Letters to the Editor

Overcrowding puts quality education at risk

To the editor:

I‘m concerned over the direction our schools seem to be taking. I fear Oldham is just a few steps behind the Jefferson County school system. That isn’t a compliment. 

My husband and I moved here in 1975 to get the best education for our youngsters, age 2 and 4 at the time. They’re now quite successful citizens. One is a policeman in Louisville with a Transylvania education and the other is a doctor and on staff at the University of Louisville medical school. I’m quite proud of their success and attribute this to the quality of their education in Oldham County. 

I fear the quality is going down. My daughter moved here with her husband and two children because of the school system. We’ve been trying to get our son to move here so he won’t have to pay private school tuition in Louisville. I hope this isn’t a mistake. 

Recent newspaper stories pertain to overcrowding, new school buildings, drug incidents on the rise, firing of 50 teachers and a big pay raise for our superintendent in Oldham County, to name a few. 

I see the waste of moving dirt outside East Oldham Middle and Crestwood Elementary. This is pleasing to the eye, but what is pleasing about crowded classrooms? Wouldn’t that money be better spent on hiring quality teachers? We’ve been lucky in this aspect. Teachers come to Oldham County knowing they’ll get lower pay than Jefferson or Henry teachers, but there have been discipline problems. A crowded classroom ensures discipline is hard to maintain and the quality of learning diminishes. 

I understand there was desire to raise taxes this year, but the school board said no. I believe our superintendent shouldn’t have taken the pay raiser, even though it was in his contract. It took a great deal of nerve to ask for a tax increase during this poor economic period. I see overcrowding as poor management. When money is tight, the answer isn’t always more money, but improved management. 

I read the student/teacher ratios, but understand the numbers don’t represent the teacher and class size. How many elementary schools have 30 students in a classroom with one teacher? I know several. …. A class in elementary, especially kindergarten to fourth grade, shouldn’t exceed 25 students. The student doesn’t get much-needed individual instruction. Quality education is minimal; the teacher is unable to do his/her job. We’ll lose good teachers in this climate. 

Something must be done to eliminate overcrowding. Decrease the administration and take those salaries to hire classroom teachers. Hire paraprofessionals to help teachers. I hope we don’t see another building going up for several years. I’d like to see better management of our funds and elimination of crowded classrooms. Our children and grandchildren deserve this. Let’s hope our elected leaders and administration end this travesty and become better managers of money we’ve given them for educating our youth. 

Louisa J. Davis, Crestwood

 ‘No left turn’ light is easy to miss

To the editor:

Recently, a ‘No Left Turn’ light was installed at one of the Crestwood lights. This new light has totally changed the dynamics of the intersection. Drivers who make the illegal turn are frequently being ticketed. I don’t have issue with the decision to install the light. However, I have an issue that the small, poorly lit light may be missed rather than ignored. I propose that drivers should also be alerted with a sign before the intersection, a sign that would inform them of the times when turning is not prevented.

Don Helton, Pewee Valley 

Event at senior center is a success 

To the editor:

Tri-County Community Action Agency Senior Life Enrichment Center and Adult Day would like to extend our gratitude to all those individuals who assisted in making our first annual Yard and Craft sale a huge success. What a generous community we live in, along with your yard sale donations, Tri-County received donations from local businesses to raffle and we were able to utilize some items to include in a silent auction. 

We would also like to extend our gratitude to those who rented booth space generating additional revenue as well as to those of you who shopped. All of your support combined allowed for the purchase of badly-needed new chairs in our Adult Day Center, the remainder of the proceeds will benefit the transportation program. Once again, thank you to the community for your support. 

Vickie Newton, TCCAA 

A no excuses approach to healthcare in the U.S. 

To the editor:

Walk a mile in my shoes, then you can tell me how to live. I believe that if I must be in Medicare, Social Security, and Health Insurance coverage at my expense so be it for everyone in the United States. There are exceptions now so why should the Government, Armed Services, Teachers, Policing agencies, Firemen, and all the other people that are excused be excused? If all had to be in FICA, and Medicare then the old saying about getting into ones’ knickers for money to get their attention would mean something. We would all sink or swim together.  

