Saturday’s Letters to the Editor

Flat-Earth DeSantis

EDITOR: I heard Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida say on national TV, “We chose freedom over ‘Fauci-ism’ ” when talking about COVID vaccines. I hate to tell the governor, but the choice was ignorance over science. Perhaps he would like to perpetuate the belief that the Earth is flat and the center of the universe. Welcome to the 10th century.

JACK BURGER

Cazadero

Avoiding responsibility

EDITOR: I am appalled at the Santa Rosa Catholic Diocese’s contemptible ploy to weasel out of its responsibility to victims of sexual abuse by priests (“Diocese files for bankruptcy,” Tuesday). It is common knowledge that the Catholic Church is one of the wealthiest entities in the world. Seems logical to me that if the local franchise can’t or won’t meet its obligations, you go after the parent company. There has to be a legal path to justice. Bishop Robert F. Vasa must not be allowed to get away with this.

MICHAEL ROFKAR

Santa Rosa

Questions about schools

EDITOR: My question is not where are the police, but rather what are kids dealing with? Why do they so lack respect that they would disrupt a classroom, their peers and the teacher? Why are there bullies and the bullied? Yes, unfortunately, there have always been bullies, but not to this degree. Hopefully, some day the bullying will cease. We have all seen what it creates.

Where is the support from those who could help work things out? Where is the knowledge and the option of dealing with issues? Where are the counselors and other staff who could help families with crises? What are the options for resolving conflicts in a fair and mutually respectful manner such as restorative justice?

Why are kids so distressed they feel fighting is the only answer? Is this a societal problem? Is this the way of the world or at least the United States? Why is more time spent on discipline in the classroom than on education or conflict resolution? What the heck’s going on?

EILEEN BILL

Santa Rosa

Inadequate discipline

EDITOR: Santa Rosa City Schools leaders and the school board might not be directly responsible for the death of the Montgomery High School student, but their actions and policies played a huge role. This horrific incident was a long time coming.

As someone who sparred many times with district administrators and school board members, I came to understand all too well that most of their imperatives were based on ideology and flavor of the month “innovations.” Superintendents were hired based on their fealty to these trends. Naturally, school boards fell into line with the prevailing zeitgeist.

Despite district officials’ reverent and reflexive usage of the term “stakeholders,” input from teachers was routinely dismissed. We were impugned for being resistant to change, even when we knew their pet programs and proposals were going to be deleterious to the educational environment.

This is why we no longer have discipline plans that result in meaningful consequences for genuine wrongdoing. While administrators and district officials continue to tout the verities of restorative practices, stakeholders in our schools have witnessed an alarming increase in unchecked behaviors that have been allowed to run roughshod over established norms. Their pleas for a safer school environment have fallen on deaf ears.

MARK WARDLAW

Santa Rosa

Jealous people

EDITOR: There is no such thing as tax loopholes. The phrase was invented to vilify wealthier people and businesses. The tax code applies to every taxpayer in the country and in some cases outside the country. Just because someone can take a deduction that you cannot take, because they have something you do not, does not mean they are taking advantage of a loophole. They are merely applying the same benefit under the law that you could use if you had what they have.

Simply put, the phrase is used by jealous people.

If you ask 20 tax accountants to define a tax loophole, you will get 20 different answers. Be honest and remember, the tax code is created and approved by Congress. Don’t hold the business world responsible for what Congress does.

Tax loopholes are a concept, not a reality. If you complain about a business taking deductions you cannot take, call those deductions tax loopholes and then start a business, would you refuse to take those same deductions so you would not have to be jealous of yourself? Put aside your hate and return to reality. It takes a lot less energy and you will be happier.

BOB PROCTOR

Rohnert Park

You can send letters to the editor to letters@pressdemocrat.com.