly for adults (although it has been done with high schools students successfully) about the four points centering around critical TV viewing skills. The workshop is free of charge. We offer either a 1.5-hr workshop that covers all the material or four separate 1-hour workshops on each of the points.

Most state PTAs offer the workshops. I know that New Mexico PTA trained additional presenters last spring.

Best regards,

Jody Townsend
Colorado PTA

Praise for a School Superintendent
Dr. Eugene White, an Indiana school superintendent, has challenged black male students to take tougher courses and work harder, earning both praise and criticism. A site visitor from Africa was impressed by White’s personal commitment to student achievement, as described in Kathleen Schuckel’s January story, Challenging Kids to Achieve.

I think it’s great that Dr. White took such a personal interest in addressing the issue. I live in Africa, and oftentimes resources are stretched too thin to be able to delve into an issue to this level and take active steps to turn things around. For those who are opposing his actions, do they come up with specific and achievable alternatives on how to motivate these kids to take academics more seriously and improve their grades? Rome wasn’t built in a day, and I feel that Dr. White has taken a huge step in laying a foundation stone to fix the problem. Don’t oppose the good man, think instead about how his creativity and daring initiative can be taken to the next level. Perhaps do the same with another group of kids, and then another and another. Sooner or later the benefits of these actions are bound to show. Kudos to Dr. White!

Achieng Butler
Nairobi, Kenya

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I commend Dr. White for his accomplishment in raising the achievement awareness and level in our young black men. I’m a single black mom with three girls who I push to do more that I did, and it’s working. we need all the help we can get with our babies. I challenge every parent to take a serious look at the program. We perish and say ignorant things because of the lack of knowledge.

Thank You
Angela Durham, NC

Computers Don’t Teach Students, Teachers Do
When we ran a story (Schoolhouse Digital Divide) from the California Children’s Advocate about research indicating schools in poorer communities make less creative use of their computers, speech therapist Carol Sanford said that teacher suspicion of new technologies runs deep.

In my district in New Mexico most of the teachers use computers for paperweights. It has taken me one and a half years to convince the district to purchase the Inspiration/Kidspiration programs! It is almost impossible to get the classroom teachers to “allow” LD (learning disabled) and Language disordered kids to use technology in the classroom to access the curriculum. What I’ve not seen addressed in articles about this topic is the underlying philosophy of teachers that using a computer or any technological device is—cheating... The devices are seen as “doing all the work” for the kids. I’ve been using computers to “do” speech therapy for 13 years. I have yet to work for any school system that actually provided computers to SLPs (speech-language pathologists) for anything other than to do paperwork (most of the few we have don’t work). Our district has also taken the position that “we provide the computers, if you want to print anything, get your own printers!”

Dr. Carol A. Sanford, CCC-SLP

Adopting Older Children
Our story (Finding Homes for Teens, Rachel Blustain) about You Gotta Believe!, a New York City adoption agency that specializes in finding permanent homes for teens, described the work of agency founder Chester Jackson. A Texas reader’s response demonstrates Jackson’s thesis, that not every prospective adoptive family is looking for a brand-new baby…

I am a 58-year-old dietitian who finally married my sweetheart of 17 years two years ago, but it is too late for us to have children. He is 52 and going back to get his masters to teach college math. We are very, very happy but my goal is to retire in a couple of years and adopt a child or children. I just don’t know if it makes sense to try to adopt a newborn at my age… I wonder is there an agency like (You Gotta Believe!) that might have somewhat older children here?… Thanks for listening. I was very interested in your Jackson’s story. He’s my tocayo (in that I’m a Jackson).

Ana Jackson Gonzalez

Kid Wisdom
An essay by 11-year-old Natasha Kirtchuk of Children’s Pressline (Why Media Ownership Matters to Kids) on why media corporation mega-mergers are bad for kids struck a chord with Washington, DC, journalist Steve Peacock.

