Letters to the editor for Saturday, August 20, 2022

Re-elect Jen Mitchell for Collier schools

When I recently returned home, I found some very disturbing attack ads directed toward school board incumbent Jen Mitchell that were full of inaccuracies, lies and inuendoes. I googled the group promoting these and found Alfie Oakes as the chair? Then it became clear; Alfie is trying to get Kelly Lichter elected to the board. In my opinion, that would be a total disaster. During her last term on the board, Lichter was confrontational, disrespectful and downright rude. She was concerned only with the students in her charter school, not the 48,000 students in the district. She even voted against a federally funded afternoon snack program that would have benefited our neediest students and cost the district nothing. Having Lichter back on the board is just a bad idea – unless your goal is to privatize public education and destroy it.

Jen Mitchell has been an outstanding school board member and a champion for all of our 48,000 students. Her dedication to this district is part of the reason we have maintained the “A” rating from the state. If you care about public education in Collier County, it is your duty to re-elect Jen Mitchell.

Bill Korson, Naples

Make clean water a fundamental right

On July 28 the U.N adopted a resolution declaring access to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment a universal human right. While i applaud this resolution, as i look outside I do not see clean, healthy or sustainable Florida waters. Are we being denied a universal human right? The Blue-green Task Force created by Gov. DeSantis in 2019 seemed like a great start, but when the team met recently on Aug. 3 they reported how little has actually been done, with 87 percent of the resolutions still not enacted, due to a lack of action by the government, Legislature and involved agencies. The task force can only make recommendations. To spur our government and Legislature to act it was suggested by James Sullivan, one of the task force members, that the public "put the pressure on their representatives and senators to make them do what we say." And we must say we demand clean, healthy water.

The Florida Right to Clean Water initiative is one way we can do this. By amending our state Constitution to recognize every Floridian's right to clean, healthy water, every citizen would then be enabled to hold their state executive agencies accountable when through action or inaction they fail to protect our waters and violate this fundamental right. And Florida could feel proud to recognize this fundamental right for its citizens.

Mary Tracy Sigman, Fort Myers

Pressure state leaders to act now

We were hopeful the task forces ( Red Tide and Blue Geen Algae) created by DeSantis in 2019 would address and help solve our water problems. Not the case. Our Florida waters still languish with increasing toxicity from lack of state initiatives to clean them and solve pollution problems.

The article (Chief science officer: Cleaning Florida Waters will take ‘decades’) is very disturbing. With only 12.5 percent of recommendations from the 2019 established Blue Green Algae task force have been adopted, our Florida waters, rivers and Gulf are being more and more polluted with little being done to solve this toxic problem.

Build, Build, Build is the developers’ motto while our waters become cesspools with dead sea grass, dead manatees, dead fish and apparently dead initiatives by Gov. DeSantis and crew to keep Florida’s waters clean and alive and thriving with sea life.

Little by little the land is lost and little by little over time when nothing substantial is done to protect our Gulf and rivers, our beautiful waters are lost to environmental abuse.

Gov. DeSantis and all Florida legislators need to be contacted and held accountable for their slow uptake on the Blue Green Algae and Red Tide task forces’ recommendations.

If we love Florida, we must remember love is a verb; all of us are called to act and pressure state leaders to act now to save Florida waters, to get out of their political egos and get into the water and fight for it.

Cynthia Best, Lehigh Acres

Vote for Jerry Rutherford, Nancy Lewis

I've had my eye on the school board race and although I support multiple candidates, I felt compelled to write in for one in particular who touches the lives of so many and none other than Jerry Rutherford.

I had the pleasure of attending a forum, a few school board meetings and other events where Jerry has spoken, and after volunteering for his fundraiser last weekend, I am truly convinced that Jerry Rutherford is the ideal choice for District 1. If you spend five minutes with Jerry in his presence, you will melt like butter. Jerry is a person of innocence, honest intent and pure motives whose life reflects the simple practice of conforming his daily actions to principles of integrity. He has actively attended school board meetings for over 30 years and has now found the courage to step up and steer the ship that has run off course, into the right direction. Jerry Rutherford is a man of complete integrity. His actions line up with his words and he is a true disciple of Christ. I do not have kids in the public school system but if I did, I would want my child to be a product of decisions made by Jerry.

