Print edition: 
Large districts are inefficient, too
I read the article on school consolidation ("Cuts raise talk of consolidation," Nov. 2 Eagle).
I'm just curious why The Eagle didn't include more of what was in the 2001 report done by the Denver consultants. The article quoted the study correctly in saying that it targeted Belle Plaine, South Haven, Oxford and Caldwell for consolidation based on money spent and test scores. What the article failed to mention on that point was that the testing data used in that study was from 1997-98 — now more than 10 years old.
The other thing I found interesting was that same Denver study called for the reorganization of several large school districts, including USD 259, because they were deemed inefficient based on test data and money spent per pupil. That part of the study was not reported.
There are many more larger schools using inefficient practices and wasting more money per pupil than the smaller districts listed in the study. There are also a lot more larger districts that the study said should be "reorganized" to become more efficient. The word "consolidation" doesn't even appear in the study; it talks about reorganization of districts.
KYLE GREEN
Winfield
Not funding parties
A recent blog item was headlined "Koch foundations provide 'money behind movement' " (Nov. 10 WE Blog excerpts). It was quoting a Web site run by Media Matters Action Network, which the blog dubbed a "liberal group." I'm not sure what "movement" the Web site refers to, but if it involves the recent "tea parties" and citizen meetings held nationwide, that's inaccurate. Koch Industries and Koch foundations have provided no funding for the recent tea parties.
Though Koch has for decades consistently supported education on economic policy issues, the "movement" to promote sound fiscal policy has much broader support. It is useful to note that Koch-related funding of Americans for Prosperity — a group named in the blog item — and its foundation is less than 5 percent of those organizations' total funding so far this year.
MELISSA COHLMIA
Director, Communication
Koch Companies Public Sector
Wichita
Others radicalize
I hope people calling themselves pro-life who are shocked at the writings and radical views of the alleged Fort Hood gunman, Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, will take a long, hard long at their local leaders.
When speaking to The Eagle ("Both sides reject Roeder's defense," Nov. 11 Eagle), they will say that, sure, Scott Roeder was wrong to allegedly kill Wichita abortion doctor George Tiller and that it hurt their movement. And according to Operation Rescue president Troy Newman, Roeder made him feel uncomfortable. But Mark Gietzen, president of the Kansas Coalition for Life, said Roeder "may have acted out of noble intentions" and he continues to give Roeder the "benefit of the doubt," even after Roeder confessed.
Gietzen also repeated what those who call themselves pro-life often say — that killing the doctors is as wrong as the abortions performed. But isn't that saying that murdering doctors is equal to a legal medical procedure? Equal, the same, no difference.
Hasan and Roeder were both radicalized by the words and actions of others, and neither of them is "noble."
ELIZABETH ROWE
Wichita
Cowardly response
This letter is meant to remind people that it's a federal crime to order something through the U.S. Postal Service in the name of someone else. I am the "someone else" in this case, and this is the second time this has happened.
Whoever is responsible changes my name in a variety of ways and proceeds to order magazines, "collectibles" and anything else that can be ordered without being prepaid. I then have to send the material back, costing the companies money and costing my mail carrier time and aggravation.
The reason for this is obvious, and the timing is not coincidental. In both cases, about one month after a letter I wrote was printed in the paper, someone who doesn't agree with my point of view has chosen this childish way to react. I'm sure others have had it happen to them.
God forbid the criminals would write letters to the editor to express their own points of view. Of course, they are cowards who are afraid to share their opinions openly.
CHARLIE SNOOK
Newton
