Want schools open? Join the front lines
It’s plain to see — teachers are the new punching bags. I’ve read numerous letters saying kids and teachers need to get back to school, citing meaningless statistics (child deaths from car accidents, isolated flu cases — hardly preventable). COVID deaths are preventable. No child or school employee should be put at risk.
One callous letter took the “collateral damage” stance — yes, it will be tragic, but some must die to keep our schools open! The same letter cited Asian and European schools opening, ignoring the fact that most other countries, unlike ours, have successfully curtailed this virus. Another letter suggested teachers felt privileged, wanting to stay home with pay, suggesting it’s a teacher’s job to “care for children.”
No, that’s a parent’s job. If you feel so strongly that schools be open despite the risk, then go volunteer several days a week in the schools, helping those entitled teachers monitor and enforce the kids’ mask-wearing, social distancing, and hygiene measures — up close and personal.
Deb Klumpp
Oro Valley
Lives are still at risk, let’s not blow it again
The statistics do not indicate schools should resume in-person. The Asian and European countries quoted have brought their national virus infection rates way down with new cases measured in the hundreds. Today’s Star indicated that Arizona alone had nearly 2,000 new cases yesterday. There is a CDC-documented case study that found 82 children below the age of 2 in one county in Texas infected, so the myth that young kids are immune to the virus is false.
Further, getting youngsters to wear a mask and maintain social distancing is about as probable as herding cats. I agree that school is important to the mental and physical health of children, but the statistics do not indicate that opening school is safe for teachers or students. We blew it when the governor reopened businesses before the infection rate was controlled and now Arizona is one of the “red states” for infections. Let’s not repeat that mistake when the lives of our kids and school personnel are at risk.
Morton Smith
Foothills
Border Patrol acting by the book
Re: the Aug. 1 article “Border Patrol agents set up checkpoint outside migrant aid camp in Arivaca.”
The camp is where volunteers for No More Deaths operate out of. They claim the Border Patrol has surrounded the camp in a retaliatory manner for some emails that were just released. However, the Border Patrol actually trailed undocumented immigrants to the camp and arrested one. Members of No More Deaths are allegedly harboring undocumented immigrants by providing them with food, water, and shelter, a federal crime under 8 USC 1324 (a)(1)(a).
What No More Deaths, reporter Curt Prendergast and their “go to” retired Border Patrol agent Francisco Cantú amazingly do not seem to understand or be concerned about is whether these undocumented immigrants could be COVID-19 positive, symptomatic or asymptomatic. These people are not medically screened for COVID or any other illness when entering the country and pose a potential health risk to themselves and others. There is no widespread COVID testing being done in Mexico and cases and deaths are under reported.
David Burford, retired ICE
Senior Special Agent
Northwest side
How to have a safe, fast and accurate election
During the COVID-19 epidemic, all voters should have the option of voting by mail. Congress must fully fund the post office to ensure the speedy and accurate delivery of mail.
To help those who vote in person, increase the number of polling sites. No one should have to wait more then 30 minutes to vote. Require all voting machines to have a paper back up. Poll workers should be plentiful and fully trained.
Remove restrictive ID requirements. Eliminate poll taxes. Require all poll workers and voters to wear masks and practice social distance. Make election day a national holiday.
Lawrence Gravitz
Green Valley
Add dystopian nightmare to pandemic
Wait, what? I just heard the U.S. president, Moscow Mitch McConnell and the Republicans say that their HEALS Act was superior to the HEROES Act passed by the House months ago. The HEALS Act wants to cut aid to millions of unemployed by two-thirds and not fund the USPS, food for poor people or election protection. We are in the middle of a pandemic, with nearly 5 million sick and more than 155,000 dead, an expired rent/mortgage relief package and health-care is being attacked.
Then they refused to negotiate, turned their backs on citizens and left for a long weekend? I can’t even fathom people trying to feed and house their families with a mere $200. Someone wake me from this dystopian nightmare.
Sue Rowen
Green Valley
What’s ‘Plan B’ for schools?
Re: the Aug. 1 letter “Statistics indicate schools should reopen.”
Do you have family members that are teachers or children or grandchildren that will be going to school? Arizona has a high rate of COVID-19 cases. Teachers and students need to be protected.
What happens when a teacher or student tests positive? Do you shut down the classroom or school? If a teacher gets sick who will replace them? A retired teacher (they’re a high amount of substitute teachers) who is already vulnerable because of age? These and other questions need to be answered before we have in-person school.
Lawrence Sheehy
Northeast side
Don’t wait until it’s too late
Re: the July 31 letter “Secret police may come for you next.”
The Dean Miller letter says it all. Since the Hitler regime is ancient history to the generations born since the end of World War II, they fail to see the parallels to the Trump administration. He wants to be dictator, he discredits the news calling it “fake news” and he has his own propaganda TV news channel. He ignores the “rule of law” that our democracy is based on, declares “executive decision” to do whatever he wants.
His “Gestapo,” headed by Attorney General Bill Barr, uses weapons against our own citizens. He pardons convicted criminal friends and tries to lock up anyone who goes against him. He favors Russia over our military.
