Saturday Soapbox: U-46 doubling the defense
Some Elgin Area School District U-46 teachers will do double duty later today when they participate in a martial arts self-defense course at Eastview Middle School in Bartlett. The $20 they kick in for the lessons provided by Kim's Black Belt Academy in Elgin will go to benefit Carolyn Gilbert, the Elgin High School teacher who lost an eye when a student attacked her with a knife in January. So the class is a bit of a fundraiser and a bit of confidence booster in that it will provide participants with some of the skills that can help individuals defend themselves. Not a comforting thought maybe, but a sensible and helpful response to such a traumatic experience.
All day worth a look
It's a good idea for Geneva school officials to look into full-day kindergarten, as they did at a meeting this week. It makes sense that kids would benefit from more school time at that age, considering that many of them are used to a preschool environment by the time they get there. And it's a smart idea to offer this first to kids who are at risk. There are increased costs if the program is started, of course. But much like the bid to build a new pool in Geneva, it's up to taxpayers to decide if full-day kindergarten is important enough.
Other things to do
Taxpayers have got to be wondering why the McHenry County Board chose to spend time on a purely symbolic resolution opposing any further gun-control measures by the Illinois legislature. Supporters said they jumped into this national debate vs. others because of the benefits the county gets from hunting and other gun-related sporting activities. Huh? Sounds like a load of buckshot to us. Seems this county board has plenty of other, more pressing duties to do on the taxpayer's dime, doesn't it? Like finding solutions to increasing transportation woes?
Hot seat
It seems that sitting on the hot seat can spur a change of heart. Carpentersville trustee Linda Ramirez-Sliwinski, who originally supported a measure to remove fellow trustee Paul Humpfer after his conviction for domestic battery, moved to quell the issue this week. Herself under fire for a remark to neighbors that some felt racist, she agreed to a successful mediation to settle that thorny situation. Then she played peacekeeper by moving to take the Humpfer-removal motion off the agenda. Whatever it takes to get trustees back to doing the business of the people.
Huskies for Hokies
United by chilling tragedy, the Huskies of Northern Illinois University reached out to the also-mourning Hokies of Virginia Tech on the one-year anniversary of their mass campus shooting with a "Huskies for Hokies" candlelight vigil. "We are here tonight to express by our physical presence an intangible bond between two broken hearts," NIU president John Peters said. And, with that bond, may there be the start of healing for Huskies and Hokies alike.
Baseball with benevolence
Speaking of the Huskies, it was a nice touch by the White Sox to host a college baseball game between Northern Illinois University and Notre Dame on Wednesday night at U.S. Cellular Field. The game, attended by 4,600 fans, was played to raise funds for NIU's Feb. 14 Scholarship Fund established in the memory of the five students who were fatally shot in Cole Hall. A sign seen in the NIU dugout: "Let's Go Forward Together".