How badly does district want to retain teachers?
To the editor:
Your June 16 article concerning a serious shortfall of 1,163 teachers certainly brings to light an alarming issue. But I have to wonder how hard the Clark County School District works to keep the teachers it so desperately needs.
Certainly the district needs to weed out corrupt or unqualified teachers. However, when administrators expect teachers to physically sand graffiti from desks as part of their duties, this goes well beyond the requirements for the position.
District teachers can expect severe adverse actions when refusing to do as they are told. School administrators have immense powers that are largely out of control. Frankly, with the exceptionally low salary and chronic abuse, I am surprised that the shortfall isn't far greater than it is.
The school district deserves the teachers that are left when they are forced to save their careers or succumb to poor administrators.
Peter Mueller
LAS VEGAS
Free speech
To the editor:
I must vigorously agree with Anne Oney's Tuesday letter, which supports our First Amendment rights. But on the same page, your report on the U.S. Supreme Court's First Amendment rulings has given those of us in agreement with her a slap in the face.
To illustrate my point, I refer to one of the most famous quotes ever uttered: "I may not agree with you, but I will defend to the death your right to say it."
The Supreme Court has just sided with school officials who disciplined a student because they did not agree with the message when he unfurled a banner saying "Bong hits 4 Jesus." So much for that old saying. It's just been declared un-American by our Supreme Court.
This Supreme Court has, to my disgust and among other things, also allowed the "government" to conduct warrantless searches in violation of my former Fourth Amendment rights. But the justices are now conducting a campaign to seriously erode our First Amendment. I submit that their conduct stinks, and by politicizing the precious rights given to Americans by our forefathers, they have also eroded my confidence in their ability to make just decisions.
Kudos to Ms. Oney and her right to say it. And those who disagree also have the right to say it. I just hope they don't get slapped in the face by our eroding "justice" system for doing so.
Frank Musaraca
HENDERSON
Balancing act
To the editor:
It is a disgrace that Congress ignores one of its most important duties, which is to balance the budget.
The first responsibility of Congress is to determine the essential expenditures best for the American people, then the reasonable tax structure to support it. Yet almost every year, there's a deplorable failure to balance the budget. Congress allows a huge deficit year by year, passing on more debt to our children, creating inflation and weakening the dollar. Each member of Congress is more interested in his re-election, slab of pork and pay raise, which is tantamount to robbery of the American taxpayer.
The budget solution is simple. In the event of a deficit, no congressional pay raise would be permitted. Invariably then, the budget would always be balanced. What could be a more simple and effective solution?
George Irish
LAS VEGAS
Wilderness areas
To the editor:
The recent graffiti vandalism in the Mount Charleston Wilderness Area shines a light on the pressures facing the wild areas adjacent to Las Vegas. As the population balloons here, it becomes more and more critical for us to preserve these areas for our enjoyment, wildlife habitat and for future generations.
A major problem is that the agencies that manage public lands are underfunded. It was mentioned in a recent article that Kevin Hart is just one of four U.S. Forest Service officers who patrol 300,000 acres around Mount Charleston. Because this is one of the most popular summer areas, it is evident that four officers are not adequate unless we are OK with increased abuses such as the graffiti vandalism.
Agency underfunding is just one of a long list of pressures facing our wild areas in Southern Nevada. Along with the increase in population there is development in once-wild areas and increases in off-road vehicle use. Sadly it usually takes an incident like the graffiti to make us recognize these issues.
Vaughn Lawrence
LAS VEGAS
Fed up
To the editor:
Question: How do you tell the Democrats from the Republicans? Answer: You can't anymore -- they're all for the same thing, serving the corporate interests and the Hispanic lobby's push for open borders.
I am so totally disgusted with this president and Congress that I have just changed my political affiliation to Independent.
An Independent candidate is looking better and better than this mixed bag presently running. A lot of senators and representatives are going to be up for re-election next year and a lot of them aren't going to make it. We will remember.
Bonnie L. Armstrong
HENDERSON
