Don’t let ignorance kill off Florida’s coral reefs | Opinion

I just returned from vacationing in the Keys and saw firsthand what heat and global warming has done to Florida’s reef. All the coral was white and much of it appeared to be dying. I was so disappointed, as this trip was on my bucket list. Recently, I read about a plan to show videos in Florida classrooms that downplay global warming.

Are you nuts?

Only if Floridians band together will they be able to save the coral reef. Coral is the heart of the ocean ecosystem. Without coral, there is no plankton which smaller fish eat. Reefs provide homes for more than 4,000 species of fish, 700 species of coral, and thousands of other plants and animals.

If Florida’s educators and legislators ignore this issue, the state will lose much tourism. Please teach global warming to Florida’s students, so they don’t grow up ignorant of these issues.

Donalee Foster,

Ankeny, IA

Benefits of home-schooling

As Florida students begin the new school year, they may find themselves, once again, being taught via Zoom or by military veterans who only have a two-year degree, due to a statewide teacher shortage.

(Wouldn’t it wonderful, however, if those veterans were instead hired as armed security guards at our schools, keeping our children safe?)

Florida has 8,000 teaching positions, as of Aug. 10, that must be filled before school starts (3,000 more openings than last year). More than 200 of those openings are in Miami-Dade County. Certified teachers are leaving the profession, or moving out of state to teach, in fear of teaching and losing their licenses under Gov. Ron DeSantis’ unrealistic and inappropriate curriculum guidelines.

DeSantis and his supporters believe parents should have a voice determining what will be taught and discussed in the classrooms; what books are suitable for our children to read; how textbooks should be altered to meet parental beliefs; which AP classes will or won’t be taught because of their curriculum content; and what curriculum should be eliminated or altered in fear of teaching “woke” theory, human growth and development, and sexual gender identity. Evidently, our governor is under the impression that parents are better teachers than teachers.

As a retired Dade educator, I have the perfect solution for the teacher shortage that will save the state a great deal of money while returning, to the parents, control of what is or isn’t taught in our schools. It also will test the governor’s theory that parents know what is best for their children: encourage or require a parent to stay home and home school their children.

Teacher shortage problem solved.

Ruth Gordon,

Miami

Room for more

In the Aug. 10 op-ed “Don’t let self-interested Republicans, Democrats hijack a third-party bid for president,” Philip Levine supports the No Labels party, decrying the two major parties’ monopolistic hold on political discourse. His argument is well-reasoned, but doesn’t go far enough.

The drive for power supersedes all rational thinking. Honest debate has been replaced by talking points and demonization. This is what English novelist George Orwell referred to as “doublespeak.”

Why would anyone in their right mind think this is the best we can do?

We must support the inclusion of other points of view. If you can get your name on a ballot, you should be welcomed to the dais to debate. Otherwise, it’s just “Sleepy, creepy, Joe” versus “Hitler” all over again.

We need more political parties to foster meaningful discourse. Coalitions will force politicians to compromise and get something done for a change. We need term limits to end corruption on Capitol Hill and we must limit the money spent on ridiculous, non-stop campaigning.

If not, Big Brother is happy to take care of everything and convince you that slavery is freedom.

James Gersing,

Kendall

Tropical living

Re Herald reporter Jeff Kleinman’s Aug. 11 article, “How cold should you keep your air conditioner?” In addition to saving money and the planet, setting the thermostat at 78 degrees (or higher) makes for a more comfortable South Florida living.

Those of us who live without air-conditioning know that for much of the morning, temperatures here are in the comfortable low 80s. Stepping out to a typical South Florida morning from 78 degrees is not unpleasant. Stepping out from 74 degrees, however, is to be hit by a blow torch. Setting a thermostat below 78 not only is costly and environmentally irresponsible, it also makes one more uncomfortable. We must all learn to live in and with our climate.

We also should lobby the government, at all levels, to set thermostats to 78 or higher. This will help stop burning taxpayer dollars and the planet.

Martin Motes,

Redland

Faith in democracy

I agree with Philip Levine’s premise that our two-party system no longer serves us well. However, his advocacy for the No Labels movement fails to take into consideration certain dangers. His argument would carry more weight if we elected our presidents via direct popular vote. With our Electoral College system, we elected two presidents just 16 years apart who lost the popular vote.

Having only two parties is problematic; now that one of those two parties has gone completely rogue, our democracy hangs by a thread. Risking a Republican victory in 2024 could well be the tipping point beyond which there is no return.

If we had direct popular presidential elections, and if we required run-offs between the two top vote-getters in cases in which no one wins more than 50% of the vote, we would have safeguards to protect us from authoritarians gaining power, while also making third parties more viable.

Frank J. Corbishley,

Coral Gables

Coming soon

Whether or not Donald J. Trump ever sees the inside of a jail cell, Americans will have to eventually ask themselves how they could have elected a man who, almost immediately after he was sworn in as president, violated his oath of office and continued to do so for the remainder of his term.

Trump failed to put the national security interests of the United States ahead of his own political needs. In the face of a devastating pandemic, he was unable or unwilling to marshal needed resources to save lives, while encouraging dangerous public behavior that spread the disease. Then, when rejected by voters in 2020 for his failures, he refused to concede defeat, instigated an insurrection and incited a mob that stormed the Capitol.

History will demand answers from Americans. We can only hope our republic, with democratic principles, will still be standing when those answers are given.

Joanne Tomarchio,

Miami

Troubling conduct

As a retired police chief, I was appalled by the video involving Miami-Dade Police Director Freddy Ramirez. He posed no threat to the officers, and their response was an overreaction. Placed in handcuffs, he was humiliated. Yet, I did not hear anyone placing him under formal arrest. This constitutes an improper, probably unlawful, detention.

Even after informing them he was police and his wife said she did not feel threatened, the officers continued interrogating Ramirez. No one asked if he needed help or perhaps needed to contact someone for assistance. This is despicable.

No crime was committed. My brothers and sisters in blue would have extended more professional conduct. Shame on them.

Alfredo Bared,

Miami

Pets betrayed?

In the Aug. 10 Open Mic letter, “Animals suffering in Dade’s old shelter,” Michael Rosenberg and Rita Schwartz criticized Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava for the horrible conditions in the old Medley animal shelter.

As co-founders of Pets’ Trust, why didn’t they do something about the conditions of these poor animals? Where is the “trust” that they will help these unfortunate pets?

Judith Villar del Saz,

Pinecrest

Liars will lie

I keep reading ad nauseam about Donald Trump’s lies. That may be the case, yet everything the current occupant of the White House says is either embellished or a flat-out lie.

That seems to be just fine to the readers of this newspaper.

Dave Schaublin,

Key Largo