We must start somewhere. By discounting this legislation as useless, we are continuing our nation's demise. No one should have the right to own assault weapons. What possible place of value do they hold in a civilized society?
I am tired of watching the people we depend on to run our government be bullied by the National Rifle Association. They are the true cowards. Men who measure power and strength by the size of their weapons and the apparent right to bear them must wake up.
It won't be long before crimes involving guns, which are committed with frequency each night in our cities, escalate not only in number but in their level of violence. These assault weapons can become the weapons of choice. Unless we do what we can now to eliminate these barbaric weapons, no legislation aimed at improving our standard of life will be of much use.
Elizabeth B. Steele.
Glyndon.
The Whole Child
Editor: I have never read a more eloquent argument for the inclusion of art and music in our elementary and secondary school curriculum than Robert Pierce's ''How Music Helps Children Grow'' (Oct. 25). Mr. Pierce is an educator who truly sees the ''whole picture'' when it comes to educating our children.
Let all educational interests groups from A to Z join forces and lobby as a whole for the whole child!
Patricia M. Nothstein.
Baltimore.
Out of Control
Editor: Thomas Bromwell, chairman of the Baltimore County state Senate delegation, demonstrated in his letter to the editor (Oct. 28), that he is out of control. Mr. Bromwell's unfortunate tirade against Baltimore County School Superintendent Robert Dubel served only as an affront to every citizen in Baltimore County.
Let's look at Mr. Bromwell's credibility based on his letter. He states that Joppa View Elementary just opened in October. It opened in October 1990. He questions the number of "vice-principals" in high schools. "Vice-principals" have been called "assistant principals" for about 20 years. He accuses Dr. Dubel of siphoning education money to provide administrators and department chairmen with 12-month employment. EYE (Extended Year Employment) has been dramatically reducing 12-month employment in Baltimore County schools for about a decade.
Mr. Bromwell's charge that "administrators enjoy out-of-state travel, air-conditioned offices, cars with car phones and authority to take these vehicles home" describes privileges granted to very few policy-making staff.
Mr. Bromwell needs to know the day-to-day realities that our "privileged" staff experience. Just recently in an area administrative meeting, I was shocked to learn that principals could not claim mileage reimbursement when returning to supervise many student functions at night.
Leadership is a rare commodity today, especially in government. In a letter to the editor on Oct. 23, Robert C. Embry Jr., president of the Maryland State Board of Education, challenged a column by Peter Jay opposing new taxes for Maryland. Mr. Embry eloquently documented the need for higher taxes in our state, reaffirming the noble role of all government efforts to serve the greater good of its people. What a disturbing contrast is offered by Mr. Bromwell's distasteful and uninformed utterances.
William L. Reider.
Towson.
The writer is a specialist in instruction for the Baltimore County public schools.
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Editor: If Sen. Tom Bromwell's Oct. 28 letter is any indication of the careless leadership we have in our state Senate, it is no wonder Maryland is in such a financial mess.
Baltimore County schools do not have three assistant principals in every high school nor is every department chairman a 12-month employee. As with most school employees, the two summer months spent working on educational pursuits are done without pay.
At worst, Senator Bromwell is purposely misleading his constituents. At best, he is a careless leader who should spend more time researching the facts before shooting off his mouth.
Senator Bromwell questions when Superintendent Robert Dubel will make the first self-imposed cut. Dr. Dubel gave his pay raise to the breakfast program in Baltimore County. Can Senator Bromwell claim the same?
What the citizens of Maryland want to know is, when will Senator Bromwell cut the fat from his budget and turn it back to the people?
Catherine Walrod.
Towson.
The writer teaches mathematics at the Sparrows Point Middle School.
