'Handwriting Without Tears' Comes To
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Thursday, 9.18.14 views ON THE WEB: www.yankton.net RESS AKOTAN VIEWS PAGE: PAGE 4 P D [email protected] THE PRESS DAKOTAN THE DAKOTAS’ OLDEST NEWSPAPER | FOUNDED 1861 Yankton Media, Inc., 319 Walnut St., Yankton, SD 57078 CONTACT US OPINION | OTHER THOUGHTS PHONE: (605) 665-7811 (800) 743-2968 NEWS FAX: Police Should Wear (605) 665-1721 ADVERTISING FAX: (605) 665-0288 Body Cameras WEBSITE: www.yankton.net CHICAGO TRIBUNE (Sept. 16): Police in Ferguson, Mo., got new EMAIL ADDRESS: equipment recently. No, not an M1 Abrams tank — body cameras that [email protected] record interactions with citizens. ——— Good idea. Had Officer Darren Wilson been wearing one when he en- SUBSCRIPTIONS/ countered 18-year-old Michael Brown, Ferguson might not have been CIRCULATION: rocked by angry and sometimes violent protests that captured the at- Extension 104 tention of the world. It would have been much simpler to determine CLASSIFIED ADS: how Brown’s fatal shooting happened — or the shooting might not Extension 108 have happened at all. NEWS DEPARTMENT: Police cameras, you see, have a way of altering the behavior of both Kindle’s Korner Extension 114 cops and civilians. Both tend to behave better when they know there SPORTS DEPARTMENT: will be a video record of what they do. One California town found their Extension 106 introduction reduced complaints against police by nearly 90 percent. ADVERTISING OFFICE: Police are less likely to brutalize citizens, and citizens are less likely to ‘Handwriting Without Extension 122 make false accusations of abuse. BUSINESS OFFICE: Since the Ferguson shooting, interest in these devices has soared. Extension 119 New York City is putting them on 60 officers in a test. Los Angeles has a NEW MEDIA: pilot underway already. The police chief of Washington, D.C., hopes to Extension 136 introduce them as early as Oct. 1. Police Chief Daniel Oates of Aurora, Tears’ Comes To YSD COMPOSING DESK: Colo., whose department uses and likes them, predicts, “Within five Extension 129 years, every cop in America is going to be wearing a body camera.” BY DR. WAYNE KINDLE the Yankton School Board approved a $2.87 In Chicago, only about 60 percent of squad cars have dashboard *** Yankton School District million Design Build Project, which provides cameras. By contrast, all Illinois State Police vehicles have video and facility upgrades in all six school buildings. In MANAGERS audio recording equipment. I am sure most folks can recall getting a addition, approval was given to finalize an ap- But Chicago is ready to dabble with body cameras. The Chicago Po- Gary L. Wood lice Department will launch a pilot project to equip some officers with handwritten letter in the mail from a family plication for a $1 million no-interest loan from Publisher wearable recorders. Details are being worked out with police unions member or friend. There is some- the State of South Dakota, payable and the Cook County state’s attorney’s office. thing special about seeing your name over a five-year period. The YSD did Michele Schievelbein handwritten on the front of an enve- receive the loan and it was used for Advertising Director Why does Chicago need this technology? Consider police Cmdr. Glenn Evans, who has been charged with aggravated battery and offi- lope and knowing inside is also a the Design Build Project. Tonya Schild cial misconduct for allegedly shoving the barrel of his service weapon handwritten letter to read. A number of local Yankton con- Business Manager into the mouth of Rickey Williams, who is now 24. Williams, who has As we all know, technology has tractors were awarded bids for the Michael Hrycko sued Evans and the city, says Evans also put a stun gun to his groin and played a significant role in changing majority of the project: Circulation Director threatened to kill him. the course of not only letter writing, • Electrical — L&S for Yankton Had Evans and the other cops present that day been wearing cam- but written communication overall. Middle School, Beadle, Lincoln, and Tera Schmidt eras, it would be far easier to establish whether he is innocent or guilty. While technology does have its ad- Stewart Classified Manager As it is, it took a lab analysis that found Williams’ DNA on his gun to vantages — such as legibility, spell • Plumbers (Mechanical & Domes- Kelly Hertz persuade prosecutors to indict Evans — who had been kept on duty, checking and efficiency — handwrit- tic) — Fejfar Plumbing for Beadle, Editor over the recommendation of a police review board, by Chicago Police ing is still an important part of teach- Wayne Lincoln, and Stewart James D. Cimburek Superintendent Garry McCarthy. For that matter, video footage would ing and learning. KINDLE • Sheet Metal — Kaiser Heating Sports Editor have come in handy in assessing the 14 citizen complaints against The Yankton School District con- and Cooling