Teachers are educators, not activists
In a recent opinion piece, the Pajaro Valley Federation of Teachers expressed concern on being silenced in the classroom. PVUSD teachers need to be reminded that they have a civic role to be educators. The concept that they are change agents, child advocates, architects of democracy, challenging systems of oppression, transforming society and teaching for justice distracts them from the nature of their work. The teachers in our local public schools perform an essential government service. Public schools do not belong to the teachers, they belong to the public. The activist teacher in the classroom puts forth the agenda that the society they serve is defective and they must fix it. Teachers are state employees and their speech or conduct is limited by that fact. There is a difference between teaching about politics and teaching politics that distinction being modeling civic virtue or recruiting followers. Public schools are not platforms; they are civic institutions. The PVUSD current test scores with statewide CAASPP exams were abysmal. Let’s have the district’s teachers abandon their activist agenda and return the classroom to an environment for learning.
Mark McLaughlin
Corralitos
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Accepting invitation for dialogue
Mr. Lelieur: In your letter to the Pajaronian (“Stolen signs suppress free expression,” Oct. 17-23), you complained that someone had stolen your “No on 50” political sign, that this was an “…assault on free speech.” and that “…it conveys the message that ‘Your voice doesn’t belong here,’ eroding the very foundations of our democracy.” I agree with all of your statements.
But, as chair of the Santa Cruz County Republican Central Committee, you must be aware that the leader of your party has been “eroding the very foundations of our democracy” a bit himself. I find this quite ironic.
BTW, I’ll take you up on your offer to share coffee with those with differing views. My number is 722-7645.
For years I have tried hard to listen for understanding with many MAGA members, but I have found that we start with different ground rules, so I propose three preconditions to meeting.
1) We recognize facts as being true (I propose using Wikipedia as necessary).
2) We agree that science takes us as close to truth as we can come today, and that
3) We respect the Constitution.
I further propose that we start by expressing our hopes for our children’s futures, because we ARE all in this together.
During my 50 years living and working the Pajaro Valley, I have found this community to be open-minded and accepting of diverse opinions. Meetings such as the one you propose are critical for us to reduce polarization and continue to live in harmony.
Don Eggleston
Aptos
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Letter to the Editor: Prop 50 Hurts Farmers and Rural California
Proposition 50 is a direct attack on fair representation—and it will hit farmers the hardest. This measure takes power away from the citizens’ redistricting commission that voters created in 2008 and 2010 to keep politicians from drawing self-serving maps. If Prop 50 passes, Sacramento insiders will once again control how districts are drawn, and rural voices—especially farmers—will be drowned out.
Just look at what could happen: areas like Redding could be lumped into the same district as parts of the Bay Area. That means farmers and ranchers in the North State will be represented by politicians who have no understanding of agriculture, water needs, or rural life. Instead of fair maps, we’ll get gerrymandered districts designed to please urban interests and punish rural communities.
California’s farmers already face enough challenges. We shouldn’t lose our political voice, too. Keep redistricting in the hands of the people — not the politicians. Vote no on Prop 50 to protect fair representation and defend rural California.
Mike Lelieur
Santa Cruz
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Mr. Mike Lelieur,
I know lots of farmers in our country and the majority support Prop 50. You are the chair of the SC County GOP, an organization that totally supports Pedo Felon Trump as President and his tariffs he’s set forth that are really harming Americans, farmers and ranchers. You need to be truthful. You also support Trump and the GOP taking away SNAP food benefits from the people who depend on this help to feed their families. You also support ripping Medicaid and health care help from millions of Americans. So, please stop with your crap. You don’t support our community or the people who reside here. This is why we don’t vote for your candidates, unlike people in red states who are ignorant and vote for who Fox news says they should.
Mr. May Bench,
You need to be truthful. Calling the GOAT President Trump a pedo felon is a total lie and outright slander. @Pajaronian do you allow name-calling on your website? Do you have any integrity?
You need to be truthful. President Trump’s tariffs are making America rich and are being used as leverage to make some amazing trade deals. Too many deals to list, but you just fall for the propaganda clickbait.
You need to be truthful. The Democrats are the party voting for the government shutdown, causing the snap benefits to be taken away. A simple yes vote on the clean CR will stop these benefits from being defunded on Nov. 1st. But once again, you seem to be brainwashed by fake news.
You need to be truthful. The majority of Americans voted to stop funding health care for illegal immigrants. Your parties’ violence and terrorist acts will not change that. This is Democracy in action. Don’t be a threat to democracy, and please stop your crap.
You need to be truthful. The reason democrats are trying to destroy the CA state constitution is because without illegal aliens and brainwashed boomers, they will never win another election. Look at the no kings protest, a bunch of geriatrics and lunatics that just say what their screens tell them. The youth will rise up and crush you for living the American dream and then taking it from us.
