Readers Write (Dec. 4): College debt, suburban living, Vikings, bullying, Eden Prairie schools

The young man Lori Sturdevant wrote about in her Nov. 27 column must have gotten some bad advice ("Student debt loads just may be America's next big crisis.")

My grandson joined the Marine Corps in the fall of 2002. He served for four years. In 2006, he enrolled at Central Lakes Community College in Brainerd, from which he graduated in 2008. Then he attended the University of Minnesota in Crookston and graduated in 2011.

He has no student debt. Everything was covered with the money he received from the Marine Corps. Now he's 28 and is starting a new job in June.

Getting through college without debt is possible. Young people need to spend less time protesting and more time taking responsibility for their lives.

JOAN PAULY, PLYMOUTH

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As someone who has often been sharply critical of the suburban lifestyle, I greatly appreciated Tom Martinson's Nov. 27 commentary ("In defense of the suburbs: Imperfect, yet right for many").

NICHOLAS KAMINSKY,

NEW PRAGUE, MINN.

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To Martinson's article, I would simply add this: I grew up in the suburbs of St. Louis, Mo., and recall a quietly communicated ethic about it.

We assumed that if you lived in the city, you were either of a different racial ethnic background than we were (white), you had some exotic sexual preferences that you didn't wish to inflict on family-based neighborhoods or that you were crazy.

We moved to a small town in Wisconsin 25 years ago because I found work. We discovered not only a remarkable collection of educated, sophisticated people, well-read and well-traveled, but they were rubbing elbows with salt-of-the-earth types, all living and working and governing and serving together.

Plus, I can drive a truck with rust and not have the neighbors complain. It's not right for everyone, but it has been for us.

DAVID BUTLER, RICE LAKE, WIS.

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Why are we even talking about a stadium with any public money? The Metrodome has a new roof and turf.

Are the Vikings ready to walk away from that? If they insist on a new stadium, the NFL and Vikings can build one with their own money.

CHARLOTTE MEINZ, PRINCETON, MINN.

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I'm bothered by several points made in the editorial about school discipline ("Include due process in school discipline," Nov. 28).

When the transfer of a student to another school is made because of a disciplinary issue, there most certainly should be due process before such a transfer takes place. The fact that this isn't addressed by district policy is a gross oversight.

What occurred on a school-sponsored field trip is reprehensible. Where was the school's chaperone when this assault took place?

LISA E. MCLOUGHLIN, BAYVILLE, MINN.

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Katherine Kersten would fit right in with those who opposed school integration in the 1950s ("Eden Prairie had to suffer foolish plan," Nov. 20). She uses everything she can find to denigrate Eden Prairie's efforts to achieve school equity but provides nothing but her words as evidence.

The percentage of free- and reduced-price-lunch students grew by 46 percent in just three years at one elementary school. Former Superintendent Melissa Krull knew she could not allow that to continue.

Kersten writes that "Krull and her administration railroaded through a plan to bus students."

In fact, 20 people, the majority of whom were district parents, worked on the boundary plan for two years, had several focus groups open to the public while the plan was being formulated, and had seven large, public meetings once the draft maps were set.

Kersten goes on to say that the district is "fully integrated," conveniently ignoring the fact that in 2008, one of the elementary schools had a 22 percent minority population and another had 49 percent.

Kersten states that the "district is down about 300 students from last year," implying that most of that decrease is due to the boundary changes. In fact, the administration estimates that the boundary issue accounts for the loss of only 40 to 50 students.

Kersten would do well to combine some facts with her venom.