Christopher Bell’s viewpoint regarding the state of schooling orde-schooling is held by many of us who are associated directly andindirectly with programs like the Educational Opportunity Program(EOP) at SDSU (“Standardized tests kill diversity,” Dec. 7, The DailyAztec).

I do, however, have a strong reservation and concern about yourreference to the Admission and Records Office admission’s policiesand “smacking people over the head with a baseball bat.” While Iunderstand your intent, it, unfortunately, represents physicalviolence and harm against people working in Admissions and Records.In my opinion, it was reckless and clearly did not support themessage on “standardized tests” as intended.

I encourage you to give serious thought to my observations andstrongly recommend that you issue an apology to the hard-workingpeople in that department. “Admissions” did not create or authorizethe policy on impaction. The workers in this department are simplytrying to implement the policy as directed by the University Senate,President Weber, Chancellor Reed and the Trustees.

I encourage you to continue writing your opinions in The DailyAztec. The majority of them are refreshing and enlightening. Gracias.

Gus ChavezDirector of the EOP

Does Christopher Bell really thinkthat Admissions and Records makes up its own admissions policies(“Standardized tests kill diversity,” Dec. 7, The Daily Aztec)?

Admissions and Records takes orders from administrators, facultyof San Diego State University and the California State UniversityChancellor’s office.

How did you go from blaming “the public education system” toblaming the Admissions and Records office?

Lynne Perry

K’ron’s amen

Amen to K’ron Vallatine’s article (“Africana Studies teachesknowledge,” Dec. 7, The Daily Aztec).

I commend you on your response to Angelo Kolokithas’ letter to theeditor (“Too hard for you,” Nov. 30, The Daily Aztec).

I was offended when I read that letter. It was evident that hedidn’t know anything about the subject he was trying to belittle. Ithink you’ve enlightened many with your article, including me.

Melissa Vargas

Benefitting who?

I would like to ask Ron Williams how he thinks the campus benefitsfrom having lower achieving students of any color (“Diversitypriorities falling behind,” Dec. 7, The Daily Aztec). Mr. Williams,do you realize that there are 23 campuses in the California StateUniversity system for the top one-third of California students? Andif a student, regardless of color, wants badly enough to get into SanDiego State University he can demonstrate his ambition by attending alocal community college.

Community colleges can sign a contract guaranteeing enrollment atSDSU after certain prerequisites are fulfilled. In your research, didyou ever investigate the number of African Americans who enrolled atSDSU through this program?

Did you see that the number of African-American freshmen that wereaccepted for enrollment to SDSU in 1999 was 574? Yet only 183 decidedto enroll. Your argument that “… each of these numbers represents aperson whom meets CSU eligibility requirements, but does not meet thenew increased requirements imposed by SDSU …” is fallacious.

They decided not to enroll. How is that SDSU’s fault?

Also, how is stepping out of my proverbial box going to change thefact that you’re complaining about minorities not being eligible forimmediate enrollment at SDSU?

What standards do you wish to apply? If you say color, then you’rethe one who’s racist.

Steve Lewisgraphic design senior

Logical inability

Christopher Bell, here’s a thought for you: I have been livingbelow the poverty level as a student for years. I have no “highhorse” to look down on you, or anyone else (“I’m radical, notliberal,” Dec. 8, The Daily Aztec).

And guess what? I’m a conservative.

It sounds to me, Mr. Bell, with your finger-pointing andname-calling and your absolute inability to make a logical pointwithout the use of sarcasm, that it is you who is afraid of somethingthat is different from yourself.

Hilde van den Berghphysics graduate student

Selective listening

Look Mr. “Biology,” this is the last time I’m going to addressyour stupidity. It’s finals time, and a person like me needs to studyso I can raise my grade-point average to one as high as yours.

Before I dismiss your amusing opinions, I just want to ask you afew quick questions:

Where in my letter did I say that I, or any other minority, needhelp from the likes of you? Where in my letter did I say that allfreshmen are “baby-footed”? Where in my letter did I say thatAfricana Studies only examines the “feats and accomplishments of oneparticular race”? And where did I say that a biology major meansnothing?

Once again you have managed to misconstrue one person’s ideas andbeliefs, and turn them into something completely different from itsintentions. When I said “baby-footed freshman,” I was only talkingabout you!

My letter was stressing diversity, not a stupid handout. Good job,”bio-fresh.” Not only have you shown the public that you are a”racial, uneducated bigot,” but you’ve also shown that you readselectively. You only read what corresponds with your own interestsrather than looking at the big picture. Keep up the good work.

Leslie HardimanEnglish junior

Boo for Bilbray

While it is always an honor to host elected officials at San DiegoState University, I was greatly disappointed at the positive pressyour paper had on Congressman Brian Bilbray’s visit to campus(“Bilbray on campus for Republicans,” Dec. 6, The Daily Aztec).Bilbray is not a friend of either education or students, as hisvoting record demonstrates.

In 1994, Bilbray voted to cut student loans by $10.2 billion. In1996, Bilbray called for the elimination of the Department ofEducation and an end to the Head Start Program. Brian Bilbray is alsoa supporter of school vouchers, a Republican attempt to divert fundsfrom America’s public schools, where 90 percent of the nation’schildren are educated, to private and religious schools.

If students want representation and a voice in the decision makingprocess, we must confront and challenge our elected officials whofail to support education and student rights. SDSU is located inBrian Bilbray’s district. Let your voice be heard and fight for theright to a fair and affordable education.

If you want to voice your own opinion, make sure you areregistered to vote locally. Bilbray is up for re-election in March2000. Use this opportunity to vote and rid our community of thisenemy of education. Only you can make a difference.

Jean CohenEnglish senior and president of SDSU Young Democrats

Higher learning

I’ve been reading many opinions on the impaction issue lately, butthere seems to be one point that everyone is missing.

Attending college in not a government-given right. It is aprivilege. No one of any race has an inherent right to attend anyuniversity. Everyone has to study hard in high school and put up ahuge sum of money to attend college.

I realize that inner-city schools may not provide an educationwith the quality of middle-class suburban schools. However, there arepoor white kids who go to inner-city schools just as there are richblack kids who go to the better schools.

If anti-impactionists strive for fairness, why would they stillchoose to give the rich black kid a place in college over the poorwhite kid? I believe that not many high school graduates are trulyready for a four-year university.

Community colleges are inexpensive, easy to enroll in and theyprovide a good general education while preparing students for thedifficulty of an accredited university. It seems to me that impactionhas more to do with improving the standards of this school than withdestroying its diversity.

Since when did higher education have anything to do with
racialpolitics? Why does it? I was under the impression that everyone washere to learn, not to mobilize their political agenda. By the way, Iam proud to say that I was accepted to SDSU not because of my race,but because of my academic merit. I’m a student who left the racialcategory blank on her application.

Katie Olinger