for Yankton High School, Evans between 2001 and 2006 — none of which led to disciplinary ac- siders handwriting a valuable skill YSD Superintendent Yankton Middle School, Beadle, Lin- Beth Rye tion. New Media Director for students to be taught, practiced coln, Stewart, and Webster If Evans was at fault in those incidents, it would have been valuable • General Construction — Welfl to have the evidence to prove that. If he was wrongly accused, it would and used in everyday life. For some Kathy Larson students, handwriting can be a challenge. A Construction: Yankton Middle School breeze- Composing Manager have been helpful to document that he behaved appropriately. But without video, it’s often hard to be sure. young child can also be so frustrated that it way, wall openings/patching at Yankton Mid- Losing the Williams lawsuit could be expensive for the city. The Bet- brings tears to their eyes and a sense of anxi- dle School, Beadle, Lincoln, Stewart, and ter Government Association says Chicago has averaged more than $50 ety. Webster, Roof structural support for Yankton million a year in settlements, judgments and legal costs in police mis- This past August, several of our Preschool, High School Auxiliary Gym A/C unit; Schrempp *** conduct cases over the last decade. Money for body cameras is a Junior Kindergarten, Kindergarten and Special Masonry; Floor To Ceiling; Johnson Roofing; DAILY STAFF shrewd investment, bound to save huge sums. Education Teachers were offered additional Dahlin Drywall; Ron’s Auto Glass There are privacy issues, of course, in recordings of citizens who training in “Handwriting Without Tears.” This On behalf of the Yankton School District, I Melissa Bader may not want the footage to become public. Police departments have special program has been used in Pre-school want to commend our local contractors for Cassandra Brockmoller to store and archive the material. Police have to resolve if the cameras and Junior Kindergarten for a number of years their excellent work on this very important Rob Buckingham would be on constantly or could be flipped on only when a stop is in the Yankton School District. However, due project. The contractors kept us on target for Randy Dockendorf made. But minor challenges like these are no reason to reject the tech- to the success shown we have expanded the the first day of school and our students/staff nology. program into our Kindergarten classrooms be- have appreciated the upgrades in the build- Jeannine Economy It’s good Chicago is stepping up. The question for the Police Depart- Jordynne Hart ginning this fall. ings throughout the school district. An addi- ment is no longer, “Why would you equip your officers with body cam- ——— tional thank you to other contractors involved Jeremy Hoeck eras?” It’s, “Why wouldn’t you?” Why Handwriting Without Tears? in the Design Build Project. Shauna Marlette Children who have mastered handwriting Robert Nielsen are better, more creative writers. The earlier we PRESENTATIONS Muriel Pratt THE VIEWS PAGE teach children to master handwriting, the more Jessie Priestley likely they are to succeed in school, and write As superintendent, I would be happy to n The PRESS & DAKOTAN Views page provides a forum for open Cathy Sudbeck with speed and ease in all subjects. visit with you personally or speak to your discussion of issues and interests affecting our readers. Initialed editorials Sally Whiting By playing, singing and building letters, stu- group/organization. I am also willing to host represent the opinion of the writer, but not necessarily that of the PRESS your group at our Administration Building or JoAnn Wiebelhaus & DAKOTAN. dents develop the important skills they need to Bylined columns represent the view of the author. We print words, sentences and paragraphs. Chil- one of our school buildings. I would also come Brenda Willcuts welcome letters to the editor on current topics. Questions regarding the Views page should be directed to Kelly Hertz at [email protected]. dren learn to print using hands-on materials to your facility or meeting place. Jackie Williams and developmentally appropriate activities. Since taking my new position as superin- Our teachers use fun, engaging and develop- tendent, I have spoken to several groups ON THIS DATE mentally appropriate instructional methods to throughout our community and have hosted *** enable children to master handwriting as an au- groups at our Administration Building. Please Published Daily By The Associated Press neer adult filmmaker Russ Meyer died tomatic and comfortable skill. The result truly feel free to contact me at 665-3998 to arrange a Monday-Saturday Today is Thursday, September 18, in Los Angeles at age 82. Miss Ala- is handwriting without tears! time to visit. I can also be contacted using my the 261st day of 2014. There are 104 bama Deidre Downs was crowned In conclusion, our students in Pre-Kinder- Periodicals postage days left in the year.