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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 31, 1984)
Opinion Page 2/The Battalion/Tuesday, January 31, 1984 Watt: Preservation or development? Women, blacks, cripples and Jews take note. Wednesday night James Watt will be defending his views on the de velopment of natural resources. Watt joined Earl Butz on the list of tactless (former) federal office holders last October with his description of the members of the Coal Lease Advisory Commission. Even though he protested that some people just didn’t know how to take a joke, the resulting controversy led to his resignation. But Watt was a controversial figure before that incident. Watt is the man who stopped the Beach Boys from play ing at the White House on the Fourth of J ul y- And many people dislike what is seen as Watt’s misinterpretation of the responsibilities of the office he held. Environmentalists believed his prime responsibility was the preserva tion of the natural beauty of federal lands. But Watt disappointed them, to say the least. In his view, the practical value of energy resources had a higher of I land. priority than the natural beauty of the Watt’s primary interest was extract ing natural resources from the ground. Although under his policies many pre viously untapped reserves of oil and gas were discovered, Watt’s zeal was criti cized by his political enemies. They charged that by putting federal coal leases up for sale when the demand for coal was low, Watt cost the government millions of dollars. The commission formed to investi gate the sale of federal lands for strip mining was the group in the center of the controversy when Watt resigned. That’s right: the woman, two blacks, a Jew and a cripple. Preservation or development? Watt obviously didn’t find the ideal balance between the two. The Battalion Editorial Board can make no judgement about Watt or his policies without knowing his reasoning and motives. But you make your own decision Wednesday when he speaks at Rudder Auditorium. — The Battalion Editorial Board How Ed Meese Will End Crime In America . . What Yuri might say Coach's high salary unfair to educators by ART BUCHWALD Columnist for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate Teachers across the state are mad — and they have good reason to be. Working in a profession more vital to the future of American society than any other, teachers have historically been ex pected to work for minimal wages while expending a maximum of effort. That’s not the problem, though. They knew when they received their diplomas and certifications that the pay was not great, the hours were long and the primary reward of the job would be their own sense of internal achievement. But they assumed that those condi tions existed across the board — in admi nistration, in the classrbom, in the music department and on the football field. That’s the problem. There is little pay equity in today’s public school system and the problem is becoming worse. An increasing monetary emphasis is being placed on athletics by school dis tricts across the State of Texas and it is destroying the educational system. The most recent example of this com es from the Round Rock Independent School District. In December, the school board hired a new football coach for Round Rock High School at an annual salary of $44,000 — 108 percent more than the state requires a school to pay its head coach-athletic director. Because of that salary, the board also had to increase the salaries of district principals, administrators and the district athletic director to conform to certifica tion regulations. That’s in a school district where the average teacher earns $18,000 —just 18 percent above the state minimum. Priorities seem a little misplaced. Sure Round Rock has lost 20 consecu tive football games, but what good does the school board think hiring an expen sive coach is going to do in a town that has never had a really good team? Supposedly, player recruitment is against the rules of the University Inters cholastic League and it would seem that if the talent was already there some other coach would have found it before. There is no justification for paying college-level salaries to high school coaches. At least on the college level the coach’s pay comes primarily from ticket sales and part of the reason he is paid so much is In President Reagan’s “I’m Not Really Mad at the Russians Speech” last week he ended by saying, “Just suppose with me for a moment that an Ivan and an Anya could find themselves, oh, say, in a wait ing room, or share a shelter from the rain or a storm with a Jim or a Sally. And there was no language barrier to keep them from getting acquainted. “Would they then debate the differ ences between their respective govern ments? Or would they find themselves comparing notes about their children and what each other did for a living ... And as they went their separate ways maybe Anya would be saying to Ivan, ‘Wasn’t she nice? She also teaches music,’ and Jim would be telling Sally what Ivan did or didn’t like about his boss. They might have even decided they were all going to get together for dinner some evening soon.” bill robinson Mr. Reagan’s point, I believe, was that if people got to know each other one on one, they wouldn’t want to go to war. While getting