Letters to the editor, Huntsville Times, Thursday Feb. 18

on February 18, 2010 at 10:10 AM, updated February 18, 2010 at 10:16 AM

PACT misconceptions
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. _ There are no taxes being levied to provide for PACT contract obligations, nor have there ever been.

Under the 1989 Wallace-Folsom College Savings Investment Plan, the Pre-Paid Affordable College Tuition (PACT) program was specifically created by the Alabama Legislature to encourage timely financial planning for higher education.

Many thousands of highly educated Alabamians entered into the contracts as a fail-safe alternative to other investments they could have been made in the private sector.

PACT was marketed that way - guaranteed pre-paid tuition and mandatory fees. All PACT contract purchasers (emphasis on "contract"), bought in and pre-paid tuition and mandatory fees based on actuarial data determined by the PACT program.

If fees had been determined to be higher, purchasers could have decided whether to buy in or not. One of the key problems that the current legislation will address is providing for a professional PACT board with financial credentials, more frequent reporting, and involvement by contract holders themselves.

It is worth noting that several other state pre-paid tuition programs such as Florida's also took a financial hit in the economic crisis but have weathered the storm successfully.

The only desire any PACT purchaser has, is that their guaranteed contract is honored. Nobody wants to see this land in the courts, because it will only further exhaust the depleted PACT resources and ultimately cause a greater deficit to meet contract obligations.
Kathleen J. Wachs
Huntsville, 35802

PACT guaranteed
In response to the letter of Ronnie McMillan ("Don't bail out PACT"). The state of Alabama guaranteed a pre-paid tuition program. As a "poor, dumb citizen," I paid.

As you mention, "Everyone makes mistakes." So, yes, Alabama made a mistake. Now they can "swallow the bitter pill" and deal with it.

If indeed there is the necessity for a bail out, thanks for your contribution, as well as everyone else in the state, including me.
Scott Hofacker
Athens, 35613

God is absent
I am a retired chemistry/physics teacher of 39 years and wish to say that I agree with Nan Haygood's letter concerning God's removal from our schools.

I couldn't disagree more with Dr. Tiesenhausen's letter stating that "God is in every school." When I first started my teaching career, each day began with a Bible-based devotional with the students enthusiastically participating.

Losing one's job for using Christian-based material seems very ironic considering that the first public schools in America were founded to teach children how to read, using the Bible as one textbook. One result of this activity was to help prepare men for the ministry.

Since 1962-63, prayer and Bible reading have been ruled unconstitutional in our public schools.

A few of the results of God's removal from the public arena of education are:
1. The philosophy of atheistic secular humanism disguised as evolution taught.
2. Moral relativism, instead of moral absolutes, taught.
3. Sanctity of marriage under attack.
4. Homosexuality taught as alternative lifestyle.
5. A woman's right to murder her unborn child accepted (devaluation of human life).
6. Fornication/teen pregnancy outside the bonds of holy matrimony acceptable.
7. Teen suicide at all time high.
8. 75 percent approval rate for openly gays serving in military.
9. School shootings routine.

Only Jehovah God (Jesus Christ) has the answer to all of our myriad problems in the schools and our society at large. There is still hope (2 Cr 7:14).

Tom H. Guin
Scottsboro, 35768