Letters to the Editor

Burke reunion touches a nerve

The Jeremiah E. Burke Reunion Weekend was special. There were faces that you haven’t seen in so long appearing after 20 or more years. Those moments made all the organizational work on the committee worth it.

It goes to show you that if you want something bad enough teamwork makes it happen.

The reunion covered 20 years and when we all gathered together it was like one big family reunion.

Bulldogs Forever.

Sonja Dorest-Dedrick
Burke Class of 1987

Thanks to Burke High

All I can say is “WOW,” we did it. The committee did an EXCELLENT job organizing and carrying out this Reunion Weekend. It felt like a big happy family reunion. The Burke shaped and made me who I am today, and for that I am eternally grateful. I love my Bulldog family and wouldn’t trade them for anything.

Thanks to all of the wonderful Burke staff, teachers, advisors and especially former Headmaster Al Holland. Love you all.

Our “Class of 92” theme song said it best: It’s so Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday!

Alfrida Woodson
Burke Class of 1992

Back to basics

There will come a time and not that far when realities will settle in that by “giving” our children to a school system that has been overwhelmed by political considerations has cost our communities greatly with far too many of the students not understanding the value of education. While college thoughts are worthy, the reality is that too many of our inner city youth cannot afford college and there are not that many scholarships.

We have allowed a “surrogate mother/father system” to flow when young parents, many with no jobs or skills are allowed to drop their children in daycare or early childhood development centers, leaving them to the care of the workers and return hours later to take them home and put them in front of a television with some sugary substance to eat. Parents should be required to learn better parenting habits, both mother and father.

During the summer months, there are all kinds of camps, mostly for recreation, but little emphasis is placed on tutorial reading. The good City Councilor Charles Yancey holds an annual book festival with large turnouts, but little is said on a sustained basis regarding the importance of reading and that our drop out of school rate is too high while the drop into court with new cases is rising.

It would be a great thing if we begin to demand more and not keep allowing those elected to determine our priorities. Nothing has been given to us as a people, but much has been taken. Let us no forget the story of Gideon as we move to challenge and to change for a better community.

Haywood Fennell
Via e-mail