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6 - "WEEKEND STAR" FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 20¢n Freelance : Heather McCrae, John B. McClelland, Rik Davie PHONE (905) 985-7383 FAX (905) 985-3708 E-MAIL: editorial @portperrystar.com advertising @ portperrystar.com EDITORIAL POLICY: Opinions expressed by columnists, contributors and letter writers are not necessarily those of The Port Perry Star. Letters must be will be corrected i brought to the editor's attention. We reserve the right to edit or refuse publication of any material submitted. ADVERTISING POLICY: connection with any advertisement in any subsequent issue or the refund of any monies paid for the advertisement. All claims of error in publication must be made by Wednesday, noon, prior 10 the next PUBLISHER................ J. Peter Hvidsten ess - _. BUSINESS OFFICE: Judy Ashby, GENERAL MGR.......... Don MacLeod AWA i dN " Member i MANAGING EDITOR. Jeff Mitchel ona AVY LEK END N | PAN RY Canadian Rally Oudiey. Jafst fishin, Legiey Wes: OFFICE MANAGER... Gayl cob Ate Fed Community (ue CNA G: Ginni Todd, Cindy Jobi vn yle Stapley , ua. : Newspaper ADVERTISING: Ginn , Cindy n, ADVERTISING MGR... Deb McEachem Member Ontario Community | mene SIRE weer ENN Nowspaper Gail Morse, Sandra Spears, Linda Clarke, REPORTER................. Chris Hall Newspaper Assoc. ; Ji Janet Archer, Malcolm Lennox, Lisa Monk Published every Friday by the Port Perry Star Company Limited, 188 Mary Street - Port Perry, Ontario - LL 1B7 Distributed free in the following communities: Port Perry - Uxbridge - Sunderland - Little Britain - RR Lindsay Janetville Oakwood - Manilla - Seagrave - Greenbank - Brooklin - Ashburn - Columbus - RR Oshawa Zephyr - Udora - Leaskdale - Sandford - Caesarea - Blackstock - Raglan - Nestleton - Yelverton - Prince Albert signed and the telephone number (which will not be published) included. Requests that a name be withheld will be honoured only if there is a compelling reason to do so. Errors The publisher is not liable for slight changes or typographical errors that do not lessen the value of an advertisement. The publisher is not liable for other errors or omissions in week's publication, and, if not made, will not be considered. No claim will be allowed for more than one insertion. PRODUCTION MANAGER: Pamela Hickey Production Staff: Trudy Empringham, Daryle Wright, Arlene Cheel, Richard Drew OPINION Trustees try again If there weren't so much at stake, it may be amusing. But there's nothing funny about the most recent attempt by trustees to restrict the material that's read to children in Durham District School Board classrooms. The latest salvo in this long-running battle was fired Monday night, by Ajax representative Melinda Crawford. She put forth a motion that would restrict the reading aloud of material that she classes "controversial", until a board policy on such material - that is, books - is finalized. Reading between the lines, one can interpret the motion this way: If a parent objects to a book being read aloud to children, it will be restricted from use in the classroom. Ms Crawford said repeatedly that she is not aiming to ban books, and that her motion - which, thankfully, was voted down - does not amount to censorship. We think she protests too much. : This is clearly another run at the Harry Potter issue, which resulted in failure for trustees who object to such fanciful litera- ture (they deem it to be promoting witchcraft and alternative religions) last year. Not content to live with the sentiment of the majority of trustees, Ms Crawford and some allies have tried to "ban such books by taking another tack. Scugog trustee Martin Demmers, it should be noted, support- ed the motion. He wants staff to assemble a reading list of "wholesome material" for use in the classroom. ...Sounds a lot like censorship to us. By Walt Radda : Proto OF THE WEEK Linda Lowe of Blackstock sent in this photo of her mischievous feline Milli, caught badgering the family fish. If you have an interesting picture we could use for Photo of the Week, please drop it by The Star office, or give us a call at 985-7383. LETTERS No municipal funds for hospitals To the Editor: Roger Anderson's recent suggestion that 'the subject of hospital funding should be revisited by regional council puts into question his competency to continue in the role of chairman. The residential taxpayers of this region are being faced with huge tax increases this year alone, and Mr. Anderson wants to encumber us with an additional burden that is after all a provincial and federal fiscal responsibility. This is Mr. Anderson's week-kneed reac- tion to the vast amounts of money being wasted by these hospitals on their recent full-page negative advertising campaigns. | believe he has totally lost sight of who in fact he is working for, and should step aside and let somebody else with a stronger stomach step forward to play the role of leader. I will say it again; hospital funding is a provincial and federal responsibility and should remain there. Remember that Canada has an aging population, and if we ever accept hospital funding to be included into regional respon- sibility, it will begin an ever increasing spiral of tax hikes that could actually put our hemes at risk. By all means, make vol- untary donations if you can afford it, but do not make it mandatory to people who are struggling to keep their houses right now. If an additional tax is ever added to my regional tax bill that is intended to be given to the hospitals, | have every intention of withholding my taxes totally, and | hope you will all join with me in this action. Let's remind Mr. Anderson who is actually paying his salary. Bob Higgs, | Brooklin Tired of dodging jogging dog's droppings To'the Editor: This is a letter of request to the man who jogs his large dog through Prince Albert in the early mornings. . ~~ My neighbours and I are very tired of having to "hop scotch" our way along the sidewalk in an effort to avoid your dog's poop. If you will not stop to scoop, please at least have the consideration for your animal and let it stop to do it's business in one place, not dropped on the run for a hundred feet or more of public (school route) side- walk. E.A. Elliot, Prince Albert an im or a ----- rts ee