Sunday’s Letters to the Editor

Valuing books

EDITOR: When my children were in grammar school, beginning more than 50 years ago, they each got a book of their choice for every A on their report cards. It took two B’s to get a book; lower grades didn’t count. When report cards came, we went to a good local bookstore, and they would spend an hour or two choosing. It was a bill I was happy to pay because it made them lifelong readers and widened their experiences.

During the time I was PTA president at their school, a few mothers decided that no books should be in the library that did not meet with their personal approval. This generated animated discussions, with the large majority of board members in firm disagreement.

Finally, I told the board I would vote with the banners on one condition. They were delighted and asked what that was. I said, “I will agree with you only if I am the one who decides which books go and which stay.” There was a moment of silence and then everyone (almost) laughed when they realized how ridiculous that was.

Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida and his ilk would do well to rethink their position. They may not like what comes of it.

PATRICIA F. CLOTHIER

Santa Rosa

Bring back SROs

EDITOR: I have been working in Sonoma County high schools, middle schools and elementary schools for 23 years as a principal and assistant principal, including seven years at Montgomery High. I have had the pleasure of working with 8-10 Santa Rosa and Cotati-Rohnert Park school resource officers. I can say unequivocally that they were exemplary representatives of their departments and communities. Most of them volunteered for school assignments due to their commitment to the community and desire to work with young people.

We should be aware of what these assignments entail. They are not just a cop on the beat looking for miscreants. SROs are visible and accessible assets to the school community, which includes students, parents, teachers and all school personnel. When they have time, they are available to make classroom presentations. Proximity allows them to address small problems before they grow into large problems.

Finally, you should ask yourself if you would feel safer with or without these officers’ presence at your students’ schools. My experiences and personal observations leave little doubt.

Police Chief John Cregan has made it clear that he supports restoring SROs to Santa Rosa schools. I urge the Board of Education to reinstate school resource officers immediately.

MITCHELL CARTER

Santa Rosa

Gaslighting viewers

EDITOR: Imagine that a group of people has broken into your home by smashing the front door and windows. They roam the house displacing and pilfering various items, climb on furniture, leave threatening notes and defecate and urinate on your floor. During the course of the invasion, they steal ice cream from the freezer and eat it around the kitchen table, watching TV and taking selfies. All of this activity is captured on video by a home surveillance camera and the criminals are arrested.

Later, at trial, their attorney presents isolated excerpts from the video that show the quieter moments and insists that his clients weren’t really engaged in illegal activity; they were simply visiting and enjoying a pleasant snack. Ridiculous, right? Would you not be infuriated?

Well, this isn’t much different than what Tucker Carlson has done with his on-air attempts to gaslight Fox News viewers with a revisionist history of the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection. It’s difficult to say what’s more worthy of condemnation and disbelief — that Carlson would try to sell such a brazen misrepresentation of the events of that day or that a significant portion of his audience would buy it.

MIKE BEAVERS

Santa Rosa

Investigative reporting

EDITOR: John D’Anna’s March 12 commentary is outstanding writing (“Keeping the public’s business public”). In today’s world, where there is an abundance of information but also misinformation, and where powerful entities can easily manipulate and control the media, investigative journalism is more important than ever. It provides an essential check on power, exposes corruption and wrongdoing and ensures that the public is able to make informed decisions. Newspaper investigative journalism must be supported.

DURS KOENIG

Forestville

A precipitating event

EDITOR: Thanks to Marian McDonald for bringing forth the fact that The Press Democrat has essentially ignored the precipitating event that resulted in the stabbing death of Jayden Pienta (“Two sides to the story,” Letters, March 11). Pienta and another Montgomery High junior entered an art class and attacked Daniel Pulido. That attack constitutes assault and battery at a minimum and should result in charges against the second attacker. It’s past time to tell the whole story.

WILLIAM CAMPAGNA

Cotati

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