As a fellow candidate running for commission, I can say wholeheartedly that Nancy is the only candidate in District 2 that is focused on preparing for the job and not participating in the pony show called "Political Campaigning." Not only has she been at every single County Commission meeting (showing up for the actual job) but she participates by making public comments and is very engaged with the issues that residents are faced with. Nancy supports wise financial stewardship, adhering to the LDC and is the only candidate who worked hard to save Vanderbilt Beach.

Nancy is a woman without deceit or any ulterior motives. She is pure in her thinking and intention. I can say this with conviction that she is the choice for Collier County. She has been running a clean integrity driven campaign, and if the way she campaigns is any consolation to how she will govern as a commissioner, we will all rejoice!

Nancy Lewis is the only choice for Collier County District 2!

Daija Hinojosa, Naples

Solution for teacher shortage

With regard to the teacher shortage, DeSantis' proposal to recruit teachers from the ranks of non-teaching professionals misses the obvious. As a recent letter to the editor pointed out we have a population of experienced educators who came to Florida with credentials in other states. Florida traditionally fails to have reciprocity in accepting credentials from other states, but this is a ready population of already trained educators. Allowing them to teach in Florida would save the proposed $4,000 bonuses and need to waive fees for certification. The solution is at hand.

Linda Drain, Estero

Are vets, first responders qualified to teach?

In the last few days, DeSantis has made proclamations about teacher shortages and his solutions -- hire vets, first responders, firefighters. Let's digest that for a minute. Are these vets, firefighters and first responders able to teach an ADHD child? An ASD child? A physically disabled child? An abused child? A Spanish speaking only child? And the list goes on. Perhaps these vets, first responders, firefighters have faced some of these children in their interactions with families in their past professions But they aren't trained like teachers to help these kids. The dynamics in a class are so unique, diverse. Try getting 20 kids in a class to all sit still, do their work, no interruptions, constant questions and so forth. It is challenging to teach a multitude of children from all different backgrounds, different intellects. Then there is the after hours time correcting papers, meeting with parents, meeting with faculty, prepping for the next day's class. And will these vets, first responders, firefighters be vetted before they are allowed in a class? So many questions about DeSantis's possible hiring solution to teacher shortage. I ask you to really question this policy. This about our children, their future.

Beth Summer, Naples

Advice for prospective teachers

A reality check from a veteran teacher/administrator for anyone considering teaching school:

1. No matter how well prepared you are, things will go wrong. Roll with it and don’t blame anyone or anything. The kids see and feel your anguish, frustration so solve what you can and move on. Don’t whine or complain.

2. See and treat each student as an individual who deserves the best version of you. You’re an authority figure who will impart instruction, character building and life lessons.

3. Do not lose your temper. Fear and anger are easy management tools for control but are unhealthy to use on the young. Patience, kindness and communication may take longer but teach children problem solving skills by your example.

4. Your work is very important. Be proud of your profession and express joy at being part of your students’ lives.

Sylvia Wong Herscher, Naples

Partisan hypocrisy

Jimmy Patronis wants to criminalize any actions by the IRS which he feels target people based on their viewpoints or politics. He would be better employed working to jail Ron DeSantis on those grounds. Certainly DeSantis' actions against Disney are based entirely on viewpoints and politics. Amusing how Patronis fails to notice egregious acts by his own party and administration while proposing criminal penalties for similar actions by the federal government.

Michael Armstrong, Fort Myers

IRS agents can be crypto sleuths

87,000 IRS agents -- now what are these new agents going to do? Yes, they are going to focus on enforcement and yes, some small businesses will be exposed to the power of the IRS. But I believe there is another focus that has gone under the radar. Crypto! Crypto, whether Bitcoin, or Ethereum or other crypto currencies, these forms of currency are recognized as currencies under the radar. They are supposed to be secure and have become an accepted form of payment throughout the world. From your local cartel to Cosa Nostra, to Russian hackers, to moms and dads, Bitcoin is accepted to buy cars, clothing and vacations. All out of the reach of the United States Internal Revenue Service.

