Letters: A call for DCPS board members to heed lessons of empathy in 'Moonlight'

Novels and movies can take us to a place we've never been and may never actually visit. They can also help us develop empathy for people who are different from us.

Public schools are places where people should learn to get along, to socialize and learn empathy, as well as to study science, math, English, critical thinking, life skills and the ways of democracy.

As the School Board members go through the process of approving books for the school library as required by HB 1467, I hope they consider every child and not get swayed by the book banners. They have an agenda antithetical to the School Board's job, which is to make all neighborhood schools great for every child.

The movie “Moonlight” was not easy to watch, but it gave me a glimpse into the life of a child who had such difficulties that I couldn't imagine. It tells of a boy struggling with an addict mother and being bullied by his classmates.

Our School Board members are making decisions for all the children in our public schools. I hope they have some empathy for the less fortunate, the neurotypical and the atypical. I encourage them to watch “Moonlight” and perhaps develop some empathy for a child who may not be like them but was a student in a public school.

As the School Board continues to navigate the homophobic and autocratic rulings from the governor's bully pulpit, I hope they have the courage to be loving and kind. Please allow books in the school library that represent all the kids, not just a few.

Susan Aertker, Jacksonville

Reduce your dementia risk in 2023

I know what it’s like to lose someone to Alzheimer’s. It takes everything from them: memories, personality and — eventually — their lives. Unfortunately, I am not alone in this. More than 16,000 of our neighbors and loved ones in Duval County are living with Alzheimer’s.

The good news is that Alzheimer’s research has made great leaps over the last year, shedding light on the everyday things we do that contribute to the disease.

One study showed that ultra-processed foods like fast food and sodas may increase the risk for cognitive decline. A diet focused on fruits, vegetables, nuts and lean meats had the greatest benefit.

Another study found that a daily multivitamin can actually slow brain aging. Participants who took a multivitamin-mineral supplement every day for three years showed statistically significant cognitive benefit.

A December 2022 study found that wearing hearing restorative devices resulted in a 19% decrease in risk of long-term cognitive decline. This comes five months after the FDA announced it will allow hearing aids to be sold over the counter.

Take this letter as a sign to reduce your risk for dementia. For help, call the Alzheimer’s Association 24/7 Helpline at (800) 272-3900 or visit alz.org.

Michelle Jarjoura, Walk to End Alzheimer's Jacksonville, Alzheimer's Association, Central & North Florida chapter

Does DeSantis love teachers, or not?

In a here-we-go-again scenario, Gov. Ron DeSantis has raised his vindictive head toward our teachers and teachers' unions. For one, he announced Dec. 19 that he wants to stop dues deductions from paychecks and make teachers pay separately. It’s a slap of inconvenience and the slow drip of breaking the union.

This is a negotiated item in contracts signed by both parties, called dues checkoff. DeSantis wasn’t ever a part of these negotiations; why should he stick his nose in it now?

Well, it seems that most teachers supported Charlie Christ for governor and his running mate, Karla Hernandez-Mats, a Dade County teachers’ union representative. Just when I thought DeSantis would be a better choice than our former president, I see where his pettiness and vindictiveness may supersede the other. Sad.

For the record, I am not a teacher nor am I associated with any teachers — just a retired truck driver tired of the bullying.

Gary Schuran, Middleburg

All marriage is secular these days

Chris Hildreth’s Dec. 24 letter, “Let God sort things out on same-sex marriage," mentions the tight-knit group of Adam, Eve and Cain in the same paragraph where he claims Adam and Eve “populated the world.”

That brings up some disturbing visions, but the Bible relieves that concern by describing how Cain dwelled in the land of Nod, east of Eden and “knew his wife.” Where did she come from? Guess it wasn’t such a tight-knit group.

The issue of same-sex marriage has little to do with populating the world or with God, for that matter. In today’s world, marriage is a secular institution. If religions want to sanctify it within their own beliefs (as my marriage was), that’s fine. But even such sanctified marriages must conform to secular rules.

Dennis J. Egan, Jacksonville

Council arrogant on redistricting

The Jacksonville City Council is displaying a new level of arrogance, having apparently decided during a private meeting to appeal a federal court’s decision on a local redistricting map, as reported on Dec. 23. Other than Rory Diamond’s flippant “[we] won’t be using plaintiff’s map,” the public is given no explanation for why the council is appealing.

The newly drawn map, as the court points out, “allows for compact, logical districts that unite neighborhoods with shared interests and will therefore improve the accountability of councilmembers to their constituents.”

What’s not to like about it?

The City Council should be ashamed of wasting taxpayer money and for giving those of us living in the affected districts no rational explanation for its actions.

Sherry Magill, Jacksonville

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: 'Moonlight' film good example of empathy for struggling children