Parents, schools must address bullying

The recent high-profile cases of school bullying that ended tragically point to a big problem which has a solution.

We must get school personnel — superintendents, principals, deans, teachers — and parents to be more involved in their kids’ lives. School administrators must let kids know that this kind of behavior won’t be tolerated. School administrators can do this through more discipline as well as counseling sessions and school assemblies.

Parents also must be involved and let children know that bullying others isn’t proper behavior.

Bullying is a big problem in schools and must be proactively addressed by administrators as well as parents.

BILL MILLER

LAS VEGAS

Hot Chile

To the editor:

If I were not American, I would be Chilean. What a president. What a people.

GUY ROARK

LAS VEGAS

New court

To the editor:

Question 2 on the November ballot seeks to amend the Nevada Constitution to create a court of appeals. There are a few things the voters should think about before voting to approve this amendment.

Back in the late 1990s, the Nevada Supreme Court asked the Legislature to add two extra justices to the court. By doing so, it was argued, the court could then rid itself of the backlog of cases, solving the problem. The Legislature approved the two new members at a cost of millions of dollars to the taxpayers. The court then split up into groups of three to hear appeals. Seemed to be working just fine.

Now, in 2010, the Supreme Court, by way of the Legislature and through the voters, wants to create a court of appeals. The first court of appeals would be based in Las Vegas, with three judges, complete with a full compliment of staff members. Again, the taxpayer is going to pay millions of dollars to create this court to solve the problem of a backlog of cases. This will just shift the backlog to the court of appeals.

In addition, there is nothing that would prevent lawmakers from creating as many courts of appeals as they wish. How long before Washoe County (Reno) wants a court of appeals, too? Then we will need a couple of more to take care of the rest of the counties.

Given the current economic situation, now is not the time to create a court of appeals that, in the end, will not solve any backlog for the Supreme Court.

By the way, if this passes, will the Legislature reduce the Supreme Court back to five members?

MARTIN HENDERSON

LAS VEGAS

Struggling workers

To the editor:

Here we go again. Consumers save money by using less electricity through conservation programs and economic necessity, and are rewarded with yet another rate hike.

NV Energy is a government-approved monopoly that runs pretty much like a government agency. You have no choice but to deal with it on its terms.

Yes, there is less money being spent in town, with high unemployment and business contraction. Has NV Energy followed the path of private businesses and governments in this state to reduce expenses to cover the obvious shortfalls that these economic times cause?

If they can’t develop a viable business plan after all these years maybe someone else can.

Mo Denis wants to be state senator in my District 2, one of the less affluent areas in town. What is he going to say to represent the struggling working class?

Darrell Welch

North Las Vegas

Water crisis

To the editor:

After a decade of severe drought, Lake Mead hit its lowest water levels in its 75-year history this past weekend. We are reaching a point where the Colorado River flows are no longer sufficient to satisfy demands on the system.

If the cities, businesses and farms of the Colorado River Basin are to continue to prosper, we must embrace innovative water efficiency measures and find ways in which the limited supply of water can be more easily shared during times of shortage.

In Southern Nevada, our community has made tremendous strides in this area; last year, we used 26 billion gallons less water than in 2002, despite a population increase of 400,000 during that span. However, given that Nevada receives only 1.8 percent of the Colorado River’s allocated flows, our ability to mitigate the impact of drought on Lake Mead is extremely limited.

Because the Colorado Basin spans seven states and extends into Mexico, making significant changes will require collaboration among stakeholders, as well as leadership from the Department of Interior.

Rethinking our approach to integrated water management may be the only means to avoid the looming water crisis facing this river system.

Larry Brown

Las Vegas

The writer represents District C on the Clark County Commission.

Tough job

To the editor:

As a teacher in a No-Child-Left-Behind “failing” school, I’m compelled to offer additional insight to Jim Hayes’ Wednesday letter on teaching.

Why doesn’t teaching attract the best and brightest? Most likely, the best and brightest don’t covet an occupation wherein workers are given the message, at both federal and state levels, that we can’t possibly work enough hours or do a good enough job; that everything wrong with American society reflected in our children is public education’s obligation to fix; that teaching is an occupation for saints who forgo their own families and delight in working 80 hours a week for $40,000 a year “for the children”; and that we should not have a union to provide due process when the powers that be want to fire us for failing to achieve the impossible — or for any other reason.

The education documentary “Waiting for Superman” was released here Friday, escalating the current war on teachers and public education. Why would an intelligent person choose this?

Betty Buehler

Las Vegas