What about other students in the classroom?
To the editor:
In response to your Sunday article, "Incident prompts change in policy":
I have been spit at, cursed at, scratched and hit by students in the school district throughout my 14 years of employment. I have endured constant outbursts and deliberate distractions from special education students who are mainstreamed into the regular classroom.
This can take away from my ability to teach the other 30 students in my classroom while I document what happened, when it happened and follow their behavior intervention plans.
There is a policy for everything in place. But where is the protection for aides and teachers accounted for at public schools? Everything focuses on the students, but the teachers who are in the classroom are the last to be cared for.
Eight incidents were documented regarding the child in the story, and the article suggests outrage that something was finally done about the student's behavior? The public should be outraged that it took eight times for something to happen to protect the teacher and aide. What about the other students in the classroom?
The concept of mainstreaming is great, but I'm waiting for the day when a regular student's parents sue the district because a special education student is infringing on their child's right to learn.
Kristi Watson
Las Vegas
Prison break
To the editor:
In response to your excellent article on the decommissioning of the Nevada State Prison in Carson City ("Prison decommissioned," Saturday Review-Journal):
The story recounts how "29 convicts escaped in 1871" and that "most of the escapees were killed by a posse near a California lake now known as Convict Lake."
That description of a uniquely historical event is off the mark.
The prison break in September 1871 was the largest in the country's history, to this day. All but three of the 29 escapees were caught and returned to prison.
As to the gunbattle at Convict Lake, only six convicts made it that far - nearly 200 miles walking and riding stolen horses - and just two of them participated in the gunbattle with the posse. The convicts, armed with deadly Henry rifles taken from the prison armory, killed two posse members, wounded one and drove the rest away. One unarmed convict was wounded. One of the convicts was never seen again; two were later captured near Silver Peak in Esmeralda County.
The two who participated in the gunbattle were lynched a week later in Bishop, Calif. The wounded man, just 18 years of age, was released by the Bishop vigilantes and returned to prison.
Jim Reed
Mammoth Lakes, Calif.
Partisan politics
To the editor:
In response to Diane Kremser's May 18 letter on Republicans blocking the president's agenda:
The intention of one party or the other has always been to make the president a one-termer. It's not right, but that's the way it is. Democrat or Republican.
The Democrats (under Sen. Harry Reid's leadership) have blocked many Republican proposals from being voted on. It's not right, but that's the way is.
As for the public-sector jobs being lost, I'm up and about every day and I don't feel any pain from government job losses. They actually save hard-working taxpayers' money.
And as for corporate profits skyrocketing, I like profitable businesses. They are able to pay dividends, hire more workers and contribute to better benefits and retirement. Look at the employee parking lot of profit-making business. Profit-making businesses are a pretty sight.
Norris Inman
Las Vegas
Pay for cops
To the editor:
In response to Glenn Cook's Sunday column, which addressed "More Cops":
In a recent meeting with the Review-Journal editorial board, Clark County Sheriff Doug Gillespie - supported by the more than 2,400 members of the Las Vegas Police Protective Association - said the way the Metropolitan Police Department is funded must be changed. I agree.
For too long our courageous police officers have been short-changed when it comes to funding. That day is over. Under the leadership of Sheriff Gillespie, we have a new, re-vitalized police department - one that's committed to fighting for a quarter-cent sales tax increase in Southern Nevada to boost police budgets. I maintain a quarter-cent is not enough. It should be 3 cents to ensure our safety.
Sheriff Gillespie will ask the 2013 Legislature to enact this tax.
Some facts: In 2004, county voters approved a non-binding ballot question to increase the sales tax in two phases to allow police agencies to hire hundreds of new officers. Our legislators authorized the first half of the proposal.
In 2009, the legislators again increased the sales tax rate, but imposed the hike statewide for state services. The second half of the "More Cops" tax has been in limbo ever since.
Who in their right mind says we don't want more police protection for our families and children?
No one.
For too long we police supporters have been a silent majority as legislators went back on their word to our police and us. Therefore, I conclude, only a public show of support for our police departments will encourage our legislators to enact the sales tax increase for our public safety and that of our schoolchildren.
Clyde Dinkins
Las Vegas
