WHAT'S GOING ON AT TIZA?

High achievement

I have worked at Tarek ibn Ziyad Academy (TIZA) for three years, and as a lead teacher I am responsible for helping to implement the teacher-pay incentive program and curriculum. I am writing to correct misconceptions created by a substitute teacher's aide who worked at the school for one day. (It is interesting that this sub also happens to be a Republican Party activist.)

I am often in classrooms observing teachers and modeling instructional strategies. I have never witnessed any religious instruction during school or any pressure to adhere to particular religious beliefs. In fact, I am a Christian and have always felt completely welcome at TIZA. Why would the school hire a Christian to implement curriculum if it were indoctrinating students in Islam?

I have witnessed excellent teachers from different religious and cultural backgrounds focused on improving instruction and student achievement. That's why student achievement is so high.

WENDY SWANSON-CHOI, EAGAN

Compliance with law After hearing the controversy over TIZA and the talk of separation of church and state, I did something that I had not done for a while: I re-read the constitution of the United States of America. There I found very clearly stated: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof."

So it seems that by neither forcing nor prohibiting students to perform their daily prayers, TIZA actually conforms to the Constitution. Preventing students from praying would be "prohibiting the free exercise" of a religion and a violation of our great nation's Constitution.

TAM SAIDI, MINNEAPOLIS

Public support of Islam "The freedom for people in this country to practice religion is a right that the Minnesota Council of Churches defends vigorously," concluded an April 12 letter writer. No one has a problem with this idea. It's the idea that public money should support such a right.

It does not matter which religion you choose. It is illegal for tax dollars to support the teaching of any religion. Christian and Jewish communities have long understood this. That's why they have private schools.

GEORGE VASILIOU, EAGAN

THE 2008 OLYMPICS

Not a Chinese product

Let's take one more look at protests over the Olympic Games. All Americans surely agree that human rights are fundamental to our humanity and to world peace and understanding. And China clearly has a very bad record on human rights, justifying picketing of embassies and boycotts of Chinese institutions and products.

But the Olympic Games are not Chinese institutions or products. They are an international institution designed to promote world understanding, peace, wholesome competition and acceptance of standards, including those of human rights.

Boycotting the Olympics, or even harassing its torchbearers, strikes at the Games more than it does at China. The time to punish China was at the time of Olympic site selection. But now it harms the athletes, impairs the meaning of international records and accents American intransigence. What is worse, it could set back progress toward world understanding and recognition of human rights.

DAVID R. BRINK, MINNEAPOLIS

KEEP PUBLIC DEFENDERS

Especially in recession

I represent people who have been charged with crimes that carry a jail or prison sentence but who can't afford to hire private attorneys. This is a constitutional right that Americans are justly proud of, like the right to a fair trial.

But when the economy goes downhill, we need more public defender services, not fewer. Typically crime goes up when times are tough, and for sure there are more people in trouble who don't have the resources to hire private lawyers. In Minnesota, the public defenders already carry caseloads near double what the national standards permit. Like food-shelf workers and the clerks in the unemployment office, these are not positions to cut during an economic downturn.

JOHN STUART, MINNEAPOLIS;

MINNESOTA STATE PUBLIC DEFENDER

CONDI RICE & JIMMY CARTER

No peace sans Hamas

"I find it hard to understand what is going to be gained by having discussions with Hamas about peace when Hamas is, in fact, the impediment to peace," said Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in reference to former President Jimmy Carter's scheduled meeting with Hamas.

If that is indeed Rice's attitude, she has no business being secretary of state. Negotiated settlements require that all affected parties participate in some fashion. It is foolhardy to expect that a group such as Hamas will accede to terms and conditions of peace between the Palestinians and Israelis if it has no voice in those terms and conditions. It does, after all, represent the will of the Palestinian people.

ROBERT VEITCH, MINNEAPOLIS

TONE DEAF AT ST. THOMAS

They've done it again

My alma mater, the University of St. Thomas, has hit another new low in its rejection of prolife speaker Star Parker, as reported in Katherine Kersten's April 14 column.

The allegedly Catholic school has moved from embarrassingly liberal to disgustingly left-wing.

My protests to the Rev. Dennis Dease, president of the university, fall on deaf ears. His vaunted position allows him to be one of the few to meet the pope on his upcoming visit.

I will leave it to the readers to ponder the irony.

RICHARD MOSES, NEW BRIGHTON

Universal and diverse? It would be interesting to know what contingent of the DFL Party is running the University of St. Thomas.

If conservative thought and groups are to be banned (like Star Parker and her prolife message) --while the likes of DFL senatorial candidate Al Franken are embraced -- it should be noted and publicized that this seemingly "catholic" institution is not as dedicated to a wide range of thoughts and opinion as it likes to portray.

PAUL KOLARS, ST. PAUL