Letters to the editor for Wednesday, Jan. 28

I believe that the ACLU has filed a frivolous lawsuit against Tarek ibn Ziyad Academy (TIZA). This school supports its students by being sensitive to their cultural and social traditions and seems to be doing very well in successfully educating its diverse student population.

Since TIZA is a charter school, it is a school of choice (approved of by the state and its sponsor), so parents who choose to send their children there are fully aware of the school mission and curriculum.

As a parent of public school students, I am often dismayed by the amount of Christian influence to which my children are exposed. Just look at the traditional school calendar to see how accepting public schools are of other faiths or listen to the holiday songs they sing. If the ACLU thinks this lawsuit is a good idea, I hope it goes further and examines other charter schools that are housed in churches or even looks at what students are taught in traditional public schools.

SUSAN SAILORS, BURNSVILLE

In our increasingly wired world, we're all turning to the Internet to communicate, socialize, pay bills and manage everyday affairs at an exponential rate. It is important for industry leaders, thought leaders, policymakers and educators to examine today's online privacy challenge and share thoughts and ideas.

That's why we were delighted to be part of a thought-provoking, half-day conference at the Humphrey Institute's Center for Science, Technology, and Public Policy. Together with experts from business, the University of Minnesota and Washington think tanks, we explored the increasingly important role that science and technology play in our society and examined the implications for public policy at the international, national and state levels.

Minnesota adopted privacy regulations that apply to Internet service providers in 2002. However, the world has grown and changed tremendously in just a few short years. We now have Google, MySpace, Facebook and a host of other Web-based services that have the potential to accumulate vast amounts of data about the online behavior of individuals.

The Internet is a powerful tool, but the way some online search engines are choosing to harness its power should leave individual consumers more than a bit concerned.

Consumers must have full and complete notice of what information will be collected, how it will be used and how it will be protected. Consumers should also have easily understood tools that will allow them to exercise meaningful consent. What matters most here is that consumers' privacy and will are adequately represented and respected. Consumers should be empowered to choose when, to whom and how much of their personal Web-based information is collected and used.

It is important for leaders on the national, state and local levels to ensure that citizens are informed about the potential consequences of their online activities so consumers are armed with the tools to make their own choices.

REP. JOE HOPPE, R-CHASKA, AND

Rep. Ryan Winkler, DFL-Golden Valley

If I went to a doctor five times for issues from headache to cancer and all he gave me was aspirin, I'd think he was crazy or incompetent. Or to be very charitable, that he had one good idea and stuck with it way too long.