Jim and Sally and Ivan and Anya together is a very nice scenario for peace, I think it’s more important for Ronnie and Nancy and Yuri and his wife to find themselves sharing a shelter from the rain or storm. “Hi, my name’s Ronnie Reagan and this is my wife Nancy. We’re originally from California.” “My name is Yuri Andropov and this is my wife Tatyana. We are hardline Com munists.” “That’s neat. We’re rock-ribbed con servative Republicans. What do you do for a living?” “I used to be head of all Secret Police. Now I am the leader of the Soviet Union — when I don’t have the flu.” “Hey, how about that, Nancy? Yuri here is the president of a superpower just like me. We have a lot in common.” Nancy turns to Tatyana. “Do you have to give a lot of state dinners?” Tatyana replies, “Every night I have to give a state dinner. I never seem to have enough china.” “It seems that’s my problem, too. Who makes your clothes?” “Oscar of Belorussia. Who makes yours?” “Adolpho of Nefv York. Here is a photo of the latest suit he designed for me.” “It is very beautiful. But then you are a beautiful lady...” “She’s a darling, Ronnie.” Ronnie says, “Tell me, Yuri, what bugs you the most about being president of the U.S.S.R.?” “The party bosses. They are always telling me I’m doing something wrong.” “Isn’t that funny? That’s what bugs me the most about lx*ing president i United States. I don’t mindtheoppi tion. But 1 sure get mad whenmv people tell me I’m screwing up." Nancy says to Tatyana, “How dot get along with yor children?” Tatyana replies, “Don’t ask.” Nancy laughs, “Me, too. I guessi never close the generation gap." Ronnie says to Yuri, “So what's toughest thing about your job?” “Balancing the budget, providing] and keeping the U.S.S.R. no. 1." “I can’t believe it. Here we are,sc gers caught in the storm and we hast same common problems, interestsi aspirations. How about the four of getting together for dinner someii and working out a plan to avoid bb up the world?” “I’d like that very much, Rom Here’s my hotline number. Call met or night.” “Great. And here’s my card. Ifli at the White House, try the Camp number. We’re always there weekends.” That night as Ronnie and Nano getting out of their soaking clothes, cy says, “Wasn’t she a lovely person: you know she also plays the balalail And Ronnie says, “He’s a firsH guy. He told me that before he inva Czechoslovakia in 1968, hisrealambi was to be a movie actor.” the difficulty of recruiting the best play ers to attend a particular school. Paying exorbitant salaries to a high school coach out of tax money can’t poss ibly accomplish anything. Anything, that is, except to further destroy the faith of the school teacher in the system and to speed their departure from the field. But perhaps the president of the Round Rock American Federation of Teachers said it best in her appeal to the school board: “You have set the standard of $44,000 for the best coach in Texas. Would you search as hard and pay as much for the best English or math teacher?” That says it all. MSC gears up for SCONA by ALAN HILL The Battalion USPS 045 360 Member of Texas Press Association Southwest Journalism Conference Editor Rebeca Zimmermann The Battalion also serves as a laboratory newspaper Managing Editor John Wagner for students in reporting, editing and photography clas- City Editor Patrice Koranek ses within the Department of Communications. Assistant City Editors Kathleen Hart, Questions or comments concerning any editorial mat- Stephanie Ross ter should be directed to the editor. News Editor Tracey Taylor Assistant News Editors Susan Talbot, Wanda Winkler Editorial Page Editor Kathy Wiesepape Letters Policy Sports Editor Donn Friedman Assistant Sports Editor Bill Robinson Letters to the Editor should not exceed 300 words in Entertainment Editor Shelley Hoekstra length, and are subject to being cut if they are longer. Assistant Entertainment Editor Angel The editorial staff reserves the right to edit letters for Stokes style and length, but will make every effort to maintain Photo Editor lohn Makelv the author’s intent. Each letter must also be signed and Staff Writers ............ . Robin B?ack Brigid ‘ he addr « s and " umb ~ of , thc > nr n kY t Columns and guest editorials also are welcome, and roc man, o as er > are not subject to the same length constraints as letters. Ronnie Crocker, Bonnie Address all inquirie s and correspondence to: Editor, Langford, Christine Mallon, The Battalion, 216 Reed McDonald, Texas A&M Uni- Kay Mallett, Sarah Oates, versity. College Station, TX 77843, or phone (409) 845- Michelle Powe, Lauri Reese, 2611. Dave Scott, Kelley Smith, Karen Wallace Photographers Michael Davis, Bill Hughes, Katherine Hurt, Eric Lee, Dean Saito Cartoonists Paul Dirmeyer, The Battalion is published Monday through Friday Scott McCullar during Texas A&M regular semesters, except for holi day and examination periods. Mail subscriptions are $ 16.75 per semester, $33.25 per school year and $35 per Editorial Polirv y ear - Advertising rates furnished on request, manorial roncy 0ur address . The Battalion, 216 Reed McDonald Building, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX The Battalion is a non-profit, self-supporting news- 77843 paper operated as a community service to Texas A&M United Press International is entitled exclusively to University and Bryan-College Station. Opinions ex- the use for reproduction of all news dispatches credited pressed in The Battalion are those of the editor or the to it. Rights of reproduction of all other matter herein author, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of reserved. Texas A&M University administrators or faculty mem- Second class postage paid at College Station, TX bers, or of the Board of Regents. 