The Chatter Box
By Deborah Bennett

I started a new feature in this column last week posing a "Question of the Week" to which readers can respond. The purpose was to provide a forum where the public can express opinions anonymously on the given subject matter. I received only a few responses. Hopefully, this will "take off" in the next few weeks. If not, then I guess it was not such a great idea. I will also accept "questions" from the public to be used as the Question of the Week.

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Responses to last week's Question of the Week-Why do you think so many parents are choosing private schools over public?

"My child was one that transferred to a private school. The lack of discipline was the reason. No, I was not asked why I withdrew my child."

"Discipline. Discipline equals safety. High academic expectations. Christ is proclaimed as Lord. Daily devotions. Athletic programs that excel. We should demand this of our public schools."

"I think our public schools do an excellent job of educating students who genuinely want to learn. I would not choose a private school over public."

"Maybe it is because the male students are allowed to walk around with their pants hanging to their knees. Do we have a dress code?"

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Question of the Week- Would you support consolidation of our city and county governments?

E-mail your anonymous responses or suggestions for a Question of the Week to themillennews@yahoo.com, mail to P. O. Box 909, Millen, GA 30442, fax to 478-982-5460 or leave in drop box on the door of our Cotton Avenue office. Responses should be limited to 40 words and should be received at our office by 10 a.m. Mondays.

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Happy birthday this week to: Lisa Dailey, Rosalie Dwelle, Barbara Burke, Anna Joiner, Joyce Hodges-Hite, Shalontay'e Richardson, Joe Law, Verdie Banner, Juel Waters, Lester Brinson Jr. and Hattie Atkins.

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Military Active Duty List: Lance Cpl. Lee Ogden, U.S. Marines, Radio and Communications, Bahria, Iraq; Petty Officer 3rd Class Eric B. Kelsey, U.S. Navy, NSA Bahrain; PV2 Ashley Clifton, U.S. Army, Yongsan, Korea; Airman First Class Charles F. Woods, Moody Air Force Base, Valdosta, GA; Capt. Andrew P. Thomas, U.S. Marines, F.A.S.T. Company, Yorktown, VA; Stuart Burrus, U.S. Air Force, Bossier AFB, Bossier, LA; SPC 4 Travis D. Motes, 1st Calvary Division, T. Hood, Texas; Capt. Donald Slade Burke, Travis Air Force Base, Fairfield, Calif.; Staff Sgt. Gilbert C. Sheppard III, 48th Brigade, 118th Field Artillery, Iraq; Petty Officer 3rd Class Jamie A. Yager, U.S. Navy, Marine Corps Base Hawaii; Petty Chief Officer Andy D. Crosby, U.S. Navy, Elroy Destroyer, Norfolk, Va.; Stephanie Crosby, R.N., U.S. Navy, Lafayette Destroyer; Jimmy Cooper, U.S. Army National Guard, 878th Engineering Battalion-Augusta, Persian Gulf ; 1st Lt. J.R. Taylor, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Iraq; SPC. Daniel Stuart, 18th MEDCOM, 121 General Hospital, Seoul, Korea; Jeffrey Sweat, U.S. Navy, USS Kauffman, MM3 59/E-Division, A-Gang, Norfolk, Va.; Cpl. Larry Lamont Clark, U.S. Marine Corp, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C. Bagdad, Iraq; Khan Young, U.S. Navy, U.S.S. Kitty Hawk, Persian Gulf; Robert Milton Jr., E-3, U.S. Army, Ft. Stewart, Hinesville, Ga., Mission Kuwait; Arnold R. Mosley, 2nd Lt., U.S. Air Force, Randolph AFB, Texas; and Debra A. Mosley, Tech. Sgt., U.S. Air Force, Randolph AFB, Texas.