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• Project fits the bill

• Galt Crime Stoppers making a comeback

• Who are you going to vote for?

November 2nd, 2009

• Deputies name suspect in fatal Acampo shooting

November 7th, 2009

• Lodi High graduate was at Fort Hood

• Lining up for flu shots in Lodi

• Tour packs buses as birdwatchers admire Sandhill cranes

• City of Lodi staff looking into possibility of limiting number of taco trucks

• Daytime thieves targeting Lodi homes

• Lodi High School rally featured on 'Good Day Sacramento'

• Out of control

• Homicide suspect Anthony Hubbard arraigned

• Regional Roundup

• New Lodi Memorial rule to combat spread of H1N1: Visitors must be older than 16

November 6th, 2009

• Short sales make up nearly half of Lodi market

• Regional Roundup

• Lodi man accused of smuggling drugs, weapons for inmates at state prison

• 'I-5 Strangler' sentenced to 6 terms of life

• Jury convicts Acampo man of torture, assault of his girlfriend

• Young girl is 200,000th person to assemble AIDS, HIV care kit

• Woman in wheelchair struck by car

November 5th, 2009

• A lower Lodi Lake

• Streetside scarecrows

• San Joaquin County considers moratorium on new Williamson Act contracts

• Speakers address Lodi Unified School District budget shortfalls, plea to keep programs

• Armed robbers still targeting Lodi shops

• Regional Roundup

• California voters have final say over $11 billion water bond

• Weekend bus service to continue until Lodi City Council makes decision

• Paul Tebbel shines spotlight on sandhill cranes

• Your complete guide to Sandhill Crane Festival

• David Diskin is first to give an invocation under new city of Lodi policy

• Man wanted in Acampo homicide gives up to San Joaquin County Sheriff's detectives

November 4th, 2009

• Candle fire

• Rep. Jerry McNerney sets telephone town hall for Thursday

• Jason Behrmann is unanimously named Galt's city manager

• Regional Roundup

• Galt City Council argues over ordinance hiring residents

• San Joaquin County sues state over prison hospital planned for Stockton

• Big win for Allen Baroni in reclamation election

• California sends Democratic loyalist John Garamendi to Congress

• Bicycling father raising awareness of teen suicide

• Lodi City Council weighs raising fares to restore some bus service

November 3rd, 2009

• 500 attend service for Kyle Coumas

• Correction

• Galt considers ordinance that would require city contractors to hire locally

• Regional Roundup

• Have you seen a missing guide dog puppy in Lodi?

• Galt man dies after weekend Highway 12 crash

• Jason Behrmann is top candidate for Galt city manager

• Deputies name suspect in fatal Acampo shooting

• Clarification

November 2nd, 2009

• Downtown Lodi trick or treat

• Public Meetings

• Correction

• Kyle Coumas funeral today

• 27-year-old man shot to death Saturday night in front of Acampo home

• Regional Roundup

• Group investigates reports of haunting

• Sandhill Cranes Festival comes to Lodi next weekend

• Lamborghini lovers gather for show, fine wine, luncheon in Woodbridge

• Lodi's 'Biggest Loser' Christy Richesin runs 5K Halloween race

The following stories have received the most reader comments during the last 7 days.

• Bible is entwined with American civic life (135)
• I predict: A conservative tide will rise in 2010 (73)
• David Diskin is first to give an invocation under new city of Lodi policy (70)
• The Treaty of Tripoli hoax (60)
• Universal health care solves big problems (54)
• Here's what my father knew about the assassination of JFK (35)
• Stuck in neutral? Hardly! (35)
• Words from our forefathers (27)
• City of Lodi staff looking into possibility of limiting number of taco trucks (24)
• Majority cannot deprive the minority (23)

ADVERTISEMENT

There was an educational trip closer to home

Recently Lodi News-Sentinel Feb. 12 — Dr. Robert Closson wrote an opinion indicating his concern about the Catalina Island science trip and the "institutional segregation" it represents.

From my experience, I know that the Lodi Unified District and its staff provide learning and reward opportunities for all students. No one is left behind from inability to pay or from academic elitism. There are problems, however.

It is interesting to note his solution would be a study trip closer to home for all students. We did have that opportunity (in addition to Catalina); it was called Science Camp! Several years ago, the board decided to eliminate Science Camp for all 6th grade students to save $90,000, but kept the Senior Project, which costs more than $350,000 (direct costs only) per year. These decisions didn't make sense to me or the rest of the Superintendent's Budget Advisory Committee at the time.

But then there are a few other things that don't make sense, such as: 1) the District use of "fuzzy math" programs instead of traditional math; 2) social science instead of history, 3) projects in place of literature, writing and rhetoric; 4) environmental activism rather than science; and 5) emphasis of multiculturalism, diversity, sensitivity and political correctness, instead of art, music, P.E. and extracurricular activities.

The usual excuses are money and time, but the real reasons are priorities and power. As Dr. Closson has a doctorate in Education, maybe those in charge of curriculum would listen to him more than a parent. Most parents would be surprised at what comes out of Sacramento and the County Office of Education, if they were to get more involved by getting out of the car kicking the tires, looking under the hood and asking a few questions.

Paul Verdegaal
Acampo