Information Related to "VCM Letters to the Editor: October/November 2003"

Audio/Video

				Letters to the Editor The Politics of Education Regarding the paragraph about the loss of gifted teachers -- I was teaching in our local Regional Alternative Middle School for the last 1½ years. After being continually, but subtly, threatened, I quit. Safety first, mine! This program is no longer in operation because there aren't any teachers willing to work with these kids. The most recent answer being provided by the educational powers-that-be are workshops and seminars on (the newest label) Oppositional Defiant Disorder. The defining traits are also the traits of budding psycho/sociopaths. I still teach in the alternative school system, but in the senior high level. These students are 16+ and can be booted from the program, unlike the streetwise, under-16 middle schoolers. -- Juanita Holman Successful Parenting Begins With the Brain Thank you for your article. It must be very encouraging to parents making a big effort to have a parent home with the small children. I have often thought that it may be even more important to be home for teenagers than for small children. With your article, I now wonder if both are equally important. My now 26-year-old daughter often tells me that she is so glad I am still at home and available to her now that she has her own home and child. Thank you. -- Della Von Hollen A Wonderful Site! This is a WONDERFUL site! I am involved in prison ministries and for those who cannot ask for the publications, I often send them a copy from the extras I receive if they're able to receive them or copy some of the articles. Would I be able to copy sections, giving VCM full credit of course, so that I can forward some of the contents to various prisoners? I write to prisoners across the globe. Thank you for having such a wonderful site. I have printed out many of the articles, in particular all that refer to 9/11 and have biblical insights. I love it all. -- Jeannine Robinson Yes, please feel free to share the articles you find on our site. You may use the PDF tool on the left of the screen to print out what you need. We would ask that you keep the reference to Virtual Christian Magazine that appears on the header of any printed pages. Whatever Happened to Father in Children's Literature? I just read Jean Jantzen's article, "Whatever Happened to Father in Children's Literature?" Although she makes a good point -- fathers are missing in children's literature -- some of the examples she uses just do not prove her point. Christian in Pilgrim's Progress is not supposed to be a real person, he is an allegory. An allegory is a symbolic story, and the plot often has some inconsistencies. It was never meant to be a children's story. She said it was accepted as a children's story because it is like a fairy tale? Fairy tales were never meant to be children's stories either, and I see little resemblance. The Princess and the Goblin? In that book is the family of Curdie, the hero. His father is a miner. The two have a very strong, loving relationship. Curdie always wants to go and discus things with his parents, especially his father. He spends a lot of time in the story trying to save his money to buy his mother a red flannel petticoat. The author of the article missed something in reading that one! Matthew Cuthbert was never a father! He never thought of himself as one. He and Marilla were brother and sister, both of whom had remained single because of character flaws, which Anne's presence when they were old went a long way in improving. I also think the author was shortsighted in her surprise that the children in the books seem to forgive the absentee parents at the end. Could it be that forgiveness was one of the things the authors were trying to encourage in their readers? Would it be better if the children in books did not forgive their parent's mistakes? I'm not trying to start an argument. I just couldn't let that go! God bless you. -- Elissa Kroeger I enjoyed reading Jean's article, finding it quite enlightening. I have heard about Pilgrim's Progress on a number of occasions, but have never read it. I feel prompted now to read it. I would like to recommend a follow-up article about books that DO have an involved father figure -- an example to be followed by concerned parents and to be enjoyed by the current generation of children. Thanks! -- Cynthia Gordon Some feedback messages are edited for space and/or clarity Copyright 2003 by United Church of God, an International Association All rights reserved.

Related Information:

Origin of article "VCM Letters to the Editor: October/November 2003"
Keywords: letters from VCM readers 

Letters from VCM readers:

• VCM Letters to the Editor: February 1999
• VCM Letters to the Editor: March 1999
• VCM Letters to the Editor: April 1999
• VCM Letters to the Editor: May 1999
• VCM Letters to the Editor: June 1999
• VCM Letters to the Editor: July 1999
• VCM Letters to the Editor: August 1999
• VCM Letters to the Editor: September/October 1999
• VCM Letters to the Editor: November 1999
• VCM Letters to the Editor: December 1999
• VCM Letters to the Editor: March 2000
• VCM Letters to the Editor: July 2000
• VCM Letters to the Editor: November 2000
• VCM Letters to the Editor: August 2001
• VCM Letters to the Editor: September/October 2001
• VCM Letters to the Editor: January 2003
• VCM Letters to the Editor: February 2003
• VCM Letters to the Editor: March/April 2003
• VCM Letters to the Editor: May 2003
• VCM Letters to the Editor: July 2003
• VCM Letters to the Editor: August 2003
• VCM Letters to the Editor: December 2003
• VCM Letters to the Editor: March 2004
• VCM Letters to the Editor: June 2004
• VCM Letters to the Editor: July 2004
• VCM Letters to the Editor: August 2004
• VCM Letters to the Editor: September/October 2004
• VCM Letters to the Editor: November 2004
• VCM Letters to the Editor: December 2004
• VCM Letters to the Editor: January 2005
• VCM Letters to the Editor: February 2005
• VCM Letters to the Editor: April/May 2005
• VCM Letters to the Editor: June 2005
• VCM Letters to the Editor: July 2005
• VCM Letters to the Editor: August 2005
• VCM Letters to the Editor: November 2005
• VCM Letters to the Editor: December 2005
• VCM Letters to the Editor: January 2006
• VCM Letters to the Editor: February 2006
• VCM Letters to the Editor: March 2006
• VCM Letters to the Editor: July 2006
• VCM Letters to the Editor: August 2006
• VCM Letters to the Editor: October/November 2006
• VCM Letters to the Editor: January 2007
• VCM Letters to the Editor: February 2007
• VCM Letters to the Editor: May 2007
• VCM Letters to the Editor: June 2007
• VCM Letters to the Editor: July 2007
• VCM Letters to the Editor: August 2007
• VCM Letters to the Editor: September/October 2007
• VCM Letters to the Editor: November 2007
• VCM Letters to the Editor: December 2007
• VCM Letters to the Editor: January 2008
• VCM Letters to the Editor: February 2008
• VCM Letters to the Editor: March 2008
• VCM Letters to the Editor: April/May 2008
• VCM Letters to the Editor: June 2008
• VCM Letters to the Editor: December 2008
• VCM Letters to the Editor: January 2009
• VCM Letters to the Editor: February 2009
• VCM Letters to the Editor: March 2009
• VCM Letters to the Editor: June 2009
• VCM Letters to the Editor: July 2009
• VCM Letters to the Editor: September 2009
• VCM Letters to the Editor: October/November 2009
• VCM Letters to the Editor: February 2010
• VCM Letters to the Editor: August 2010
• VCM Letters to the Editor: December 2010
• VCM Letters to the Editor: January 2011