He appointed a Trump donor to head of the U.S. Postal Service to delay and subvert the outcome of the election. If this isn’t enough, he discredits our medical experts about the virus that is killing thousands of citizens. Don’t wait for Trump’s Gestapo to come for you!
Jacque Ramsey
Oro Valley
It wasn’t rain or snow;
it was Trump
Louis DeJoy, the current U.S. Postmaster General, a Donald Trump appointee and Trump supporter, has cut staffing and created a long backlog delay in the delivery of mail across the country. He no doubt claims that he is trying to save money by these actions, but at this time, when a major election is in the near future, this action by DeJoy could alter the outcome. I have recently experienced a failure to receive a primary ballot mailed directly to me from Michigan.
If voters do not receive ballots on time, they will not be able to vote by mail. Hence the election results will be greatly affected. Trump could win the election because of this new strategy of voter suppression. The mail must go through for this democracy to survive and flourish. Actions must be taken to insure voting rights for everyone. This situation is a clear and present danger to our democracy.
Harold Boaz
Benson
Trump right to send troops to Portland
I don’t believe the people attacking the Portland federal courthouse with the intent to destroy and burn it to the ground are really part of the BLM movement. They may carry the signs and chant the words but these are anarchists and terrorists looking to tear down our government and drastically change the country. They select a city with a weak mayor who is not willing to protect the people and businesses in the inner city for fear of alienating his/her constituency.
When a mayor fails to stop rioting, looting, burning down of businesses and intimidating local citizens or worse, they encourage more of the same. Federal forces were tasked to protect the federal courthouse from these anarchists because the mayor is too weak to provide basic security and protection for the courthouse and those that work there.
The president decided to push back. If the mayor had done his/her job this would not be necessary. Sad but necessary.
Calvin Rooker
Northwest side
Senators, walk in Americans’ sandals
After 11 weeks lollygagging, Mitch McConnell is dealing somewhat with helping millions who are out of rent, health and wage luck. Let’s experiment with Republican senators: Survive on $200 a week for the next few months of COVID, like you want Americans. Do it, especially if you dare take any part of the August recess while hundreds of ignored House bills, which could help the nation, await your attention.
Ready senators? With just $800 a month: First, comes a $600 Cobra payment. Otherwise, no insurance. Pretty risky going without, agreed?
Next, pesky utilities, including a necessary phone for emergencies and job hunting, if you’re risking it. Since little is open, maybe essential work. Meat packing? Cleaning hospitals?
Now food. Uh-oh. No rent money so you’re homeless because of no rental assistance. Oh well, mark off utility expenses, except phone.
Now where to store evicted stuff; where to sleep in a pandemic? No fair camping in congressional offices. You get to live like much of America. Like it?
Nancy Jacques
Northeast side
Democratic Party
not listening to voters
This week the Democratic Party’s platform-drafting committee voted down a motion that would have placed conditions on United States aid to Israel if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu follows through with his plans to annex parts of the West Bank. It is progress that the Democratic Party platform opposes the expansion of settlements and recognizes Palestinians deserve a state of their own.
But it seems the party is not listening to the majority — a 2019 Center for American Progress poll found that 56% of all American voters support conditioning U.S. aid to Israel if the country continues to expand its settlements or annexes portions of the West Bank.
I am grateful that my representative, Raúl Grijalva, has taken a position that reflects the views of the majority of voters.
Sarah Roberts
West side
Mother Nature takes on the wall
Re: the Aug. 5 article “Monsoon floods border wall project on San Pedro River.”
The border wall construction in the San Pedro Valley is a topic of extreme interest to me because every day as I left for school or church or to see friends, I stepped out on the porch and peered into Mexico in the distance and I still do whenever I visit my folks. When I saw the images reflecting monsoon damage Aug. 1, I admit I was pleased. Controlling illegal activity at the border is an imperative, and that goes without saying.
Alternately, an under-supervised wall will not do the job, and is a blight scarring a beautiful valley where days are marked with picturesque clouds as forested mountains watch over mesquites and grasses. Already the border is pierced by ultralights, compressed air cannons and tunnels, all of which mock this wall. The river is a wildlife corridor and needs to be monitored as it has been by Cochise County sheriffs and not blocked.
Brian Thaxton
Midtown
Steller exposes judge’s malfeasance
Re: the Aug. 5 opinion piece “Judge defends AZ ruling class in egregious decision.”
Tim Steller has done a great service to the people of Arizona in dissecting Judge Christopher Coury’s decision to throw the Invest in Ed initiative off the November ballot. Steller clearly explains how the judge used erroneous figuring to say that the proposed 3.5% surcharge would in effect be a 77% increase. The judge is the one trying to pull the wool over people’s eyes in his spurious statement.
One of the things that stands out for me in my education growing up in Arizona was learning about the state constitution and the initiative process, and how special that made the state compared to other states that don’t have this opportunity for citizen involvement.
I helped gather signatures for Invest in Ed, and am totally outraged that it will once again be left off the ballot.
Aston Bloom
East side
