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I am writing this in reference to “Stroke of Yuck” by Joe Dempsey (3/22). In the article, my MO is described as follows: “Rather than warn schoolchildren about the water quality, he tells them not to be rowdy.” This was taken completely out of context. I explained to Dempsey that I normally go into a school and do an informative slide-show program as well as hands-on activities with the kids. I go into detail about what the water quality is; then, when we come to the river, we focus on the positive aspects and not as much on the pollution, because we have found that if they are worried about the water quality the whole canoe tour, the kids will not focus on the wetlands, the wildlife, and all of the beauty the river has to offer.
I understand that Dempsey didn’t write anything intentionally to hurt my organization, but his statement about what I said makes us, an environmental education group, look as if we are giving the students a misleading education—which is far from the truth. We actually give students more information about the truth of water quality of the river than most teachers at the schools.
I would appreciate it if a retraction of that statement could be made. Thank you.
Program Manager
Anacostia Watershed Society