These new agents will focus on industries and persons who use crypto to evade the IRS. Right now, your local drug dealer is buying a new Ferrari with illegal funds. And now with the power of crypto, nobody can track and trace. So, new software, highly trained agents, and new crypto legislation will provide the insight and tools to catch these currency evaders.

You may or may not have any crypto in your portfolio but our money will become more digitized and I bet the U.S. will enter this market with an E-dollar. Lets see how this plays out.

Jack Holt, Cape Coral

New low for Republican hypocrisy

In removing Andrew Warren from his duly elected position of Hillsborough county state attorney, Governor Ron DeSantis has hit a new low for Republican hypocrisy.

In a press conference announcing the suspension, DeSantis, attacked Warren’s “woke agenda” and “flagrant violation of his oath of office” for refusing to enforce the law. How many times did Donald Trump violate his oath of office? How about all the Republican members of Congress who downplayed the significance of the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol building? Talk about flagrant violations of the oath to “support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic!”

Can anyone recall a press conference in which our governor condemned these violations?

James Goodale, Fort Myers

Students thrive thanks to DeSantis

As Florida students return to school this month, we can appreciate that our kids are in much better shape than students in other states that switched to remote learning.

According to a recent piece in the Wall Street Journal, school enrollment in heavy lockdown states “dropped more in 2020-2021 in districts with the most remote learning (3.2 percent) than those with the most in-person learning (2.1 percent).” This includes states like California, where public schools have lost more than 270,000 students.

The reason for these school enrollment decreases is simple. Parents did not wish to sacrifice their children’s futures by making them stare at a screen all day. Only time will tell how just how deleterious these senseless learning losses were, but thanks to Gov. Ron DeSantis, Florida students are thriving.

The Florida Department of Education recently reported that 100 percent of schools that graded F in 2019 improved their grades in 2022; 469 schools increased their grade in 2022, and elementary schools had the most significant increase in improving school grades.

This did not happen by accident. It is because we have a governor who has prioritized a curriculum that is transparent, that focuses on civics and workforce development, and has quarterly progress reports, instead of the now-defunct FSA exam.

Here’s to a successful year for our students!

Gwendolyn Salata, Fort Myers

Time for change in state governance

Let's start with Gov. DeSantis' plan to reduce the teacher shortage. Hiring well meaning but unqualified people to serve as teachers has been tried before. The result is always the same -- substandard delivery followed by a massive exit from the recruits as they realize that teaching is a lot harder than they thought. Typical solution from a non-educator.

Next let's look at "Cleaning Florida waters will take decades." The article states the lawmakers "didn't pass several bills that ... the task force recommended." I guess the Republican Legislature was too busy protecting us from the insidious Critical Race Theory! The Republicans have been in control in Florida for over 20 years and have let the environment deteriorate to a sorry state. We have million dollar homes on streets with no streetlights, sidewalks, or sewer systems. Time for a change? I think so.

Steve Solak, retired teacher, Fort Myers

Media reporting of Garland, FBI search

The DOJ and FBI take seriously the mishandling of classified information, as they should. Ask Reality Winner, General David Petraeus, Edward Snowden, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump.

Two banners across the bottom of the cable TV stations:

Fox News, trying to discredit the investigation of Trump if the FBI finds evidence of wrongdoing: “Garland launders raid though the media”

NBC, trying to get the jump on media competitors: “FBI Sought Nuclear Documents in Trump Search”

The Fox News banner is disinformation; Fox used characterizations about the FBI and Garland, meant to get viewers angry at the investigators, instead of Trump, if he in fact mishandled classified documents.

Here is how:

“Launders” implies Garland did something criminal by signing off on the warrant.

The executed warrant was not a “raid.” Guns were not drawn, the door was not bashed in, no one was arrested. This was a search.

“Through the media” implies the media filtered Garland’s statement. In fact, media outlets broadcasted Garland’s statement in full, just as they published Trump’s statement in full.

The NBC banner contains allegations of what the FBI was looking for. But premature media reports risk the credibility of the media outlets if the FBI was NOT looking for highly classified nuclear documents. (The warrant was not released as of this writing).

Whether a person loves or hates Trump, don’t demonize Garland or the FBI if they discovered evidence that Trump compromised our security and violated criminal law.

Judy Freiberg, Naples

This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Letters to the editor for Saturday, August 20, 2022