Few things prompt me to write letters to the Editor, but this one got my attention.  Does Needelman have Proof? written by Judie Barns. Ms. Barnes attack on Rep. Needelman I find in poor taste coming from a teacher.  I attended a meeting last night, about the crisis facing our schools. This meeting was attended by Rep. Needelman as well as Senator Posey.   Only two school board memebers bothered to attend.  Very absent from this meeting was Dr. Dipatri.  As head of the school board I felt he had an obligation to be there.  He didn't show up.

There have been several  attemps by Rep. Needelman and other concerned parents, to get Dr. Dipatri to explain how much more money we need in Brevard to educate our children.  Dr. Dipatri has failed to answer. How can we expect our elected officials to work with us to  get more money, if we don't let them know how much  money we need to operate our schools? I heard, first hand, the concern  from Rep. Needelman as he tried  to answer parent and teachers questions. I also watched as the head of the teachers union followed by about 10 teachers got up in unison and walked out of this meeting.  Real professional! 

I know for a fact that Rep. Needelman is doing his job and doing it well!  I have been to Tallahassee and seen Rep. Needelman as well as our other representatives hard at work doing their best to represent the intrests of all of us here in Brevard County.  They work tiredlessly and with heartfelt concern  for all of us in Brevard county.  To portray Rep. Needelman as "too busy to read the budget" and "not getting his facts straight" does a diservice to this man and the community he works so hard to represent.  He showed up last night!  He is working hard to gather information to take back to Tallahassee.  He is concerned! Did you attend the meeting last night?  Were you one of the teachers to walk out?  The real question should be..Where is Dipatri?

Debbie Cavins

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As usual it takes a clueless remark for me to finally put  "pen to paper." Apparently Mr. Huested, and others like him, seem to think that our Representatives are superhuman beings. They think Representatives should know all there is to know about every topic, and of course this is all possible with their tremendous staff of - two. So while Rep. Needelman is dealing with reapportionment which occurs only every ten years, and ultimately ends up in court, terror attack budget shortfalls, the education rewrite bill, a well as the state and county school budget, he should have memorized every dollar and percent of the Brevard County school budget which is over $15 million. Instead I think the question needs to be asked: Why would a group calling themselves Classrooms in Crisis choose to hold meetings pertaining to the school budget, in which they requested all parents and teachers to call their Representatives, when they were either clueless to the fact the legislators were in session in Tallahassee, or was it intentional so they didn't have any informed voices to counter their propaganda? Call me a skeptic, but I'm sure it was planned that way, because they couldn't be THAT clueless - could they?

Contrast Representative Needelman's job of requiring knowledge of every issue of concern, to every citizen in his district, with only two employees; to that of Superintendent DiPatri who no doubt has more than two employees and only ONE issue to deal with. He should be providing information to the legislators on a regular basis with his needs documented, not telling them the information is out there - go look for it.

Once again people need to be reminded that money is not the answer to all problems. If all goes well the education rewrite bill will begin the process of streamlining the red tape the public school systems operate under. For anyone actually interested in educating the children, this is a step in the right direction. As for the teachers unions can anyone explain why the teachers don't want to be evaluated at their job, in much the same way everyone else that works for a living gets evaluated? If the status quo is what you want, keep listening to groups like Classrooms in Crisis, as they will accomplish just that.

My children have attended private school for 10 years. Now that the charter school Westshore has proven itself with a track record, I tried to get my daughter in there for the 8^th grade. She's 54^th on the list, and last year they accepted only 4 into that grade. This is proof positive, that money isn't the issue, it's the bureaucracy that the public school operates under that is the issue. The bureaucracies that charter schools have relieved themselves from, are what make them successful. Superintendent DiPatri, take a lesson.

Karen Dove
Palm Bay

4-12-02

I'm sticking with Mitch!  He cares about Florida.  Mitch has sponsored six bills which will become law this year.  Being on the Criminal Prevention, Corrections and Safety Committee as well as the Criminal Justice Appropriations Committee he has promoted crime victims rights and tougher predator laws.  As a former Department of Environmental Protection Agency officer, Mitch has strong ties to preserving our natural resources.  I feel Mitch Needelman has made a difference in Brevard County and I will continue to support him in the future.

Marie Howard
338 Renaissance Avenue
Melbourne,  FL    32940
321-254-6729 

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To:  Your  Views/Florida  Today
P.O. Box 419000 Melbourne Fl. 32941-9000

          To: The Editor       

          Your so-called paper that is supposed to report the facts correctly seems to have a problem. It must be the Gannett Corporation. The same thing happened in their New York and Connecticut papers.

               The Capital of Florida delights in criticize our Legislators. Now it is Mitch Needleman's turn. "Don't criticize him---work with him!!"

            The reporter was at the meeting of Parents, Teachers, and School Board was a joke! She had her own meeting at the back of the room. In fact a few Teachers stood up and walked out. Why?

            Perhaps the Superintendent, Teachers, Parents and School Board should get their ducks in a row, before it is too late. It is an embarrassment to rank 49th out of 50 states.

            Explain to us  about support functions being classified as classroom staff to cook the numbers. This budget demands scrutiny. Perhaps an outside mediator is the answer  since there is a lack of  understanding and cooperation!

Joan A. Gould
Melbourne, Fl.
757-0811

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I have read some biased pieces in your paper, and I have read some slanted pieces but the article you printed regarding the parents group, the school superintendent and Representative Needelman was the worst case of obfuscating an important issue like you did in that article. Your reporter should do his homework before writing the article and your editor should check the facts before printing it.

I don't have the space to refute all that was wrong in the article but let me address a few points. It is improper to e-mail an invitation to anyone and especially an elected official. The Superintendent did not invite anyone the ad hoc parents group did and they scheduled the meetings during session, I'm sure intentionally. Officials receive thousands of e-mails a day. You find a quote from a professor that with just a little thought the average person would see that "The information is there you just have to find it." doesn't answer the question why didn't the Superintendent supply the information when asked. The school budget is a high priority but not the only one in a year of election reform, redistricting, campaign finance reform and a host of other major issues.

You used an inaccurate article to impugn the character of a fine Representative. Your true colors are showing again.

Frank and Ruth Montelione