Time to put down the phones and learn

In response to the Tuesday Review-Journal story, “Under 10 percent college-ready”:

I am a retired teacher and current substitute teacher in the Clark County School District. The reason for the problem is simple: Students do not come to class prepared to learn. This is exacerbated by and directly attributed to one thing: The district’s policy on student cell phone use is outdated.

The policy states that cell phones must be turned off during the school day (including passing periods) and can be used only during lunch and before and after school.

But the policy was written when students had one device for phoning and texting, another device for playing games, another device for listening to music, etc. Now they can do everything with one device, and the policy is ignored.

At least 50 percent of the students (conservative estimate) walk into class with earbuds already in their ears and listening to music, playing video games, texting, watching videos, sharing or taking photos, posting on Facebook — the list goes on and on. This is what a teacher has to compete with. Each year it seems to be getting worse.

Until the district comes up with a sane cell phone policy that is enforced, the ACT scores will continue to be abysmally low.

Let’s stop turning a blind eye to the obvious problem and come up with a viable solution.

William Cuff

Henderson

Priced out

On Monday, Starbucks officials announced that they would be raising the wages of their employees. On Wednesday, they announced they would be raising prices. This sure sounds like what’s to come if Hillary Clinton has her way and raises the minimum wage to $15 an hour. Wonder how many corporations will be moving overseas?

Jack Oliver

Las Vegas

Lawyered up

The Nevada Board of Continuing Legal Education is a panel within the State Bar of Nevada that has the routine job of helping lawyers obtain their continuing education requirements. Part of the board’s job is to review and approve classes and presentations that offer lawyers continuing education.

My group, the Las Vegas chapter of the Federalist Society, has offered dozens of presentations from nationally prominent legal scholars and commentators for nearly 10 years, and each was approved for a CLE credit.

The Federalist Society is a group of conservative and libertarian lawyers. Its members include many of the most renowned judges and scholars in America and many in Nevada. It has events that include panelists from both sides of the ideological spectrum.

Nevertheless, earlier this year, a complaint was filed claiming that the group was too political. Just last week, the Board of Continuing Legal Education — without explanation and for the first time — denied our group a CLE credit for a presentation on presidential executive power by renowned National Review and Wall Street Journal editor John Fund.

The board has previously approved seminars by other groups on legal ethics regarding Rolling Stone songs, the powers of major sports commissioners, and climate change.

Is the CLE board invoking a different set of standards for lawyer groups based on political point of view?

Matthew Saltzman

Las Vegas

The writer is president of the Federalist Society’s Las Vegas Lawyers chapter.