letters.

Rich Kids, Poor Kids

I have attended Stillman Valley schools my entire life. In your article ("Money Matters," 12/13/99), you had our school composed of either kids poor as dirt or wealthy, snobby kids. It is not really like that. You offended both groups. You made us seem rich and arrogant. Please get the facts straight before you humiliate another school.

TONY RANGEL Monroe Center, Ill.

I did not like the way you chose a Caucasian person to represent rich people and a non-Caucasian person to represent poor people. It helps promote a stereotype that I know is not true, because I am an upper middle-class Chinese-American. In future, please try to break stereotypes instead of promoting them.

JESSICA LEW Scarsdale, N.Y.

If you were going to do an article on such a topic, you should have portrayed two absolute opposites.

CATHERINE LI West Roxbury, Mass.

The difference between Ada and ReNee was not big enough to present the point I assume, from the title, you were trying to make. Also, the struggles they deal with are superficial.

CAROLINE GOLDSMITH Boston, Mass.

Let's Get Serious

I was very excited by "America's Choice" (1/17/00), since my parents usually don't give me both sides of the story. However, I was upset when you didn't stick to the main topic, which is what the candidates are going to do to help the U.S. Things like "Bradley, a former NBA basketball star, would be the tallest President in U.S. history" aren't as important as tax-cutting ideas.

ASYA MULLER Rego Park, N.Y.

I would like to see an article about the statements Gore has made about being a born-again Christian. What did this mean to the Jewish population? Are they offended, or do they like the talk about Jesus?

YRINEE MICHAELIDIS Boston, Mass.

You exhibit nine candidates, from the Republican, Democratic, and Reform parties, but neglect to mention any Green Party candidates or any other alternative parties.

CAITLIN BOYLE Arlington, Va.

You say Patrick J. Buchanan is for "closing the borders to immigrants." That is wrong, and you know it. The phrase you were studiously ignoring is "illegal aliens." Number two, "his negative comments about Jews and Israel"--wrong. The Israeli lobby that puts that country's interests ahead of America's is what he argues against.

JAMES T. ROACH Ames, Iowa 

Say It, Don't Spray It

This new zero-tolerance policy is ridiculous. I was expelled from public school for putting colored hair spray on the bottom of my shoes and walking around in the cafeteria. They didn't ask questions; they just kicked me out and left it at that. Kids should be given at least one chance, if not two.

NATE ZURAWSKI Wausau, Wise.

We're Not All Rockers

Believe me, not everyone here thinks pitcher John Rocker ("Baseball's Bigmouth," 1/31/00) should be kept on his team. But your "No" opinion--that Rocker should not be fired--was taken from the Augusta Chronicle. This could possibly mislead people from other parts of the country that the South is still racist and full of bigotry. I wish the media would quit giving that impression. Racism happens everywhere.

JANET GOODMAN Augusta, Ga.

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