The Monett Times
Viewpoint
Saturday, December 19, 2020 • Page 3A
STAFF VIEW
’Twas printed before Christmas
’T
was the week before Christmas, and all through the newsroom, Typing hands were a’clatter with Santa wishes to zoom through. Each year we ask second-graders their wishes KYLE TROUTMAN for toys, And most of them tell and can he fly? us they were good girls How can you eat all and boys. those cookies, and how do There are 338 letters we your reindeer stay in the will deliver this year, sky? And we hope they bring A lot of children were parents and Santa Claus thankful for Santa sending cheer. their home an elf, Each year there are gifts Though they have quesmost children would like, tioned the magic that sits Popular choices are them upon the shelf. Barbies, nerf guns and The letters are quite fun bikes. for us to read and tranAmong the young lassscribe, es, LoL Dolls are the rage, Though some give us And for the lads, it’s heavy hearts when we things like have to hover“Puppies and describe. boards or a A few kittens are .22-gauge. kids’ Some perennial gifts in requests can get indicate demand, ambitious some diffiwith their But this year one cult times. Christmas boy asked for a failWithout gift asks, they One hedgehog in his come every kiddo this year, an hand. Most year even unfortunate wished for children say paradigm. 10,000,000 you they’ve been good, getCan cash! mom and Nintendos but some will be dad back and Xboxes together, stressin’ would also or bring be big scores. One wee girl this my parents Some year wrote, ‘I was money? kids say My doggo they deserve noty but I larn my is lost or has them, died, so can lesn.’” because they you get me a do all their new puppy? chores. We at the paper hope Another popular all the second-graders’ request is for the new wishes will come true Playstation 5, Though we realize some Though some asked for may be much harder than 3s or 4s, so the numbers others to do. don’t jive. We hope you take some Many wish for iPads time to read the letters and iPhones and tablets from our kids, and more, And we hope Santa But we hope parents drops by with gifts when relieve Santa and buy they shut their eyelids. those at the store. The best part of Not all families can Christmas is the spirit of afford to award such highgiving, tech gadgets, And we hope your holiSo please consider the days are rewarding and “from” and keep equal all fulfilling. Santa’s magic. As the 25th fast Puppies and kittens are approaches, an exciting perennial gifts in demand, morning is in sight, But this year one boy So Merry Christmas to asked for a hedgehog in his all, and to all a good night! hand. Most children say they Note: All examples of have been good, but some gift requests, questions to will be stressin’ Santa, and everything else One wee girl this year mentioned in this column wrote, ‘I was noty but I may be found within the larn my lesn.’ Santa Letters tab that Some children are will be printed in the generous, making sibling Wednesday, Dec. 23 edirequests this winter, tion of The Monett Times. Others say they deserve their requests, as they are Kyle Troutman has served nice to their sisters. as the editor of The Monett Almost all kids that age Times since 2014. In 2017, are full of intense, burning he was named William E. questions, James/Missouri Outstanding Like, how do you delivYoung Journalist for daily er the world’s gifts, and all newspapers. He may be in one session? reached at 417-235-3135 or Where do you make editor@monett-times.com. your toys? Is Rudolph real
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR The purpose of the Viewpoint page is to provide a forum of various opinions. We encourage letters to the editor, but ask that submissions be 250 words or less. The opinions of columnists, letter writers and cartoonists are not necessarily shared by The Monett Times or its staff. If you have an opinion, send a letter to Editor Kyle Troutman, The Monett Times, 505 E. Broadway, Monett, MO 65708, or by email to editor@ monett-times.com.
