Readers Write for Monday, July 5

One factor was missing from your June 29 editorial about investing in early childhood education -- the role of parents!

Young children learn by watching adults. Parents need to have deep love and a sustained involvement with their child. Parents who put down their child and are negative toward learning jeopardize their child's chances for good mental health, adjustment, happiness, well-being and success in school.

For 30 years Minnesota's Early Childhood Family Education (ECFE) has educated parents to raise their children in healthy ways with fewer difficulties. ECFE graduates do well in school because their parents know how to be involved. To be successful, early childhood planning needs to include the ECFE component.

MARTY ROSSMANN, ST. PAUL

A June 29 letter, "Is Park Board neglecting Minneapolis beaches?," accuses the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) of neglect. Far from neglect, the MPRB maintains an aggressive monitoring, education and management program toward protecting and improving the lakes. For more than 20 years the Park Board has removed aquatic plants from swimming, sailboat and canoe areas under a permit issued by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.

This year aquatic plants are thriving at the lakes, including outside the buoyed swimming areas. This is good news to lake managers as it indicates clear and improving water quality. The plants themselves offer excellent habitat and contribute to further improvements in water quality. But the plants can pose problems for lake users. The thriving plant community has made this year more challenging than most. The Park Board has completed plant removals at Cedar and Harriet, with Calhoun up next.

The plant removal does not improve the ecological character of the lakes, nor does it keep invasive species at bay, but it serves the important task of removing barriers to surface recreation. We will continue to work hard to improve our lakes and we heartily encourage residents to enjoy our many safe beaches and appreciate the natural habitat.

MANAGER, ENVIRONMENTAL OPERATIONS; MINNEAPOLIS PARK AND RECREATION BOARD

I was appalled, though not shocked, to see in the Star Tribune's coverage of Gay Pride the comment "three people passing out Bibles were cited for trespassing." The paper's coverage was extremely brief -- a short paragraph describing the parade, another about the politicians at the event and the last on "prejudicial" Christians passing out Bibles, presumably, to reform or condemn GLBT folk. Nothing more important or interesting to report on?

How about reporting on the Christians and churches who participated as an identifiable group in the parade itself -- and have done so for years -- in support of the GLBT community? Why highlight three Christians in Loring Park instead of the dozens of Christians who participated in the parade?

CHESTER O'GORMAN, MINNEAPOLIS

How does it benefit the people who Bernie Madoff swindled to put him in jail for the rest of his life and costing the taxpayers thousands in doing so? This is what's wrong with our prison system!

JUDY COOPER LYLE, MINNEAPOLIS

So diving rafts are being removed from Ramsey County lakes because they might challenge some kid to try swimming to them (Star Tribune, June 26). Again some sanctimonious official overreacts to an accident, justifying his actions with our century's most tyrannical phrase, "if we save just one life."

Let's cut down any tree that looks tempting to climb, lest a child try climbing and fall. Kids will dare and some will be hurt. That is part of growing up.

Perhaps Greg Mack, director of Ramsey County's Department of Parks and Recreation, could save another life by requiring children in the park to wear helmets at all times. But wait! That might cause someone to be hurt trying to head-butt a tree! Better yet, let's be really safe and just close the parks.

EDWARD STEGMAN, HASTINGS

Bachmann introduces real legislation with real solutions for real problems. The Democrats in charge of the House of Representatives may not allow these ideas to be debated or voted on, but that doesn't mean they don't exist. In just the first six months of this Congress, Bachmann has introduced 12 bills on important issues like health care reform, energy independence, foster care improvements, child safety, budget reform and taxpayer protection.

You conveniently ignore this part of her record, but her constituents won't.