Publication Date: Friday, December 23, 2005
ReaderWire
ReaderWire
(December 23, 2005)
Spangenberg rebuttal
I was surprised by the Weekly’s biased article of Dec. 14: "Spangenberg films: Dead or alive?" It obliges me to write a rebuttal.
Thank you to all who expressed regrets about the closing of Focus Cinema. I am compelled to rebut the false accusations levied against me by school officials.
Noreen Likins, Gunn High School Principal, claims she received numerous complaints about trash this year -- if so, not one was communicated to me. I admit that we could only spot clean between movies due to a lack of manpower, but we always left the theatre cleaner that it was when we arrived.
In fact, while we were under contract to screen movies no janitorial service was ever provided by the school. We cleaned after school and community events. Who are the complainers? When did they complain? We are accused without having a chance to see our accusers face to face.
The second complaint about a popcorn smell was never communicated to me -- I read it in the newspaper. Oh, come on!
The third -- about movie posters covering student artwork -- happened once. Two movie posters were delicately placed on the frame of two pictures, which were hanging at an angle without contact with the smaller drawings. No damage was done to the student paintings.
This complaint has been blown out of proportion. I wrote a letter of apology to Ms. Likins on this subject, which never got acknowledged. I later wrote a letter to Assistant Superintendent Gerald Matranga clarifying my reasons for stopping the movie program, also never acknowledged.
I feel slapped in the face as a reward for doing this.
The position to run the movie program for Focus Cinema is now open. So far, nobody has applied.
Dr. Joelle Champney
Park Boulevard, Palo Alto
Lessons from Japan
Harry and Sally Jennison suggested (Weekly, Dec. 16) that the Spangenberg Theatre continue showing its excellent films but stop serving food, a move that would eliminate the trash left in the theatre after performances.
We too would like the films to continue, but rather then stop serving snacks, why not try to educate the public about respecting themselves and others by not leaving their trash behind?
We recently attended a four-hour performance at the Kabuki Theater in Tokyo, Japan. The performance started at 4:30 p.m. and continued until 8:30 p.m. There were three intermissions, the third one around a half hour.
Since the show spanned the dinner hour, everyone in the audience either brought box dinner, or bought food for dinner at the theater's food-service counters.
The theater is roughly the size of the San Francisco opera house and nearly as plush. There were at least 600 people in the audience. When we left, the theater was immaculate -- not so much as a grain of rice could be found on the floors. I know because I looked.
In fact, we found cleanliness in public places to be the rule throughout Japan; it seems the Japanese simply do not litter.
If they can do it why can't we.
Dick and Jeanne Placone
Chimalus Drive, Palo Alto
Rest and preparation
Eileen Moran (Letters, Dec. 21) writes to implore schools to start classes later in the morning because of sleep deprivation and health risks to teenagers. She points out that the schools "are in the business of educating students and preparing them for the future" and quotes the National Sleep Foundation as saying, "Early school start times may be counterproductive and not in the best interests of a student's ability to learn, perform, pay attention, get along with others, and be healthy and safe."
One of the things students must prepare for is the real world of getting and keeping a job. Most companies expect their employees to be at work and working by 8 a.m. Managers have a very low tolerance for anyone that just can't seem to get to work on time.
Changing the start time for schools tells students that if you whine enough you'll get your way. That's not a very good practice to teach while preparing them for the future.
Each day only has twenty-four hours. If students have a hard time getting up in the morning then they should go to bed earlier; it’s a good practice that will help prepare them for the real world.
Mike Sowers
Ka’anapali, Hawaii
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