Too much is that doggie in the window

What happened to the days when a person could buy a dog without taking out a loan? I'm trying to get a small dog for my young children and ailing father, and I can't find one for less than $500. I don't care about it being a purebred or having "papers," I just want a small dog that needs a loving family. I've been to the humane society a number of times with no luck.

When did dogs become such big business? I understand the days of going to a pet shop and paying $15 for a puppy are gone, but this is ridiculous.

Chris Villaflor
Ewa Beach

Schools don't deserve all the accountability

Accountability has been demanded of the educational system. Educators have been given the same failing grades as our children. Let's face reality.

Children spend about 1,092 hours in school each year. That's 45 days. So children spend less than 12 percent of the year in school, yet schools are held responsible for 100 percent of their education.

Second, a child's critical learning time is between birth and 4 years of age. Children enter kindergarten at age 5. Many children enter kindergarten not knowing shapes, colors, numbers or the alphabet. According to the DOE's guidelines of what a child should know upon entering school, these children are already failing.

Before demanding accountability, consider the other issues involved in academic failure. Research is needed, with time spent in schools:

>> With a high number of transient students. Imagine the problems a school would face that has 500 students, yet a turnover exceeding 400 students in less than seven months.

>> Where students live, in a war zone of poverty, domestic violence and drug abuse. What kind of learning environment is provided at home?

There are real problems in the school system, but can they be fixed solely within schools?

Aly Adachi
Waianae

We also must preserve rights of religious

House Bill 537 on sexual orientation and housing does highlight a dilemma. In a society that purports to value diversity, tolerance, nondiscrimination and equal rights, what also of the rights of religious believers? Religions are protected by federal and state constitutional mandates so that essentially no government can or should force any ideas or behaviors on any religion nor interfere with religious practice. Since religion is more than just worship in a church or elsewhere but is a total way of life, believers need protection everywhere. In our society, involved in a culture war, how do we compromise between religion and sexual orientation?

The proposed housing law with its religious exemption comes close to this type of compromise though still denies some religious people, and maybe some homosexuals, their perceived rights. Those who feel indifferent toward the sexual orientation of their renters are free to rent to whomever they wish, while those seeking to protect their religious environment should be free to rent to whomever they wish. Thus is a balance between religion and sexual orientation, with preference both ways.

Phillip C. Smith, Ph.D.
Laie

American soldiers paying for war lies

It is now abundantly clear that the Iraq war arrived in Washington, D.C., the day President Bush was inaugurated. Vice President Cheney undertook a feverish search for rationale to support an Iraq invasion. Sept. 11 enabled them to stitch together a list of falsehoods, and to the delight of Osama bin Laden, the bombing began.

Repeat after me 706 times: "The president of the United States regrets to inform you that your son was killed in combat."

Rick Lloyd
Honolulu

Part-timers don't deserve a raise

Giving City Council members a 21 percent pay raise is totally unnecessary, especially for a part-time job (Star-Bulletin, April 23). They are in their position to serve the taxpayers! Voters should have a direct say in whether they deserve such a pay raise. I would vote "no" to such a ridiculous pay raise for part-time work.

Thomas H. Yagi
Kailua