STATE VIEW
Empathy, and increased pay, for our educators
While we’ve rightfully praised our health care workers during the pandemic, we’ve sometimes taken for granted another segment of front-line workers: teachers. They, too, are risking the health of themselves and their families to accomplish a task we as a society haven’t always valued enough: educating our children. This year, they’ve done it amid routine handwashing, increased cleaning, temperature checks, masks and trying to social distance children, which is likely akin to herding cats. We need to show appreciation for our teachers because it is right but also for a practical matter: We need to keep them. Studies show students don’t learn as well through distance learning
as they do through inperson classes. But keeping schools open requires keeping teachers, and that hasn’t been easy during the pandemic. Jefferson City School District’s middle and high schools switched to distance learning Nov. 16 due to a staffing shortage. They’ve since returned to in-person classes. Some other schools have gone to distance learning at times this year. Beyond showing our appreciation to teachers, what do we need to do to convince them to continue accepting the increased risk of getting COVID-19 and possibly bringing it home to their own families? The Blair Oaks R-2 School District is on the right track. Its Board of Education approved a substitute pay increase
from $75 to $80 a day in August. Now, it has voted to pay substitute teachers $80 for the first 10 days they work and $85 every day after. Superintendent Jim Jones recommended a pay raise as a thank you to substitute teachers who are willing to work as the COVID-19 pandemic continues. “This is a token of appreciation,” Jones said. “This says, ‘Thank you for your commitment to our kids.‘” Granted, it’s perhaps more of a symbolic gesture than anything. Ultimately, like at all schools, the law of supply and demand will determine whether it’s enough. But other schools should take a cue from Blair Oaks. To make teachers and substitutes (who often are subbing
for teachers who are sick) feel safe and valued, schools need to keep up their safety protocols, but they also need to make it financially worth teachers’ while. Another way to keep our teachers is to prioritize them among the first to receive access to the vaccine, along with health care workers. We support members of Congress who are making such a push. They, like health care workers, are front-line workers who are putting them and their loved ones at risk. To put our children and their education first, we need to also put our teachers first. We ask area schools to do what’s needed to accomplish this. — The Jefferson City NewsTribune
FINANCIAL VIEW
Only you can make it happen
Dear Dave, I’ve got so many things I want to address and change about my life, both personally and professionally, in the coming year. Do you have any advice or practices for helping people be successful and achieve their goals? — Tim Dear Tim, Goals are dreams, but you can’t stop with just dreaming. Examining your goals inside and out, and by thoughtfully constructing small, achievable steps toward them is the key to creating change in your life. Remember, too, that it’s your responsibility—not someone else’s—to fix things in your life. If you’re waiting for someone or something else to make things better, you’re going to be disappointed. When it comes to setting and achieving goals, be specific about what you want to achieve. Vague, unspecified ideas will only cause you to feel overwhelmed, and this
DAVE RAMSEY DAVE SAYS will likely lead to you giving up. Also, make your goals measurable. If you want to lose weight, don’t simply write down “lose weight” as a goal. How much weight do you want to lose? How many pounds would you have to lose per week in order to see the desired result in a specified amount of time? This one may sound silly, but are the goals you have in mind your goals? If a spouse or friend sets goals for you, you’re probably not going to succeed. Creating a goal, and taking ownership of it, will give you more incentive to meet your
goal. Setting a time frame will help you develop more realistic goals, too. And last, always put your goals in writing. Write them down, and review them often. This will provide you with added motivation to make your goals a reality. Successful people examine and reassess their lives on a regular basis. When they realize changes need to be made, they start living intentionally, in writing, on paper, and on purpose! — Dave
Dave Ramsey is a seven-time No. 1 national best-selling author, personal finance expert, and host of The Dave Ramsey Show, heard by more than 16 million listeners each week. He has appeared on Good Morning America, CBS This Morning, Today Show, Fox News, CNN, Fox Business, and many more. Since 1992, Dave has helped people regain control of their money, build wealth and enhance their lives. He also serves as CEO for Ramsey Solutions.
YOUR VIEW
Pitfalls to consider with COVID stats
Dear Editor: Regardless of where we fall on the pandemic opinion spectrum, we all need to have at least a basic understanding of the pitfalls associated with the statistics that are being quoted. We each want what’s best for the country, but as various authorities request, even demand, that the public accept their recommended treatment protocol, there are
some fundamental data issues which they need to address. First is the question of independent validation: there is a long-term, on-going controversy surrounding the validity of multiple cornerstone medical research papers. Response time may dictate that replicationadditional study take place at a later date, but those of us who came of age during the 1950s and 1960s
remember well the thalidomide scandal, purportedly one of the greatest manmade medical disasters in history. With regard to “statistical success,” there is a long history of improper study conclusions. Assuming the mistake has been made innocently (not profit based), the mis-characterization often happens when the focus is upon observed success, when performed on a sample set
that is designed to be “positive,” while not recognizing failed results that were observed on the sample set that was known to be “negative” — The Bayesian Trap. Authorities may soon request (demand) yet more stringent public responses, but no one (media or otherwise) is discussing basic data issues. Gene Ballay Aurora