77843. An important event is about to take place at Texas A&M — the Student Confer ence on National Affairs, known throughout the nation as SCONA. On Feb. 15 through Feb. 18 approximately 200 students, professors, journalists, re porters, government officials and obser vers from the U.S., Canada and Latin America will discuss this year’s topic: “Media: Behind the Headlines.” SCONA was established at Texas A&M in 1955. Since that time, SCONA has examined an annual topic of national or international importance. As a stu dent-planned, student-organized, and student-run conference, SCONA is a uni que committee. An executive committee of 25 students and a general committee of over 100 members oversee the many organizational details involved in coordi nating this year’s well-planned confer- media and their influence on society. They will be divided into small “round table” groups to discuss the complexities and issues dealing with the media. A ma jor conference goal is to provide an atmosphere that will bring students together to exchange meaningful ideas and express experiences and cultures 2, reader’s forum ence. while forming new friendships. The posi tive results of a constructive exchange of ideas have built SCONA’s international SCONA is unique among student- recognized organizations and as one of the Memorial Student Center commit tees in that it chooses not to receive finan cial support from the University. During the year, fund drives are conducted across Texas, Canada and New York to raise $94,000 for SCONA. During the conference, the delegates will exchange ideas and thoughts on the reputation. The round table discussions will be in terspersed with speeches by: Fred Friendly, formerly CBS anchorman and currently head of the Columbia Universi ty School of Journalism, speaking on “The News Media in American Society” at 2 p.m., Feb. 15; Don Kummerfeld, president of News America, speaking on “The Business of Media” at 5 p.m., Feb. 15.; Reed Irvine, editor of “Accurai n Media,” addressing “Domestic Ne# porting” at 9 a.m., Feb. 16; ArthurM Harvard Law professor and hostof ler’s Court” on PBS will mediatea discussion on “Media vs. Privacy p.m., Feb. 16; Frank Manitzas, correspondent from Latin Amei ABC, will address “International Reporting” at 9 a.m., Feb. 17. On Feb. 17, at 12:45 p.m., wewl a panel discussion on the mediaco« of the Grenada crisis. Included panel will be Frank Manitzas, Tl DeFrank (White House corres] for Newsweek), Victor Gold press secretary for Spiro Agne«i] David Gergen (chief of communii at the White House). The dosing er, at 10 a.m. on Feb. 18, will be, J de Borchgrave, former senior Newsweek. His speech is entitled hind the Headlines.” All speed open to the public and held inf Theatre Complex. Charles Thomas, a Bishop Coll legate, expressed SCONA’s t when he said, “I know one thing conference is sending me home a ing man.” Hopefully, this is what SCON education are all about. (Ahui Hill is a senior wanagewi jor and chairman of MSC SCOK 1 Letters: Darwinism supported by scientific facts Editor: I admit to a certain degree of amaze ment in seeing some very ignorant ideas about science propounded by a graduate of Texas A&M, reputedly a very good university. The writer in question seems to be lieve that it is “unscientific” to theorize about matters which cannot be directly observed, such as the origin of biological species. In truth, virtually all scientific theories concern the unobservable. There is, after all, no need to theorize about that which can be directly observed. The writer proceeds to claim that “many prominent scientists...doubt Dar win.” If he had bothered to check original references (don’t they teach that to undergraduates any more?), the writer would have discovered that the scientists in question are among the strongest ex ponents of modern Darwinism, and that what they question is the relative import ance of the different evolutionary mechanisms proposed by Darwin. Such intellectual ferment is in fact a sign that evolutionary theory is healthy. A real scientific theory is constantly being questioned and modified. The truth is that there are very few scientists who have made any sort of sig nificant contribution to biology or geolo gy who doubt the central tenets of Darwi nian evolution. There are nonel accept the central tenets of create namely a very young earth and al dwide flood. The evidence tothj trary is so overwhelming that suctif may justly be classified with the (14 and the earth-centered solar svsj the dustbin of disproved hypothq Such steadfast rejection of evidfj inconsistent with good science (of| scholarship), so it is not surprisinj creationism has proven scientifical| ile. Indeed, when challenged,creaiif have been unable to produce any pie of creationist “science” even been rejected (much lessatf for publication) by any reputabkjj tific journal. Apparently, creati* don’t even do bad science. Terrell T. Gibf