LETTERS: Unions favor sex offenders in classrooms
To the editor:
On Tuesday the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill that would prevent public schools from employing teachers and other workers convicted of sexual offenses against children or other violent crimes. This also would apply to the employees of companies contracted by schools. This seems to be a straightforward, logical way to ensure the safety of our children.
The only groups that objected to this bill were the National Education Association and the American Federation of Teachers. They complain that this law would jeopardize worker protections in union contracts. I had to read this objection several times to believe it. Sounds like the unions are more interested in protecting members than students.
I’m sure overpaid union officials will realize how morally repugnant and indefensible this position is and change their outlook. Perhaps they will continue to show their true colors and priorities. I know that this is not the position of the teachers and other valued employes of the school systems. They are dedicated to the education and safety of the students, not the large salaries and perks that result from their union dues.
Does it really make sense to object to preventing convicted felons from having contact with our children while suspending or expelling a student for nibbling a Pop Tart into the shape of a gun?
GORDON SOEDER
LAS VEGAS
Connected?
To the editor:
So the Sparks Police Department wouldn’t identify the student shooter at Sparks Middle School. The first thing that comes to mind is, are the parents of the shooter politically connected in some way? I have sympathy for the parents of the shooter, who killed himself after killing a teacher and shooting two fellow students, but I cannot understand the decision to not release his name. By not releasing the name, police made the problem more questionable.
BRYCE LEE
LAS VEGAS
President’s speech
To the editor:
The recent speech by President Barack Obama likely will go down as one of the worst I have ever heard from a president. After saying that there were no winners, he proceeded to blame the shutdown on the GOP and continued to show what’s wrong with Washington: divisiveness.
He missed a great opportunity to show leadership and try to bring the parties together. He tried to paint himself as a compromiser who is willing to negotiate.
His actions proved otherwise, as he said during the shutdown that he would negotiate only after he got what he demanded.
He acts like the winner, but the real losers are the American people, who will get hit by ObamaCare, that disaster that is opposed by 60 percent of the public and not read by lawmakers but rammed through by paying millions in taxpayer money to senators to get their votes.
I say that the country hasn’t sunk low enough yet. It has to get worse before the voters will send people to Washington who will do something for the citizens instead of doing it to them.
DALE LAINE SR.
LAS VEGAS
