To the Editor:

In any community, the heart of what a town is, is found in its library.  We have come to rely on the energy and spirit of the library to assess the shape and thinking of the Batesville community.

We come to expect the library to provide its most familiar description of what a library offers; answers to our many questions, provide research help and account information.  The community can look forward to tutorial services in many subject areas, utilize the meeting rooms, use adaptive equipment, tours, information for new citizens and immigrants.

The twenty-first century advancements have brought computer training for free or a nominal fee, databases, full text magazines, newspaper articles, electronic books, encyclopedias, dictionaries, business dictionaries, legal forms, auto forms, auto repair, practice tests, etc.

We also have internet access, good reading and even some libraries are able to borrow materials from university libraries for student use.

But I have never seen a job description of a library that included baby-sitting and policing the bathrooms and quiet areas of the library for unsupervised children and youth.  Why would culturally apt citizens support aldermen and a school system abusing the Public Library and its staff for babysitting service?  Why haven’t the taxpayers and parents questioned this abuse of service?

What is the justification of South Panola School District supporting students having an early release program every Tuesday for years not just one day?  How can they justify this kind of action when they are only responsible for seven schools and this includes two elementary and one high school?  How have they measured the merits of this decision for long range benefits to each student dangling in front of the library and in its bathrooms, etc?

When was the last time taxpayers and voters questioned the objectivity of this kind of ongoing abuse of time and energies of a staff that supports the whole community?

Let’s take a look at the MAARS (Mississippi Assessment and Accounting Reporting System) where do we stand with providing these students (I mean all of our children) support of the No Child Left Behind mandate,  as outlined by the State of Mississippi minimum level achievements.  Our school system has not met the minimum  growth requirements as shown by the MAARS especially for high school reading and language.

Our youth, who choose not to be motivated in the library to be constructive, have nowhere else to go, but sit and refuse to do anything worthwhile in the library.  Why not get grant monies for a program that will lean toward the Strategic Education Plan for South Panola School District?  In this plan, one objective is for opportunities to involve parents.  Now we know that means more than coming for a parent’s conference, which says Little Johnnie or Sue is not performing well.  For culture competency standards, parents should have opportunities to be taught how to sit down with Little Johnnie or Sue.  They will also need help with the new math and language.  There are programs that will help train parents how to do more than attend a parent’s conference.  This plan calls for flexible schedule opportunities, schools sometimes have to offer tutoring earlier than regular school hours, or in an after school program. This kind of program would work well housed at a school with staff hired by the school system to provide the support necessary for our children to be able to meet minimum levels for our AYP (Adequate yearly Progress) under the No Child Left Behind mandate.  Bus transportation would be provided to zone areas for children to get home after the program ended.  This would help us to eliminate a wasted Tuesday every week for children that have no time to waste.

The world needs us to prepare our youth for the future.  (This is not Stimulus money) Mississippi (due to our national academic ranking for our children) can get special funds to help our children get the needed academic and behavioral support for improving academic performance.  (See Strategic Education Plan for South Panola School District 2005-2010 revised June 2006).

Our citizens do understand that it takes a village to raise a child, we all want and need to see the necessary motivational support that will continue the total growth, well being and life skills our human product (our children) will need to make Batesville and our country the best place to live.

/s/ E.J. Bobo