The overarching theme of the editorial is of sound logic in suggesting greater transparency; however, the author decided to frame the article around two now-resolved cases involving accused Springfield school teachers.

These men and their families already had to go through hell battling these accusations over a several year time frame. One man was acquitted by a jury on charges of inappropriate touching of grade school children. The other had charges of common assault against a teenage student dismissed on the condition that he be clinically evaluated by a psychologist.

Justice was served and both men were cleared, yet here comes the News-Leader publishing their names and pictures once more, dragging them back into the mud just in time for the Christmas season.

Apparently, the News-Leader knows the men are guilty, despite whatever the courts say. “Don’t let accused teachers’ cases slide off public radar.” That headlines says it all. Where the criminal courts failed in their eyes, the News-Leader now wants these men tried under a disciplinary hearing under DESE. Of course, that entity already decided not to pursue action. One man is currently teaching again in the district. The other is actively trying to regain his license.

These men are trying to pick up the pieces of their lives, yet the News-Leader is calling for their heads (and for no logical reason except to create resentment, they included the active teacher’s current salary).

Under our system of government, each man is entitled to due process under the law. These men were cleared under that system of wrongdoing and they and their families should be allowed to return to whatever normalcy they can.

Regurgitating old news like this is not only irresponsible but also destructive to the community. Let sleeping dogs lie.

Zach Becker

For the Editorial Board

Like a lot of people in Springfield, I watched last night’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. The episode featured the total destruction of a local family’s run-down 800 square-foot home and the construction of a brand new 3,300 square-foot home. The eight-person Hampton family seemed worthy and appreciative of the very generous gift and I am happy for them.

However, I still have the same problems with this show that I always have. Extreme Makeover is one of those feelgood programs that demonstrate, in true American fashion, that if you are a good person eventually you will be rewarded by winning the lottery and getting lots and lots of stuff (and be famous for it). Of course, you don’t have to buy tickets to this lottery. Instead, ABC execs select the biggest sob-stories out of a large bag of tears. Winner gets  a new house filled with expensive stuff and sometimes even a free car. 

Extreme Makeover makes itself out to be this ultimate charity designed to help the masses of misfortunate struggling people. However, while it tugs at the heartstrings, its real aim are the purse strings. This show has more product placement than the movie Mac and Me. These companies are not trying to help people; they are just trying to pad their bottom line. Granted, I don’t blame them for it, as I’m sure it is effective. I bet the local builder from the latest episode sees a boom in business. Still, the show works hard to be a tear-jerker and make ABC, host Ty Pennington, and the sponsors look like philanthropists, which they are not.

Once the whirl-wind of publicity goes by and the dust settles on these families, how much better off are they? ABC certainly doesn’t help the parents get a better education or learn new job skills. These people are usually low wage earners and are now stuck paying the utility bills and maintenance costs on a home triple the size they had before. Obviously, taxes go up on the property big time, too. (In fairness, according to reports, the show helps families with some of this expense by either outright donation or by helping the family exploit tax loopholes to avoid some of the taxes on their remodeled property).

The bottom line is, though, that you are taking a family and creating a living environment that is well beyond their means. While good at first, unforeseen consequences can arise and families may be left in a lurch and possibly lose that fancy new home. And what about the neighbors? These poor folks now have a mansion in the middle of their rundown neighborhood. The mansion among shacks distorts the property values for everyone in the area.

With all the money ABC spends on these fancy mansions, they could instead easily spend the same amount and create  livable conditions for a whole neighborhood of people. Maybe they could create homes for homeless people, building small, one room apartments that could house hundreds who don’t have a place to live.

The show is just wasteful, too. The old Hampton house they dynamited last night, while far from luxurious, certainly would have made a decent home for a family of two or three. I’ve seen homes in Springfield in much worse conditions than that one.

Extreme Makeover shows us the true American dream. If you wait around and hope enough, eventually some all-powerful entity will bail you out and give you lots and lots of stuff and maybe a big house.

Stuff equals happiness, right? Judging by the euphoric and tear-filled reaction of most Extreme Makeover winners, I guess the answer is a resounding, “OH MY GOD!!! OH MY GOD!!! YES!!”

Contributor

Here’s a short guide to cheating yourself out of the ideal spring break vacation: warm, clear beaches and lots of drunken, uproarious college students reveling in collective frenzy, with camera crews shooting episodes of Cops for the spring break special.

First, you have to come from a climate-inferior state – anything north of the Carolinas will do, as most people picture anything above Virgina Beach and San Fransisco like outer space for a travel destination in the Winter/Spring months. It just doesn’t warm up as much as you’d like – Cape Cod’s population triples during the tourist season, from Memorial Day to Labor Day. The rest of the year it’s deserted, like some awful reminder of Jersey shore and Asbury Park before the renovations you can see now on the previously mentioned Cops.

Second, move or go to school very far away so that when you do have some time to take a vacation, you’re obligated to return home to visit family. This means when others are getting away to places where it’s warmer and there’s more going on, you’ll get to sit around catching up with relatives, wearing sweaters and watching the significant other unfortunate enough to be dragged into this mess tap their feet, waiting for the trip they deserve.

Lastly, be sure to pack your bags with lots of fun stuff like homework, books to read, and make a schedule of the things you need to do while you’re home. If you have a friend you haven’t seen in awhile, don’t forget to visit them while you’re there! This may not be too bad, but just remember to keep your patience when you inevitably experience the trying times of this sort of trip; bringing your grandmother’s car into the shop for a new tire and an oil change, since you’re the only one who would do it, costing three hours. Getting hassled by cops because you traded cars with your brother-in-law, who lives in a place where the cops have nothing better to do than hassle those who are a day late on their registration and the unknowing souls who drive such cursed vehicles. Losing your return ticket on the MTA and having to shell out 18 bucks so you can get back home, because the walrus-faced train attendant has an unbending devotion to ensuring the demise of his industry.

Next time, remind me to send a card from a beach somewhere.