Senator Aki is caring man
who willingly helps others

I am writing in support of state Sen. James Aki regarding the bingo raid on his property in Nanakuli.

He is a very concerned and respectable person who thinks of all people. I've known him all my life and have never known him to be dishonest or to have any involvement in any illegal activity.

This man helped me when I called him 2-1/2 years ago for advice. He referred me to an attorney. A few days later, the senator's secretary called to inform me that he would cover any legal fees for me, which he did.

He did not ask for anything in return. He helped me when no one else would. Because he is a trusting person, I feel he was wrongly accused and taken advantage of.

Shirley Young
Aiea

Scrapping 2.0 rule is like
allowing students to fail

In a political and social climate of simplistic and feel-good solutions to complex problems, it is no surprise that once again we lower standards versus elevate behaviors ("The need to prevent student dropouts," July 14).

What will become of students who can't/won't maintain a 2.0 GPA? That's barely "average," folks!

Shall we give them the message that they don't have to take responsibility for their futures, if they don't want to? Shall we let them think that their contemporaries who later achieve in life are luckier and therefore we owe them something because they can't make higher than minimum wage?

How many employers are eager to hire these students? Only those offering sports as a self-esteem incentive, I suspect.

Underachievers need remedial help with academics as well as attitude. To encourage them to think that they can't improve is to cheat them out of a productive, self-directed life of achievement and character.

Linda Holt
Kailua

Athletics can be great
motivator for students

In response to a story in your July 10 issue, I disagree with Linda Semones of Kahuku High regarding the 2.0 GPA rule for athletic participation. Eliminating the rule does not mean lowering expectations for these kids. What it means is giving every student an opportunity to participate in extracurricular activities.

Semones needs to understand that not all poor areas have the strong family structure that the Kahuku community has. Is it fair for a child from a broken home who's trying his or her best in school -- who is passing all classes but who does not have a 2.0 GPA -- not to be able to participate in athletics?

Only a handful of our student athletes are NCAA Division I prospects. For most, high school athletics will be their highest level of competition.

Isn't it our job as educators to develop the whole child? Athletics can be a great self-esteem builder. We have terrific coaches in our public schools; they can have a tremendous impact on these kids' lives.

Why does a student have to maintain a 2.0 GPA to participate in extra-

curricular activities, but all they need to graduate is to maintain a 1.0?

Derek Tengan
Kapolei
(Via the Internet)

POST building is not
empty and unusable

To balance all the media attention on the delays and difficulties with the UH Pacific Ocean Sciences and Technology (POST) building, I would like to describe some positive things that are occurring there. Some examples:

1) In the Information and Computer Sciences Department (ICS), 60 students attended classes this summer.

2) In the Electrical Engineering Department, 30 students are using fully functioning computer labs in furnished with new equipment from a Hewlett-Packard donation.

3) ICS is hosting 300 students as part of a new student orientation program and will provide instruction on electronic mail and the World Wide Web environment in July and August.

Although we would like new furnishing for our environment, we don't expect the quality of our courses to suffer by using makeshift equipment. We are doing everything possible not to penalize students who need these courses and labs.

Stephen Y. Itoga
Chairman,
UH Information & Computer
Sciences Department
(Via the Internet)

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