Letters | EDUCATION IS THE KEY TO FIGHTING VIOLENCE

FROM THE MOUTHS of babes come things that adults should be saying.

After meeting with students at beleaguered West Philadelphia High, the school district's deputy chief academic officer in charge of high schools said the students wanted to know more about SAT prep courses and college visits (March 21).

Education is the answer to the violence, disrespect and dysfunction eroding life at West Philly High and in our neighborhoods. The kids know that, and it's time for more adults to do something about it.

Since 1990, Philadelphia Futures' Sponsor-a-Scholar Program has been helping low-income students who attend the city's least-resourced high schools achieve the dream of a college education. We provide long-term relationships with mentors; academic enrichment, college guidance and career readiness services; financial incentives, and organizational support through high school and college - a minimum of eight years. And, yes, Virginia, SAT prep courses and college visits. Our mentors and funders are not satisfied with gasping at the problems-they are part of the solution.

Call us at 215-790-1666, ext. 23.

Jill Friedman

Director of Donor and Volunteer Services

Philadelphia Futures

Welcome aboard, Commish

It's great to see that Police Commissioner Johnson is taking an active role in making the streets of Philadelphia a safer place. Putting 138 police captains and 300 other officers out to patrol the streets is something that this city needs.

It just makes me wonder why it took so long for this to happen. Why did 95 people have to die this year before a plan like this was put into effect? I am also confused as to why the police department is telling us the days and hours they will be out there. Isn't that giving the criminals a heads up?

Brittany Re, Drexel Hill

Postal-hike query

Many Americans are aware of the upcoming hike in stamps from 39 to 41 cents.

Ninety percent of the mail sent from homes in America will be affected by this two-cent increase. The nominal amount will be accepted by most people and probably won't create any drastic lifestyle changes.

Additional changes were also approved by the Postal Regulatory Commission for other types of mail. One of these was to REDUCE the cost of mailing bank statements to 45.9 cents, down from 54.4 cents, an 18.5 percent decrease. I would like a clear explanation from the Postal Regulatory Commission on the reasoning for this decrease.

As trival as these pennies may be, this is another blatant example of our government looking out for big business instead of the average citizen.

Todd DiGuiseppe, Havertown

Quagmire in . . . SW Philly

The surge isn't working, the mission is untenable, we can't win, pull out now! Impeach the . . . mayor!

Commissioner Rum . . . I mean Johnson, should be fired and the 80-officer surge in Southwest Philly should be defunded.

Eight more shot Sunday. When will Bu . . . I mean Street, learn? Iraq is a war zone, has roughly 24 times more people than Philly, yet murders in the city were almost equal to combat deaths in Iraq last year. Why aren't the Democrats attempting to pull the police out?

Chad DeFruscio, Broomall