Letters: Nuclear Power And Teachers

NEAL CONAN, host:

It's Tuesday and time to read from your emails and Web comments. Mitt Romney joined us on the Political Junkie segment last week to talk about his book, "Presidential Aspirations," and of course health care. At one point he argued that, quote, "everybody in this country, if they become ill, goes to the emergency room even without insurance and is able to receive under the law free care."

Several of you wrote to complain: not true. Perhaps Governor Romney has never gone to an emergency room without insurance. It is not free. In fact, it's very expensive. My sister, who has no job and no insurance, always gets a bill for a lot of money. And when she does not pay, they send the bill to a collection agency. That email from Daniel Beccey(ph) in New York.

While some in Congress complained about the nuclear option over health care - we talked last week about the Obama administration's plan to help finance new nuclear reactors, starting with two in Georgia. We asked if you would live near a nuclear plant. Richard Gaud(ph) in Buchanan, Michigan, said yes. We live within 20 miles of Cook Nuclear Plant in Michigan and don't think about it as being a threat to our safety because we know many of the people who work there and trust them as intelligent people who would protect their families, friends and neighbors.

I feel we're in a small way participating in a proof of nuclear power's contribution toward lessening the threat of global warming. If nuclear is so safe, argued another listener, why, after 50 years, can it not get privately funded and insured? The Florida legislature passed a bill last year that we have to pay for nuclear plants in advance in our current power bills. The plant may never get billed yet people are already paying. Bunny Aegen(ph) sent us that email from Saint Pete.

And a new report published last week asked 40,000 teachers how to improve public schools as Congress prepares to redraft No Child Left Behind. We did an unscientific survey of teachers in our audience and one word kept popping up in those responses: parents. Rhonda Schlumbaum(ph) emailed to tell us: I've taught for 20 years and it has been my experience that the hardest kids to bring up to level are the ones who have no support at home. I'm not saying that these kids can't make it, but they take much more instruction and time. The government can't make parents read to their children or help them with their homework.

Michael Shad(ph), a teacher for 35 years, added: Another problem is the fact we try to teach all students at the same level as if they are all going to college. This is not done in other countries. We need to accept that not all students need to go to college. All should have the option, but we need to train those who choose not to go to be the best at what they choose to do.

Finally, an update on the story we talked about a year ago when members of an assisted suicide group were arrested. Today, a grand jury in Georgia indicted four members of the Final Exit Network on charges that they helped a 58-year-old man with cancer to kill himself. You can find out more about that case at NPR.org.

If you have comments, questions or corrections for us, the best way to reach us is by email. The address is talk@npr.org. Please let know where you're writing from. Give us some help on how to pronounce your name. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright National Public Radio.