Mother of resident at YDC: Please don’t close the facility

Mother of resident at YDC: Please don’t close the facility

I am writing to express my con- cern that the state biennial budget has a provision that would close my daughter’s home: the Youngstown Developmental Center (YDC). I have never been into politics, but I believe closing centers for the developmentally disabled is wrong by any standard.

My daughter lives at the Youngstown Developmental Center and has lived there for the past 21 years. She is profoundly mentally challenged and autistic. She needs assistance walking and eating, and she functions on the level of a 12-month-old baby. On top of that she has severe Pica, which is a disorder where she will eat just about anything she can get her hands on. It can be really dangerous if she is not constantly watched, and that keeps me pretty anxious, at least it did until she got to YDC.

When I was younger I put Heidi in a group home. There was never enough staff, and those who worked in the homes didn’t have the training to take care of my daughter. In fact, before we finally moved Heidi out, they piled baby gates up on her doorway because another resident wouldn’t stay out of her room at night, and they didn’t have enough staff to ensure she wasn’t mistreated. It was terrifying.

At first I didn’t know what developmental centers were all about, but now I’m a convert. I love the one-on-one staffing ratio at the YDC. Heidi requires it because of the severity of her eating disorder and her other complex needs. I ask that the state Legislature and the governor reconsider the decision to close YDC. Families of developmentally disabled individuals deserve to have a choice on the living situation that best fits the needs of their loved ones.

Doris Baugh, Youngstown

Outsiders should not have stuck noses into S. Range school levy

Well, I see the South Range schools levy failed; this comes as no suprise to me because I have said all along that the voter is broke. We have no more money to give, but what also bothers me was the presence of an outside entity influencing the voters. Act Now For South Range Schools is a group funded by outsiders and has no business sticking its noise into the internal affairs of Beaver Township voters.

If the levy passed or failed, it should be on its own merits and not swayed by outsiders.

I’m sure that South Range is in need of additional funding, but until the local economy shows more improvement, I can’t see it happening.

Jim Eidel, Beaver Township

Don’t blame S. Range schools chief for woes; blame GOP lawmakers

This is a response to one of last Sunday’s letters on the South Range school levy. The letter writer is entitled to his personal opinions concerning financial accountability and the board breaking the law over appointing a board member. But I want to give the writer some factors concerning all schools financial situations.

In 1997, the Ohio Supreme Court ruled that Ohio’s current method of funding school violates Ohio’s Constitution. The justices ordered that the state government enact a constitutional school-funding system. But since our House and Senate are dominated by Republicans, they only care about sending our tax dollars to failing charter schools.

Charter school funding in Ohio could exceed $1 billion by 2017 under Gov. John Kasich’s two-year budget. Over half of our state’s public school districts would see additional funding cuts over the next two years. Also, charter school operators contribute large sums of money to the political campaigns of those who control the Statehouse.

So if there is anyone who is breaking the law (contempt of court), it is Gov. Kasich and the Republican-controlled House and Senate.

Don’t blame Superintendent Dennis Dunham or any other school superintendent for having to put on additional tax levies.

Ed Freisen, Newton Falls

Muhammad cartoon-drawing deemed ‘hateful,’ ‘vile slander’

Last Sunday, two gunmen opened fire on an Islamic hate group-sponsored event, but were then shot and killed by police officers. The event was a contest for drawing abusive cartoons of the prophet Muhammad, and the winner was to receive $10,000.

As a Muslim, I condemn these gunmen. People would curse, slander, attack, and even throw stones at the prophet, but not one account of his life says that he fought back to insult. Furthermore, the basic teachings of the Qur’an call for freedom of speech and don’t allow acting violently in response to blasphemy.

However, I can’t understand the point in such an event so hateful and offensive to the most revered figure in the life of all Muslims. Everyone should be allowed to criticize respectfully, but this is vile slander. These groups’ leaders defend themselves by claiming they are trying to protect their freedom of speech, but Muslims have lived peacefully in America since the beginning of the country’s birth, and freedom of speech has never been affected. What kind of justification is this?

Labeeb Ahmad, North Canton

Organizer of poorly attended YSU lecture acknowledges oversight

I am writing in response to the May 3 letter from Donna Hammond about the low turnout at a recent public lecture by Andy Och titled “First Ladies: Influence and Image.”

I ran the event. The lack of better coordination with the History Department was an oversight on my part. I’d tried to get the word out on various channels (e.g., press releases, social media, emails to YSU employees), but in the rush to tie up loose ends for Mr. Och’s talk, I failed to work more closely with History.

In any event, for what it’s worth, Mr. Och said he had an excellent time and was very gracious, and he very much appreciated the audience’s response and questions.

Jay Gordon, Poland

Gordon is an associate professor of English at YSU.

Has McCarthyism returned to the US of Corporate America?

One thing that can be said about anti-middle class jokers like Rush Limbaugh, Sarah Palin, Ann Coulter, Glenn Beck and Michael Savage and others is that they know how to tap into their listeners’ fears, racism and fear of the devil.

They spread their garbage as if “all was well until ‘they’ came along”. “They” being immigrants, minorities and progressives.

The Tea Party Republicans have folks on their side like Rush Limbaugh who wins points by playing and singing his favorite song titled, “Barack the Magic Negro.”

This kind of garbage is the new hate which includes an article that cited that health-care reform is like slavery reparations in disguise. The new hate of people such as Beck, Bachmann, Palin and the Pauls bears a close resemblance to the McCarthyism of the 1950s when one nut almost brought down the government.

Well, we have more than one nut on our hands in this Tea Party-controlled Congress and they are doing their best to turn the United States of America into the United States of Corporate America.

Only the American people can turn this mess around that this Congress is trying to shove down the throat of the middle class. Seniors, women, veterans, minorities, the poor, union and nonunion workers have to come together and get out and vote because that is the only way to get rid of the pro-corporate senators and representatives who think you don’t count for anything.

Bud McKelvey, Hermitage