Girard school officials should have kept word

Girard school officials should have kept word
EDITOR:
I am writing in response to an article in the June 20 Vindicator regarding the Girard High School cheerleaders. I am not a Girard native, nor am I or was I ever a cheerleader, but what the school board is doing to the these high school juniors is inexcusable.
Yes, to most, this probably seems like such a trivial thing that they are to be on the junior varsity squad instead of the varsity squad. But to a high school girl this is an important issue, especially when it is a goal they have been working toward.
Since there was a cheerleading constitution stating that the varsity squad would be made up of juniors and seniors, the coach, the school administration, and the school board should adhere to it. Then, if indeed there were openings after tryouts due to lack of participation, then and only then should they have invited the best qualified sophomores to move up from the junior varsity squad to the varsity squad.
However, since they adjusted the squad to 12 members instead of eight, and had two seniors and six juniors that were eligible, that left four additional spots for sophomores. The five juniors should have been included before adding the nine sophomores.
Obviously, the Girard school system teaches mathematics and thus should have been able to come to this conclusion as well as I did. What the school board is teaching these students is that it's OK to go back on a promise, that contracts are meaningless and that seniority and hard work are irrelevant. Way to go, Girard. What lovely virtues to teach such impressionable young girls. Go Girard, Go.
CHRISTINA BUZZELLI
Austintown
Treasurer's workshop for women well attended
EDITOR:
I am writing to express my deepest appreciation to the women of Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley for their overwhelming positive response to our Women & amp; Money workshop held on the campus of Youngstown State University on June 15.
My gratitude extends to those organizations -- including this newspaper -- that have joined the State Treasurer's Office as sponsors for our Women & amp; Money workshops, which are taking place in six Ohio cities this spring and summer.
I want to say a special word of thanks to the administration and staff at YSU, who were such excellent hosts for our event. The facilities at Kilcawley Center are absolutely first rate and certainly ideal for an event like Women & amp; Money, which attracted 420 attendees. The university staff could not have been more helpful. Without their hard work and "can-do" attitude, the workshop would not have been nearly as successful and enjoyable as it was.
My staff and I are proud to have brought Women & amp; Money to Youngstown this year, and we look forward to coming back again in 2002.
JOSEPH T. DETERS
Treasurer of State
Executing mentally ill an assault on decency
EDITOR:
Your recent editorial endorsing executions of persons suffering from schizophrenia caused me to consider your position.
Generally, the death penalty is rationalized by either its purported deterrent effect or society's need for vengeance. Neither is applicable to persons afflicted with mental illness who would not have conceivably been deterred nor whose death should be of any comfort in satisfying any societal blood lust.
The murder of mentally ill persons convicted of criminal conduct is an inhumane and egregious assault upon decency.
ALAN R. KRETZER
Youngstown