Wrong decision that sends wrong message

Naperville Unit District 203 Superintendent Alan Leis and its board had a golden opportunity to set an example for Naperville, DuPage County, the great state of Illinois, and the entire nation - but failed when they reassigned principal Jim Caudill for plagiarizing a speech.

Jim Caudill had several opportunities to inform everyone that he was using a former student's speech. He failed to do so in crunch time.ˆ  Alan Leis could have set a shining example for students by stating "If you make a mistake of this magnitude you must suffer the consequences and you are being fired for your actions -no matter how good your past work record is."

This reassignment sets a wrong tone for the very students at Central who are looking to their supervisors for the right and wrong ways to do things during their journey through life.

Superintendent Leis could have been a leader but instead followed major league baseball who, mistakenly, gave Pitcher Steve Howe, eight, yes eight, chances after being found guilty of drug abuse.

Sadly, the Miami Hurricanes recruited and admitted top-rated linebacker Willie Williams, even though he had a long arrest record and some criminal convictions during his high school career.

One wonders if Central students will ask for the same type ofˆ  "reassignment" punishment if they are found guilty of violating academic integrity. Will the parents of these students file future lawsuits because of the gutless precedent set by the District 203 board?

Wouldn't a harsh sentence have set a tone for students and others that improper behavior will not be tolerated at any level of higher education? Instead, will students think, "if the principal can get away with it - then I will also."

What were the superintendent and the board thinking?ˆ  When will the proper governing powers act appropriately when academic integrity is compromised - in the highly-rated town of Naperville - that lacks the proper discipline at its schools.

Jim Lentz

Wheaton

Bush foreign policy failed in many ways

If George W. Bush had visited Iraq and talked to Saddam Hussein, he might have agreed with United Nations inspectors who concluded "there were no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq."

ˆ The invasion of Iraq by Bush, without a declaration of war, has resulted in the death of more than 4,000 soldiers and wounding of 30,000 others at a cost of $170 billion.

If George W. Bush had visited Syria and talked to its leader, he might have negotiated the return to Syria of the Golan Heights, which is illegally occupied by Israel.

Syria's response to being ignored by Bush is its support of those in Lebanon intent on overthrowing the government.

If George W. Bush had visited Palestine and talked to its leaders, he might have negotiated the removal of Israel's occupation of the West Bank and recognition of the 1967 Green Line border between Israel and Palestine.

The Bush administration's refusal to negotiate or talk to the leaders of North Korea, Iraq, Syria and Iran have resulted in the failure of his foreign policy.

If Bush visits China and talks to its leaders, will that indicate support and appeasement of that government during its terrorist occupation of Tibet?

Richard F. Nelson

Aurora