K Gonzales, I have to believe that your response was satire, I hope I am not wrong. You complain about “name-calling”, then proceed to call people names. Your argument about a clean CR directly ignores why the democrats are not agreeing, which is that the republicans eliminated health care subsidies in order to give more money to the wealthy and to ICE. We have a representational government which requires compromise from each side. I am sure you are aware of this, but just a reminder that if the republicans had been willing to negotiate with the democrats at all, this would not be happening. Your comment on tariffs has to be satire, because it is too insane to be taken seriously. Just because we are upset about what someone else says does not make us right. Righteous indignation should not be a policy. Now, if you were actually serious about that comment, I will agree that it is not accurate to call the president a pedophile, but even you have to admit he was pedophile adjacent. He has done some very questionable things (like hiring a 16 year old masseuse for Mar-a-Lago, who was poached from him by Epstein. He knew exactly what Epstein was doing. He has admitted he knew, and did nothing to stop it. Even if he did nothing legally wrong there, hiring a 16 year old to massage old wealthy men, then allowing her to be sexually trafficked by his friend is not what we should expect of our politicians. It shows very bad judgement and disregard of those society should protect.
We all deserve better that what we currently have. I imagine when you strip down all of your bluster, you know this. It is okay that we have a bad president. You don’t need to take it personally. We should just do better next time.
@K Gonzales, you are spot on. Lying is part of the far-left liberals’ plan. They (liberals) have a conflict with reality.
Ok, if you don’t want Trump being called a pedo, we’ll just use the name the judge used on him. He’s a rapist, crook. liar, racist sexist piglet.
Yossarian, let me be clear: President Trump is the greatest president of my lifetime! Every day is better than the last. Remember, I won and you lost. Therefore, my policies get enacted, and you have to deal with them. I understand you hate Trump, you hate me, and everyone who disagrees with you. That is your right. But lying, cheating, stealing, terrorising, and assassinating are not your rights, and you will be imprisoned, so behave. Don’t be a threat to democracy.
I did not call May any names? I used her own words to destroy her argument.
BTW, a representative government does not “require” compromise from each side. In fact, winning all swing states and the majority is considered a “mandate” which requires the representative to do exactly what they were elected to do and NOT compromise. In this case, mass deportations reduce the tax burden, stop waste, fraud, and abuse, superior foreign policy (stopping 8 wars), and most importantly, take all power away from the Socialist Democrats (you and May). And there will be no compromise.
I’m sure you are aware of this. The reason for a “Clean Continuing Resolution” is to keep the government open while Congress debates the issues. The Republicans have added nothing to the budget, and traditionally, this is an easy yes vote and has been passed hundreds of times without causing a government shutdown, as that is their purpose—to fund the government and prevent a lapse in operations temporarily. The subsidies you mention expired under the democrats’ own rules (look it up). Furthermore, Conservatives will never agree to health care for illegal immigrants, and the outrageous list of demands the democrat socialists of America (DSC) are asking for. So, why are you taking away SNAP benefits for 42 million Americans??
You don’t understand the tariffs, and that is understandable because the MSM pumps out propaganda all day long, and the screen got you. In fact, just yesterday, our great president pushed through funding using tariffs to pay for child food programs, such as the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), which were cut due to a government shutdown. Look it up!
Defending Mays’ slanderous pedo comment using gossip and rumors, just doesn’t fly. Try again. Also, the assumption that giving a massage is a sexual act demeans millions of hard-working masseuses. There is no proof of any of this. The only thing proven is that Donald Trump banned Epstein from Mar-A-Lago and was the only person who volunteered to talk to the FBI and give any information he had. None of the democrats did.
In closing, the best President of my lifetime, doing exactly what the country wanted him to do. Just because you disagree doesn’t change anything… YOU LOST!
Wow, looks like I touched a nerve. You are an unserious person, K Gonzales, who pedals in baseless conspiracy theory because in makes you feel like you are smarter that everyone else. You have let others manipulate you into believing unicorns and leprechauns and that is sad. Trump has admitted (you can see the quotes if your really wanted the truth) that Epstein liked much younger girls than even him (cringe). If it helps you to sleep by believe that Trump is your Messiah, then who am I to deny you your fairytale. But understand that as long as you spout your gibberish, no one will ever take you seriously. We just don’t care. For that, I apologize, it must be frustrating when no one pays attention to you. Some advice though, try reading a book sometime. You might still be able to rejoin us sane people who believe an objective reality.
Good Job, K Gonzales! You completely destroyed these socialist democrats. They have no facts to back up their arguments so they always fall back on the leftist strategy of mockery and bullying.
“you are smarter that everyone else” Jeez, they don’t even have a grasp on basic grammar. You can definitely feel smarter THAN yossarian.
May God Bless Donald Trump, ICE, and K Gonzales.
@K Gonzales – thank you for sharing the truth.