I attended the 4 p.m. screening of "Fahrenheit 9/11," [on June 28] at Burbank's AMC 8, and was surprised to see a long line.
The audience reaction was notable. While they laughed a few times
in the beginning, there was church-like silence throughout -- except
when American soldiers appeared on screen and said they would vote
against President George W. Bush when they returned home.
I hope Bush's people weren't listening.
JONNY M. DUFFY
Burbank
Stress on athletics overshadows education
It seems all anyone has to say about the schools here in Burbank
lately has to do with the sports teams.
I find it distressing in a day and age when presidential elections
are fueled by the promise of continuing education and life-long
learning and the importance of higher education, but when it comes to
our schools the most important thing we can think to speak of are the
sports teams.
I'll not argue that sports are a valuable part of education and
schooling. They can teach great lessons on teamwork and it can help
keep kids fit and healthy. But isn't education a little more
important? At least, shouldn't it be?
People are sending their kids to other schools simply for the
reason that they might get noticed by scouts or agents and go on to
make big deals of themselves in college and professional sports. So
be it. If you care so little about your education as to desert this
town and its schools for a chance at batting cleanup in Santa
Clarita, then I for one don't want you here. You're not going to make
a real effort in a classroom and you're going to make it more
difficult for those who want to learn to get that chance.
It's a sad commentary on our society and city that parents care so
much about their children's chances of landing a multimillion-dollar
contracts that if they can read the contract or not doesn't make a
difference.
Maybe if we treated teachers with the awe we give a pro basketball
star. Maybe if teachers' faces were on cereal boxes. Who knows?
I'm happy to pay my taxes and see that they go to schools, but it
troubles me that more of our money goes into a football field or a
gymnasium than a library or to a teacher's salary. The average
professional athlete's career is about 10 years. A good education
lasts a lifetime.
I can't speak for anyone else, but I'd rather my child come out of
school with a higher grade-point average than batting average or
field-goal percentage.
JESSE L. BYERS
Burbank
Cooking up some healthy ideas for future Fourths
