Letters to the Editor

Editorial: R.I. snubs poor, minority students
Providence Journal
June 18, 2016
What does this say about Rhode Island and its leaders? In passing a nearly $9 billion budget, the General Assembly refused to provide the relatively meager amount needed to maintain wildly successful public schools that help poor, Hispanic and African-American children achieve at or above the level of mostly white students in wealthy suburbs.
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Liquor license too close to church?
Letter to Editor: John W. Flynn
Valley Breeze
May 25, 2016
There is a state law that prohibits the granting of a liquor license within 200 feet of a church. This applies to the whole state, although there may be at least one city that has 500 feet. State Rep. Jay O'Grady has introduced a bill that would allow Lincoln to grant a liquor license within 200 feet of a church. Why would Lincoln want to be different than the rest of the state?
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Don't let R.I. House hurt charters
Commentary: Alan G. Hassenfeld
Providence Sunday Journal
May 14, 2016
There is an innovation in public education that is working. Rhode Island students learning under this innovative school model significantly outperform their peers in traditional district schools in reading and math according to a 2013 Stanford study. It should come as no surprise, then, that families are demanding more of this educational model. Schools under this model received more than 14,000 applications for only about 1,500 open seats for the 2016-2017 school year. There is an innovation in public education that is working. Rhode Island students learning under this innovative school model significantly outperform their peers in traditional district schools in reading and math according to a 2013 Stanford study. It should come as no surprise, then, that families are demanding more of this educational model. Schools under this model received more than 14,000 applications for only about 1,500 open seats for the 2016-2017 school year.
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Public should have freedom to decide best use of school funds
Letter to Editor: John J. Cullen
Valley Breeze
March 18, 2015
George Washington once said that government is like fire; it can be a cruel master or an unruly troublesome servant. In last week's letters to the editor, Cumberland's (School Committee Chairwoman Lisa) Beaulieu opined that charter schools are about funding, not about choice, while Lincoln's Dr. Collins opined that they are about choice; he was abused at a recent Lincoln School Committee meeting while exercising his freedom of speech on this subject.
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Charter schools work; Assembly unionists now out to hurt them
Arlene Violet
Valley Breeze: Poli-Ticks
Jan 28-Feb 3, 2016
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Give residents alternatives to costly school construction
Letter to Editor: John J. Cullen
Valley Breeze
Jan. 27, 2016
I encourage our Lincoln town administrator to show bold and vigilant leadership in his efforts to continue to protect the Lincoln taxpayer. Recent news reports have indicated that the Lincoln school building committee is reviewing high school building proposals – new and renovations – that could place a school bonding referendum before the voters in the amount between $40 million and $70 million.
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February 16, 1999
Submitted by Margaret Pederson to Valley Breeze