LETTERS: Education Savings Accounts, other reforms don’t merit praise
To the editor:
I read Glenn Cook’s column on Education Savings Accounts (“One giant step for K-12 education” June 7 Review-Journal) and Steve Sebelius’ column on the same subject (“Don’t cheer for surrender in public education” June 17 Review-Journal). Mr. Cook praises the worst education bill to pass in this legislative session, Senate Bill 302. He writes that “parents will be able to withdraw their children from public school, gain control of the tax revenue that funded their enrollment, and spend that money on an educational program that’s best suited for them.”
This bill will widen the gap between the haves and have-nots, and create a de facto economically segregated school system. Families that couldn’t quite afford private school tuition might now be able to, because they were given a $5,000 “Get out of School Free” card. What about families for whom private school can never be within reach? What kind of education can be provided outside of a school environment for $5,000?
Mr. Sebelius wrote, “There were plenty of things to cheer when it came to education reforms enacted in the 2015 Nevada Legislature.” He then correctly adds that SB302 is not one of them.
But I disagree with his assertion that there were plenty of things to cheer about. It’s easy to pass an unenforceable bill that children must read by third grade. On what level? Who is going to teach them? We cannot find enough teachers now. Class size is creeping up, making it even more difficult for students on the edge, despite the wonderful efforts of our teachers.
As for improved teacher training, who will do the training? I prefer to increase the training of building principals. After positive teacher-to-teacher sharing, the next best thing is a principal who knows how to interact with and support the staff.
Nevada will still languish near or at the bottom. The one group that should have been involved in these reforms was not — classroom teachers!
LES GILBERT
LAS VEGAS
Charleston response
To the editor:
Regarding Clyde Dinkins’ letter (“Racial hypocrisy,” Wednesday Review-Journal), let me get this straight: Is Mr. Dinkins saying that since we didn’t protest when a white elected official publicly endorsed a return to slavery, we now have no right to protest the murder of innocent black people?
Nine human lives were ended — in a church — just for being black. How could any reaction of grief or outrage be considered “disingenuous and hypocritical”? And you wonder why black folks are running around with signs saying, “Black lives matter.” Based on Mr. Dinkins’ insensitive statement, I guess he doesn’t think so.
THOM ROSS
LAS VEGAS
Gay marriage and GOP
To the editor:
Republicans are running around like chickens with their heads cut off, freaked out about the Supreme Court’s decision affirming marriage equality for gays (“’We’re not going away,’” June 29 Review-Journal). We now know for sure what the Republican anti-gay crusade has been about: religious extremism embedded in the Republican Party trying to take away a person’s freedom of choice, much like the anti-abortion Republicans have been trying to take away a woman’s freedom of choice for the past four decades.
To show how deep the anti-gay agenda runs in the Republican Party, every major Republican presidential candidate criticized the Supreme Court’s decision. In fact, anti-gay Republican politicians are turning on their own and talking of going after Republican-appointed Supreme Court justices. Republican negativity is overwhelming and shows the dark side of the GOP. And you want one of these anti-gay Republicans and their entourage in the White House in 2016? Heaven help America if this happens.
RON LOWE
NEVADA CITY, CALIF.
Obeying police commands
To the editor:
Regarding Bruce Schowers’ letter (“Obeying police commands,” June 24 Review-Journal), he wrote that no citizen has the right to defy police when officers follow their legal obligation to do their job. I imagine he would allow for certain exceptions when the people protest injustices.
Thomas Jefferson is quoted as saying, “The tree of liberty has to be nourished from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.” Another famous quote, from the Bible, “A good name is more to be desired than great riches, and loving favor, than silver and gold.” Mr. Jefferson’s quote has been exemplified from the Boston Tea Party to present-day battles, here and abroad. The Bible quote has great significance, but is not so easily manifested.
For many reasons, primarily budgetary concerns, cities have been forced to hire police of different standards than in the past. Gone are the days of an officer friendly walking his beat, billy club at his side, filching an occasional apple from a sidewalk vendor. He knew the people on his beat, and there was mutual respect. Police officers have lost most of that respect and their good names. Not all, but certainly many.
Mr. Schowers is obviously an intelligent, well-read gentleman, and I will not deign to insult his intelligence by recanting infractions of the law perpetrated by the police. The world is watching us. I was in Paris when the Rodney King incident occurred. Coverage was in the local news venue. Once your good name is lost, it is difficult and often impossible to regain it. This is still a young, growing country. Progress is being made in civil relations. When people are treated with respect, they respond in kind. Even the people Mr. Schowers refers to can in many cases be reached.
WILLIAM V. LOFTON
NORTH LAS VEGAS
