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Are failing schools
driving student flight?
Re. “Public school enrollment sliding,” Page A1, April 12:
I’m a student at El Cerrito High School watching the West Contra Costa Unified School District fall apart. The severe absence of funding and the frivolous administration have crushed many of my educational opportunities. There is a scarcity of effort to reach disadvantaged students coupled with few advanced course opportunities (steadily falling), and even fewer teachers. Additionally, the teachers that have enriched me most significantly are soon to leave.
Many of my fellow students have had their teachers forgo their duties and abandon classes due to low wages, lack of COVID safety and unchecked lack of qualification. This has left classes null, substitute teachers overworked and students taught a meager amount. The burden of an increasingly inadequate educational system is hurting the upcoming generation, and there needs to be change.
Jacob Laba
Kensington
No way dithering A’s
are staying in Oakland
Sorry to break it to you A’s fans. A new waterfront stadium has become a pipe dream, and the team will relocate soon. The three realities:
1. Oakland and Alameda County politicians are desperately clinging to the perception of keeping Oakland a “major league” city. The Raiders and Warriors defections have proven otherwise.
2. The A’s majority owner has no desire of ever putting a consistent quality product on the field. His public relations mouthpiece spews dribble left and right to the media and fans alike in classic PR hyperbole. All his theatrics are to play the long game of finding the best relocation deal.
3. Any Howard Terminal stadium deal would surely be another public financial disaster for the city and county for decades to come.
The city has spent too much money already. The time has come. Let the A’s walk.
J.D. Sorensen
Newark
Ukraine, Israel similar
enough to fill a book
I agree with Forrest Cioppa that “We ignore parallels between Ukraine and Israel.” Part of that, I think, is that most Americans don’t know much about the Palestinian struggle. “Determined to Stay: Palestinian Youth Fight for Their Village,” a book by a Berkeley teacher, Jody Sokolow, was named a Best Book for Teens 2021 by the NY Public Library. Written before the Russian invasion of Ukraine, it illustrates the many struggles of Palestinian youth determined to protect their homes. Perhaps it predicts the future for Ukraine.
Separately, the picture of Palestinian teen Ahed Tamimi standing up to an Israeli soldier to protect her home was widely circulated, mistakenly, as a picture of a Ukrainian teen standing up to a Russian soldier. That reinforces how similar their struggles are.
The book is fascinating: difficult-to-hear facts, interwoven with stories of strong, determined, and admirable youth. Clearly written by a good teacher.
Elizabeth Fisher
Pleasant Hill
Old school election
instills a new confidence
According to the Associated Press, French citizens went to the polls Sunday, in the first round of voting for the French presidency (“Beer flows, champagne bubbles as Macron, Le Pen reach final,” Page A5, April 11).
Interestingly, they came in person to polling places on election day (there is no “early voting,” and mail-in ballots are not allowed), showed a photo ID, signed the roster, and filled out paper ballots. The ballots will be publicly counted by hand at each polling place.
What a novel approach to give citizens confidence in their election process, and to discourage any fraud.
Mike Heller
Walnut Creek
Inflation due to factors
far beyond Biden
Reader Cathy Ledbetter asserts that President Biden is to blame for inflation because it started when he took office. Aside from not assuming that correlation means causation, we should note that inflation is worldwide – e.g., Britain and the rest of Europe are also suffering high inflation, especially in energy prices. Did Biden cause that?
Also worth noting is that electing Republicans to reverse Biden’s policies won’t help. There is nothing Republicans can do (other than putting us back into recession) that will resolve inflation any faster.
Ms. Ledbetter correctly notes that the Ukraine war, and the American response to it, are making inflation worse and longer-lasting. I hope Americans will bear up and deal with this economic pain in the interest of standing with Ukraine during this crisis.
Merlin Dorfman
Livermore
Source: www.mercurynews.com