International studies have found a concerning fall in literacy rates among Australian children. In this context, it was greatly disappointing to see that the Catholic schools of the Newcastle Maitland Diocese are prepared to eliminate many teacher-librarian positions in their schools. I strongly endorse the well-expressed views outlined in Katarina Farrell's letter ("Hunter's teacher-librarians are not expendable", Letters, 10/9).
The ability to discriminate between information of value and information that is misleading or deliberately, blatantly wrong (information literacy) is more important than ever. Helping children become discerning information users - with information literacy programs - or one-on-one assistance is a key role of the teacher-librarians. Information overload is common to us all, and teacher-librarians help students to find the information of worth among the mass of AI 'slop'.
Teacher-librarians improve literacy rates (ACER, 2020), they teach students study skills, how to research, and add value to enquiry based learning. They foster a reading culture in schools. Teacher-librarians (like public librarians) play a primary role in the early development of the love of reading in young people.
Teacher-librarians are not just nice to have, but are essential to students' learning environments.
Knights, you are powered on unrivalled Newcastle swashbuckling fun. Your course is set. Charging to the premiership.
What about that win? From wooden-spooners to the second round of the finals. Justin Holbrook has done a great job. The players have learnt what it's like to be proud Novocastrians. The former coach missed so many opportunities to guide this team to success. Well done boys. Keep it up.
Congratulations to the Knights, their staff and all the ever-faithful supporters who travelled to Sydney to watch the win against Souths. Now the Warriors are hosting the Knights in Auckland. Best wishes to the Knights' players, staff and supporters for an incident-free drive along the M1. Supporters, ensure the e-tag is fitted and your accommodation is booked. Newcastle Airport, another opportunity missed.
Do Trump supporters see the irony? Make America Great Again. Something he is not capable of achieving. His legacy will be starting a disastrous war with Iran. And look at the effects on us here. One of the great ironies of this is the skyrocketing purchasing of electric motor vehicles. This is a fact.
Two issues highlighted in the press last week have shone a light on Pauline Hanson's true colours and shown Australians who she really is. Maybe she should migrate to the US to be with her pal, Trump?
Regarding Memorial Day for worker safety in Hunter mines, I am the direct descendant of Peter Bailey who died in Burwood Colliery on June 12, 1856. I welcome all memorials to these lost miners.
RIP for the 2996 innocents who died in New York on September 11, 2001. RIP also for the 1,445,000 innocents who died in the invasion of Iraq, looking for mythical weapons of mass destruction, as John Howard danced in tune to American war tom-toms.
With all the talk about war heroes, my son recently drew my attention to an unlikely group of veterans. Pigeons.
We see them everywhere, hobbling along pavements, foraging for food scraps. Yet during the wars pigeons carried messages through conditions in which radio communication was impossible and too dangerous. Many were decorated for their bravery. Now we chase them away as pests. Perhaps we should take pity on the next pigeon limping along the footpath? His/her ancestor could be a hero.
Maybe parallel universes do exist? Carl Stevenson ("Hanson learned outside classroom", Letters, 14/9) says it's "open season" for attacks on Pauline Hanson's level of education. I can recall one or two in the past six months.
He says Hanson will "stand up for Australia". Is it standing up for Australia to suggest there are "no good Muslims"? Or that domestic violence victims bring it on themselves, or lie? And what about calling Andrew Hastie a traitor? That's really the sort of mentality we need, isn't it? And the latest - attacking Anthony Albanese's dead mother for staying too long in public housing. How's that for standing up for Australia? Not to mention "respect"?
Let's not forget how she has stood up for Australian workers - by opposing wage increases and workplace rights, and calling them "lazy". As for Hanson's "common sense" - is that dismissing the world's scientists and declaring climate change is a "hoax"? That's common sense? Seriously? Mr Stevenson says he "expects" Hanson would take advice from people with the right credentials. Why then can't her team come up with a policy they all agree on?
Hanson offers none of these qualities. In fact, the opposite - anger, fear, resentment, ignorance and, above all, incompetence. Wake up Australians, and stand up for your country.
It looks like Garry Linnell is headed in the right direction with his decision to buy a plug-in hybrid ("Loyalty out the window when sparks fly", Opinion, 12/9).
However, he doesn't need to worry about range anxiety when travelling from Sydney to Melbourne. There are many reasonably-priced electric cars on the market with a range of more than 500 kilometres. Stopping to charge your car and rest over that distance is purely common-sense.
In the past, Garry has also written of the dangers of global warming. Unfortunately, hybrid cars cause a lot more pollution than their drivers realise. Perhaps like many people, he is unaware of the impacts of transport pollution on our climate. I hope he will seriously consider going electric, not only for the cost-savings but for his grandchildren's future.
