Readers write for Monday, March 14

The recent Minnesota conference ("Schools struggle to tackle bullies," March 8) and the White House summit on the plague of bullying in our schools raised several points worth considering.

Minnesota has had a lackluster history when it comes to addressing the problem. I know.

I've spent most of the last decade at the Legislature working on antibullying initiatives of one kind or another and have watched most such proposals be picked apart until they were either mortally wounded or until what remained was piecemeal protection at best.

To this day, when bullying occurs or is directed at specific target groups in schools, communities often deny the truth, even when there is ample evidence.

Legislation has been introduced to expand protection to K-12 students from the types of bullying that frequent school settings. Likewise, it will compel school districts to keep better records on incidences of harassment and intimidation, and ensure that school personnel receive training on effective responses.

I have a challenge to the key players in this debate: I call on traditionally adversarial interests in school philosophies -- members of the Legislature in both parties, along with Education Minnesota and the Minnesota School Boards Association -- to put aside their differences, unite for one moment and publicly endorse these bills for the betterment of our children and schools.

Safety in the schools is a nonpartisan issue. If we expect our kids to get along with one another, maybe we adults should show how it's done.

The writer is a professor of counselor education at Minnesota State University, Mankato.

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A March 11 letter writer was outraged because "no one was speaking up" for the baby whose mother allegedly threw her in a snowbank. She compared the public outcry and support over Guess the puppy with the lack of support for this infant.

While I share her concerns (and for the record, was one of the 10 "winners" allowed to complete an adoption application for Guess), the truth is that this baby is being well cared for while her family sorts out the legal implications of its decisions.

Children cannot simply be put up for adoption because a parent makes a bad decision. Our society has wisely made it a very serious matter to sever the parent-child relationship permanently and allow another to adopt a child.

In the meantime, she is being cared for by the social safety net that was created to help children like her. She has been placed in a loving and licensed foster care home until family can care for her.

She has a trained, experienced social worker coordinating placement and services. And she has a court-appointed guardian ad litem, a specially trained advocate for children, who will represent her needs and interests to the court.

Guardians ad litem are appointed for all children involved in all court actions of abuse and neglect cases in the state of Minnesota. The letter writer and anyone else who shares her concern are welcome to apply to the guardian ad litem program, receive training and become a voice for children themselves.

KELLEY LEAF, MINNEAPOLIS

The writer is a guardian ad litum coordinator for the state of Minnesota.

The earthquake and tsunami in Japan have provided a glimpse at the potential disasters that could accompany additional construction of nuclear power plants in Minnesota and across America.

As I write this, thousands are being evacuated from the area surrounding a crippled reactor in Japan. The damage from natural disasters, though horrible, will be repaired within a few years.

The radioactive fallout from a nuclear reactor release is itself a tsunami of devastation, but one that we create and that would last for decades.

TODD EMBURY, RAMSEY

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The animal magnetism of Big Bird, Elmo and Barney the dinosaur is well-known, but what isn't known is these PBS regulars, along with thousands of other products, bring in sales of more than $ 1.3 billion annually for the network.

I say it's time we let Big Bird and his friends fend for themselves in the free market. Unfortunately, many of our elected officials and my good friends on the left live in the land of make-believe, where deficits will magically go away if we close our eyes and think happy thoughts.

STEVE NORTHENSCOLD, MAPLE LAKE

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After reading about the incident at the University of Minnesota gymnastics meet ("Fan punches Goldy Gopher," March 10), I wanted to say that just because Goldy is wearing a costume and is required to "tease" the fans, a line must be drawn. There are some things people just will not tolerate, especially being made fun of in front of a thousand fans.

STEVEN TEENER, MINNETONKA

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