Dear Sheldon,
I’m sorry that in your ‘As I See It’ column you made light of the fact that schools received a donation of washers-dryers. Some kids come to school wearing the same clothes over and over again, and are either teased mercilessly or shunned. As a former teacher, I can’t tell you how many times I would’ve appreciated having a place for kids to do their wash at school. We did have a clothes closet for kids who needed articles of clothing, and they could have slipped into those while completing their task.
The rest of your ‘As I See It’ column was pretty spot on!
Carol Spector
Sheldon,
I’m not sure if you were trying to be funny regarding your remarks about washer/dryers at school and a student receiving an A for clean clothes. If you were, you weren’t. If you are unaware that there are some students who do not have access to a washer/dryer in their home or tent or car then shame on you. The schools I worked at (one of them considered a wealthy school) had washers and dryers in the locker rooms that were used for equipment but we had staff members who were very aware of students who did not have access to such luxuries and allowed them access to them. It was a simple gesture that completely changed a students outlook on school and society.
Ruth Burkhart
Dear Carol and Ruth: Thank you very much for clarifying this for me and our readers. I had no idea this was a serious problem. I do apologize for my ignorance. I know Whirlpool (and maybe others) are installing these in our schools for free.
Sheldon
