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Yes on Measure A
for Livermore schools
I’ve been a teacher for 31 years, teaching the past 25 years in Livermore schools. Vote by mail for Measure A so our elementary students can continue to attend science lab courses, and all of our students can continue to benefit from our district technology specialists.
Science specialists and technology specialists are credentialed teachers who work together with classroom teachers to enhance the educational experiences of all students. Not only have all of my Livermore students benefited from elementary science classes, but the science lab courses also benefited my own two children who attended Livermore schools. They both earned science degrees and have careers they love.
Your yes vote on Measure A vote will keep quality teachers and programs in Livermore.
Lisa Wilson
Livermore
Cutting remedial classes
will grow education gap
Re. “We should not eliminate remedial education in community colleges,” Page A6, April 19:
It was genuinely shocking to hear that the state is considering implementing AB 1705, which would create a learning gap in higher education without the remedial classes.
Already seeing how AB 705 dropped success rates in English from 75% to 70% and math from 68% to 60%, especially hurting Black and Latinx communities, the new bill would make this worse. Not to mention, the COVID pandemic has had a huge impact on learning losses, and not just in higher education.
In order to prevent further decline, higher education needs to be more accessible and suitable for all educational levels. If this bill passes, the California education system will suffer a great loss, especially for those minorities it was meant to help. Together we can help those who seek higher education despite their circumstances.
Celine Montes
Fremont
We should be expanding,
not restricting, the vote
Mike Heller compares France’s election to ours (“Old School election instills a new confidence,” Letters to the Editor, Page A6, April 15). On the same page, Joe Mathews explains how different France’s democracy is from ours (“France shows the perils of powerless local democracy, ” Page A6, April 15). Heller is comparing apples to oranges and Mathews invalidates Heller’s comparison.
Heller also repeats the Republican lie that our elections are untrustworthy if voters are not required to go to the polls and show identification. Repeating a lie makes it no truer. There is no appreciable election fraud. Republicans have created this lie because they know their supporters are more likely to satisfy their requirements and their opponents are less likely, therefore giving them a better chance of winning. You might as well say you’re keeping the election safe from the boogeyman.
Also on the same page, Mark Barabak suggests making voting mandatory, similar to jury duty (“Would requiring Americans to vote cure our political ills?” Page A6, April 15). Getting more people to vote seems more democratic and, as opposed to Heller’s approach, is much more novel.
Don Morgan
Concord
Crush Russia’s economy
to win on battlefield
Russia will be defeated despite the outcome of invading Ukraine if oil, coal, agriculture and seafood exports from Russia are sanctioned and Russia is isolated from trade and commerce.
The European Union has pledged to embargo Russian oil. The United States, Canada, Mexico and South America should increase production to provide Europe with enough oil to replace Russian imports. President Biden should call on Americans to reduce energy use by 10 percent.
Congress should pass the Carbon Dividend and Energy Efficiency Act, HR 2307, to speed up the transition to alternative energy. That bill would place a gradually increasing “carbon tax” on fossil fuel and return the revenue with equal monthly payments to every legal adult resident and two children per family.
The isolation of Russia would bankrupt their economy which could provide the opportunity to negotiate dismantling their nuclear weapons. America must unite in supporting Ukraine and defeating Russia.
Mark Altgelt
Vallejo
Source: www.mercurynews.com