Natasha Kirtchuk’s article about media consolidation and its impact on children was refreshing and informative. I share her concern with the impact that diminished diversity is having on children and society as a whole.

She is correct in her assessment that kids will lose faith in the news if what they read in the newspaper and see on TV “all sounds the same.” Her comment that, “If we can’t trust the news, we’ll ignore it. And you wonder why young adults don’t vote!” reveals a striking level of awareness.

I’m relieved to have read such commentary, particularly from a young person, for a number of reasons. First, I have spent the past five years as a journalist in Washington, DC, writing news about communications and broadcast policy set by the FCC and Congress. No doubt there are champions of diversity in those institutions; however, the negative influence of monstrous corporations on a significant number of policy makers has overshadowed their efforts.

As a result, many adults are unaware or even unconcerned with the current state of the media, a situation that I find distressing. At times I have questioned whether it’s worth the effort of trying to fend off these corporations, who appear to be succeeding in swallowing up the remaining small- and medium-sized media organizations in our nation.

As a journalist, as a concerned citizen and as the father of two daughters, I thank Miss Kirtchuk for taking a stand on this issue. We need more voices such as hers.

Sincerely,
Steve Peacock
Associate Editor, Communications Daily
Washington, DC

Short but Sweet
It was particularly gratifying to receive this e-mail after publishing Holly St. Lifer’s profile (Angels in the Snow) of the Dragonslayers, an all-volunteer, all-girl group of emergency responders in Aniuk, Alaska:

This was a really inspiring article. Is there an address we can send funds to help out with this fabulous program?

Hope Levy Kott
Project Director/Senior Conference Planner
IQ Solutions

Art Appreciation
An up-close look at a Chicago program that brings artists and their works into area classrooms (Opening Young Eyes to Art) struck a chord in Texas.

I truly enjoyed the story by Mr. Cassidy. I am a director of Child Care programs at our YMCA in Victoria, Texas, and this is something I would love to offer our kids in our after-school programs. I am also a self-taught artist.

Congratulations to…Art Encounter and the wonderful work and programs it offers. Multicultural Perspectives indeed sounds like a wonderful educational creation…

Sincerely,
Michele Robles

4-H Fan
Aline Newman’s essay (The Heart of 4-H) about the joys of 4-H participation in her rural New York community struck a chord with at least one reader.

Aline’s article stirred up many pleasant memories. Having joined 4-H when I was nine (though in our state you were supposed to be ten!) and staying in the club until I went off to college 500 miles from home, I have nothing but praise for this wonderful organization and the things it taught me, the poise it gave me, the personal experiences I enjoyed. Three cheers for all the 4-H leaders who give unstintingly of their energies to help us kids realize our potential.

Hope Irvin Marston

Budget Crunch Slide Show
Our series of interactive slides demonstrating the impact of state budget crises on children and families seemed to hit a nerve:

All the states are being hit with no extra money from the federal government. I guess all the extra money is being used to finance the war. Then there will be more money needed for the countries that we deal with and also for repairing the countries when the war is finished! I wish there was a better way!

Sincerely,
Cynthia M. DeNardis

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Excellent presentation!! I will definitely use this in the course I teach on Child and Family Advocacy. I notice that Missouri isn’t highlighted for cuts to higher ed. - I am surprised as the University of MO was hit hard ($40 Million, I believe, for Univ. of MO and cuts for other state colleges, too).

Sheila Brookes

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Very informative and well presented slide show, works very well too. It is a long and winding road when it comes to financing children’s programs. Our reps forget what’s important to the average citizen. Stay safe and keep up the great work. Information is Power. Thanks.

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I’m disappointed that there is not more consideration being given to increasing federal spending substantially—to provide aid to states and to create public works jobs. This could get more dollars into the economy than most of the tax-reduction plans proposed—which have no real guarantee that the tax dollars “returned” to the American people will be spent in America, where it can help the economy, rather than abroad—or that it will be spent at all.