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time to the busy days of school administrators and teachers. Ideally, there will be more feedback between each school's top academic administrator and those in the classrooms. That sets up a great learning experience and a good way to improve teacher quality in cases where it is needed. Hopefully, it will add to the learning environment and not take precious time away.
• But it also opens up the possibility that some administrators and teachers will do the minimal amount of work to meet the state requirements. We hope that is not the case.
• Like it or not, times are changing and have continually changed in education. Looking for ways to improve teacher quality is a great goal. It shouldn't threaten anyone, and it should be viewed as an opportunity more than a mandate.
• South Dakota generally has good schools and good teachers, but there always is

room for improvement. There are chances to learn and grow, even for teachers.
• Done well -- even though judging teachers is difficult -- the feedback given under the upcoming evaluations could inspire an educator to do an even better job of teaching the state's students and instilling in them the love of learning. That's the goal and the hope, after all. It's also what students deserve.
• ___
• Watertown Public Opinion. Aug. 16, 2012
• The reality of the death penalty
• Tina Curl wants to see Donald Moeller die.
• Actually, Curl wants to watch Moeller die.
• Curl's daughter, Becky O'Connell, was killed in 1990 when she was 9 years old. O'Connell was abducted from a Sioux Falls convenience store, raped and murdered.
• Moeller was convicted of the crime and sentenced to death.
• Though no date has been set for Moeller's execution, Curl told a Sioux Falls media outlet she will be present when it does occur.
• She "won't get any peace of mind" until Moeller is dead, "and I will be there to see it," Curl told the television station.
• The United States is one of the few "first world" countries that still embraces capital punishment. As long as capital punishment is legal, it is difficult to argue Moeller does not deserve to be executed. Kidnapping. Raping. Murdering. All three committed against an all-but defenseless 9-year-old.
• But if we are going to execute our most reprehensible criminals, we should not allow myths to intrude upon reality. Two of those myths are that execution provides

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