Congress can pass laws that effect us, but not one that doesn’t hold water. It’s “United We Stand or Divided WE Fall,” and divided we are as long as they don’t have to live by the rules or laws we do.  I’ll bet if their retirement was not adjusted so that their money was more now than the salary they drew while in office we would have changes and healthcare corrected over night. The politicking would be over now.  

John Nichols, Ballardsville

Resident supports closing Second Street

To the editor:

I’m a concerned resident of downtown La Grange. I purchased 308 W. Main and started renovation in January – a big two-story house in the historic district that I’ve painted yellow with white trim.

I raised my children inside the Henry County line, but had a La Grange address for 14 years... I was engaged to a La Grange resident that lost his life in Vietnam and I’ve watched La Grange grow since I was 15. My daughter and grandchildren live on Second Street, about a three-minute walk from my house. 

I have strong ties here and love living right on top of the railroad tracks. Before I purchased this old house my girlfriend and I came and sat on the front porch for more than two hours waiting for a train, just to see if I could live this close to a train. I love it! 

It’s nice to sit on the front porch while they go by at 10 miles per hour and no whistles. My grandkids run to the front of the house every time and count how many cars are on it.

I was unable to attend the Sept. 8 meeting because I was working. Someone mentioned to me the statement was made that the train was here when we bought these houses, but that is not the case. I would have never bought this house if trains blew whistles. We have something here in La Grange that is unique and special – A QUIET ZONE! I won’t be able to sleep with horns blowing 20 feet from my bed, and 32-34 trains a day is a lot. 

I don’t want Second Street closed. I feel like someone lollygagged too long and didn’t order the gates in time. How did this happen? The other gates went up and roads were closed. When I saw those yellow reflectors on Ky. 53 I thought concrete barriers at Second Street would be next. 

 Why would officials purchase those tall yellow things if we weren’t blocking off Second Street? The money didn’t need to be spent on those if the horns are blowing. What happened to the concrete barriers that I heard about, for Ky. 53, at the last meeting, that cars wouldn’t be able to drive over?

If we close Second Street, it might cut down on traffic that comes from the post office and McDonald’s and cuts through the shopping center up Second. The shopping center is used like a street.

… The train is a unique part of our community. It is not as good as watching a barge go down a river but it is relatively quiet and very enjoyable. Please, let’s close Second Street and keep our quiet zone.

Jody Patterson, La Grange

Kickoff Classic is a community success 

To the editor:

What a great show of support for our county high schools on Aug. 21-22 at South Oldham High School. More than 3,000 people attended this year’s Kickoff Classic featuring all three of our high school football programs.  

The weather was wonderful but the volunteers were even better. On behalf of the three athletic programs, we’d like to extend a special thanks to Crestwood Baptist Church for 90 volunteers that showed up to work. The evening was much more enjoyable for all with the many volunteers who aided in everything from ticket sales to concession stand help. 

We’d also like to take this opportunity to thank each school’s booster club and the Oldham County Board of Education for helping with the financial obligations to put on such an event. A special thanks goes to corporate sponsors who donated money to this event. Baptist Hospital Northeast and Farm Credit Services (Craig Woosley) we appreciate your investment for our student athletes.  

Thanks to Domino’s Pizza (Tom Reynolds) who provided pizza for each team after the games. Lastly to all of the parents and school volunteers who put time and energy into the event your efforts are truly appreciated.

Tom Clemons, NOHS ; Mitchell Irvin, SOHS; Matt Watkins, OCHS

Thankful for communication

To the editor:

I just wanted to bring to the attention of the paper the attached information e-mail from Magistrate Rick Rash. I’ve been a resident of Oldham County for 45 years and he is the only magistrate that has taken the time to let me and others, know what is happening with money and projects of the county, and I’m not even in his district anymore. 

There would be less grumbling about taxes and spending, if the people who have the duty to spend would keep their constituents more informed. I know they get a lot of complaints, so I’d like to say thanks to Magistrate Rash.

Dale Winters, La Grange