Love-Hate Mail

Mayor schooled

Matt Pulle’s piece “Head of the Class” (Jan. 31) contained two telling comments for my family, with a sixth-grader at Head Middle Magnet and a kindergartener at Westmeade Elementary: The “fundamental problem facing the district is the flight of the middle class,” and the mayor “sends his own kids to private school.”

My family believes in public education, and we attempt to walk the walk by sending our kids to Nashville public schools. We commute to Head each day so that our child will be guaranteed a spot in the nation’s 32nd best public high school, MLK Magnet. But we fight to make sure that the district’s resources are there for our children. The nationally recognized academic magnets are over-subscribed, with qualified students turned away. Neighborhood schools lose valuable resources valued by all socio-economic groups when declining populations result in the loss of specialty teachers, and PTOs can no longer raise the monies to supplement staff and materials. If the mayor wants to make a difference to this city’s schools, let him advocate for a system to which he would send his children. And then do it.STEVEN SMALLstevenpsmall@aol.com (Nashville)

Biting back

Mr. Jowers is ill-informed (“Can’t Keep a Bad Dog Down,” Jan. 31). Responsible Animal Owners of Tennessee respectfully submits that, after diligent search and research, we oppose breed-specific legislation because virtually every knowledgeable individual (geneticists, behaviorists, scientists, trainers and veterinarians), organization (national humane organizations, breeding clubs and various research groups) and researcher/scientist investigating related issues concludes that breed-specific legislation is administratively difficult, cost-prohibitive, ill-advised and not an appropriate approach to community dog-bite prevention.DONNA MALONERESPONSIBLE ANIMAL OWNERS OF TENNESSEE INC.raotinc@aol.com (Memphis)

People, not pits

Walter Jowers “was confronted by a few dogs that were literally foaming at the mouth” (“Can’t Keep a Bad Dog Down,” Jan. 31). My guess is that they weren’t all pit bulls but were all owned by irresponsible people. Regulating the breed means that those same owners will get German shepherds or Presa Canarios or Akitas. They’ll still be irresponsible owners, and they’ll still have out-of-control dogs.ROBYN KEVLINrckevlin@comcast.net (Nashville)

Column, not cover

Why was the domestic squabbling of Megan Volz and Guillermo Diemarch the subject of a cover story (“The Other Volz,” Jan. 17)? This information could have been sufficiently reported in the Suspect Behavior column.JENNIFER C. COREjccore@hotmail.com (Nashville)

Coattail journalism

Living in Nashville for almost six years has allowed me the opportunity to become quite acquainted with most of the city’s publications. More often than not, I’m intrigued and satisfied by the headlines and proceed by reading the majority of the paper. I was definitely intrigued by the headline on the Jan. 17 issue of the Nashville Scene, but my reaction to what I read was far from satisfaction.

I was beyond disturbed when I read the article “The Other Volz.” Like many others, I have followed Eric Volz’s story closely and can only imagine the emotional stress and anxiety his family has endured. Those who have visited Nicaragua understand the dangerous environment and high-risk situation he was involved in, and his arrival home is nothing short of a miracle. I’m sure his family is relieved to have Eric home and is ready to move on with their lives.

But moving on is much easier said than done when they are forced to read an article like this. Why it was even published is beyond my understanding; it seems as if the family was being mocked by situations that are not to be taken lightly. At this point, the situation regarding Eric’s sister is of no journalistic worth, and I’m appalled that the Scene used Eric’s situation as a platform to produce such an article.

And to the Volz family: We rejoice with you in the safe return of Eric and wish you nothing less than a peaceful and joyous 2008 to celebrate life, love and family.MALLORY GABARDgabardm@yahoo.com (Nashville)

A family affair

I worked with both Megan Volz and Guillermo Diemarch, and I must say that I am extremely disappointed in your article (“The Other Volz,” Jan. 17). I found both Megan and Guillermo to be very warm, hard-working people who had some problems in their relationship that they were working on. I honestly don’t see how these events have anything to do with anyone else besides them and their families. I just cannot fathom why you would choose to make this front-page news and reveal devastating and private details of Megan’s life. I feel that, especially considering the circumstances of the past year and what Megan and her family have been through, you should be absolutely ashamed. If you’re going to attempt to completely destroy someone’s reputation, the least you could do is get your facts straight and make the article seem at least somewhat objective, as opposed to the result of a personal vendetta. That article was nothing short of slander.ALYSON FAIRalyson.fair@gmail.com (Washington, D.C.)