LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Local church helps people in Nunavut

Kudos to the small congregation of Glenwood United Church in Windsor.

During the month of October, Glenwood’s outreach program wanted to send food and supplies to an elementary school in Cape Dorset, Nunavut.

It was amazing how many people had no idea where Nunavut is located or the cost of groceries. A bottle of ketchup there can cost up to $17, while a can of cream of mushroom soup can be $4.50.

The original goal of Glenwood’s outreach was to ship 15 boxes, weighing roughly five kilograms each. Glenwood ended up shipping 57 boxes. That equated to 285 kilograms or 628 pounds of food and supplies.

It was shipped with love to our Canadian northern neighbours.

Geri Sutts, Windsor

Focus should have been on victims

Re: Bishop Fabbro attends opening of documentary Prey to support abuse survivors, by Dave Waddell, Nov. 7

I was featured in the documentary Prey and was the victim who invited Bishop Ronald Fabbro to attend. I was pleased he accepted my invitation.

However, I was not pleased with the next day’s headline and photograph that followed.

This film was a culmination of a tragic Windsor story beginning with abuse victims from Assumption school in the 1950s and continuing through victims from Holy Names school in the 1990s.

The criminal charges were laid in Windsor and the trial held here. Four victims featured in the film were abused in Windsor.

The director was born in Windsor, film scenes were shot in Windsor and it was playing at WIFF. This was a Windsor story being told to Windsor’s people.

How did that become a headline about Bishop Fabbro showing up?

I invited him, so of course I intended to greet him. However, had I known my shaking his hand was to become a photo opportunity to declare he was there to support abuse survivors, I would have shaken his hand privately.

I did not invite Bishop Fabbro for “support.” I invited him so he could listen, learn and see the pain his own religious order caused to so many.

A photograph of those victimized as children in Windsor by the Basilian order would have been more appropriate.

I hope the Windsor Star will be there to witness survivors of the Basilians’ crimes next time they gather to support each other. No bishop will be required or invited.

Patrick Mcmahon, Lasalle

Angry parents hurt children’s hockey

When will this stop? Parents are killing kids’ hockey.

I usually don’t say much, but after being a hockey official for over 30 years what I observed over the past weekend made me sick to my stomach.

I watched my daughter play two houseleague hockey games and seeing how some parents act towards the officiating was embarrassing — for their kids and the sport.

The first game I found was officiated well. Yes, there were some small things missed, so it was easy to sit up in the stands and point out every call the officials missed. But guess what? We are human and cannot see every single thing and do not have the luxury of video replay.

After the game, I watched several parents yell and carry on towards these young officials. It was totally unnecessary.

During the second game, it was much the same thing as another parent continued to swear and yell profanities at the ref. I have no idea why since penalties were being called on both sides equally and I believe the game was very well officiated.

The referee did his job and ended up kicking the parent out of the arena.

For many local hockey referees we officiate to keep on our skates and be able to help kids play the game of hockey. Without officials there would be no sports for kids.

So, next time as a hockey parent you want to yell or swear at an official, maybe put yourself in their place.

Try putting on skates, grab a whistle and give it a shot.

Maybe that way you will finally see how difficult it can be.

This type of behaviour is why so many young referees quit after a short period of time. Please grow up and show a little respect.

Rick Fedak, Windsor

Pedestrians put in danger by drivers

This afternoon was the fourth time in three weeks when I came close to being hit by a car and killed at one of our main intersections in town.

In each case, someone was driving through a red light to complete a turn and driving through my green walk signal — which also changes too fast to Don’t Walk within a few seconds.

I’m beginning to think that my having cancer is the least of my worries.

Tim Rusling, Tecumseh

Larger class sizes a teaching concern

As a secondary school teacher, I am very concerned about the Ontario government’s changes to our education system, especially in relation to increased class sizes.

Given my experience working in Windsor and Essex County, crowded classrooms will only serve to degrade the quality of instruction being delivered to students.

All students deserve individual attention to assist with their course work and the more students that are crammed into classrooms, the less time I will be able to individually spend with them.

Larger classes should never be the proposed solution to economic issues. I don’t believe that students and the quality of their education should suffer for the sake of political agendas.

The ramifications of crowded classrooms are serious: students are left behind, their access to supports and resources is diminished and the help they need to succeed dwindles.

During my 23 years of teaching at Western Secondary School, I have taught many identified students with a variety of exceptionalities and/or learning disabilities. If class sizes increase, I fear these will be the students that will be impacted the most.

With the proper supports and smaller class sizes, these students manage success in their courses and gain confidence in their abilities, despite whatever learning issues they may have.

With increased class sizes, students will not receive the individual attention they deserve and will be more apt to give up.

With secondary school enrolment increasing, as the government reports, students will find it harder and harder to find the courses they need as the number of teachers is slashed year over year.

I encourage the Doug Ford government to look at these numbers closely and re-examine how they will affect the hundreds of thousands of students in Ontario who are being asked to spend their days in an overcrowded classroom.

Brent Webster, Windsor

Symphony was most impressive

The Windsor Symphony presentation of the Scottish Symphonies on Nov. 23 was an excellent performance.

We enjoyed Mendelssohn’s Symphony and especially enjoyed Tobin Stokes’ Symphony No. 3 The Piper.

The presentation brought home the battle scene faced by the piper James Cleland Richardson in Somme, France, Oct. 8, 1916 and his heroic use of the pipes to support the battle. The sombre ending supported by the Symphony Chorale group provided an impressive and appropriate end to the presentation.

One criticism I have is why does Windsor Symphony have to import a piper from Flint, Mich. We have homegrown pipers who could have done an equally good job.

The symphony has always displayed an interest in supporting and promoting local talent and perhaps could have done so in this event. Alfred (Fred) Rocheleau,

Windsor