Extreme education policies, fluoridation of water, climate change and energy | Letters

Extreme, destructive policies

I am a resident of and practicing attorney in Lee County and a Florida resident since 1952. I am writing this letter in the hope that it will be read and acted upon by the Lee County School Board which is considering a drastic new effort to prevent our teachers to express any individual thought in their classrooms, including expressions of their “personal ethics.”

I have read with interest the recent backpedaling by our governor who, after working in concert with the Legislature to enact vague and extreme educational policies, realizes that these measures are unworkable, wasteful and, frankly, an embarrassment.

I would add laughable were it remotely funny, but it is not.

Sadly, the Lee County School Board is on the same course and it appears that the goal is to turn our wonderful educators into automatons who cannot be trusted to think for themselves or to pass on their individual wisdom to their students.

Perhaps they are fearful of crossing vague red lines observable only to those who see a communist under every rock, or perhaps some of the School Board members actually are those people?

Either way, they and other Florida school boards will drive away the best educators who will not return when the pendulum swings back to normal.

Trust your educators. You are the ones who hired them, remember?

Would any School Board member want to work in the environment they are creating? I doubt that very much.

My sincere message to all Florida school boards is get off this destructive train before you do more damage. Instead of attacking good and hardworking educators, call your representatives and tell them to dial back the political performance art and then do the same yourselves!

It is hurting your employees AND the children.

Just stop it!

Louis X. Amato, Bonita Springs

Defying science, common sense

There was no fluoride in the well on our Iowa farm so I had seven crowns and five fillings to save my teeth by age 25. Last week two temporary bridges collapsed and I had a root canal which cost $1,800. The costs of the bridges will be over $3,000 which is due to lack of fluoride in the drinking water as a child.The scientific evidence of dental benefits from fluoride in drinking water is as clear as the nose on your face. In ten minutes of googling even an imbecile would be convinced of the evidence supporting use of fluoride in the drinking water. Within five years of no fluoride in the drinking water caused by the Collier County Commission members, dental decay in children could require an average of 2-3 fillings for each child. The CCC Board’s decision is a hate crime − hate of children, of science and of common sense which are behaviors common to MAGA followers of Donald Trump. For the first time in his life Trump is being held accountable for his crimes this very week. Hopefully, his followers will wake up and begin behaviors based on what is the right thing to do instead of following him like lemmings headed for drowning in the North Sea.William Pettinger M.D., Bonita Springs, retired professor of Pharmacology & Medicine, U of Texas Southwestern Medical School Dallas, TX

Backward-looking energy bill

Fossil fuel interests and legislators may strip climate considerations from Florida energy law.A proposed energy bill (Senate Bill 1624 and House Bill 1645) is looking backward rather than forward as the harmful effects of climate change are becoming more and more apparent in our state. In fact, all mentions of climate change in Florida’s current energy resources rule would be removed by the proposed bill. If passed, these programs would be repealed: the Renewable Energy and Energy-Efficiency Technologies Grant Program; Florida Green Government Grants; and the Energy Economic Zone Pilot Program.The proposal is too complex to summarize here, but one aspect of it is that it would eliminate fuel efficiency considerations for state vehicles. Electric vehicles (EVs) have higher purchase prices than traditional vehicles, but the subsequent costs make EVs more cost effective over time. Last year, the Legislature approved a bill that would have required the Florida Department of Management Services to use total-cost-of-ownership criteria in state fleet vehicle procurement, but the bill was vetoed by Governor DeSantis. This year’s proposed bill has survived committee votes, but there may still be time to get your Senate and House representatives to vote against it.Patricia Duncan, Fort Myers

What media specialist does

I was a library media specialist for 30 years in a public school district in RI.  When I began my career, I was classified as a "school librarian."  We did have film, film strip and slide projectors but that was the sum total of the so-called media available or known to us.  We dealt almost exclusively with books and print material such as newspapers and magazines. Every librarian had to have or be working on a Master's degree in Library Science to work in a public school.  Then, along came the internet and computers and our educational world changed dramatically.

Graduate library school taught us cataloguing, reference, selection, history of books, librarianship, censorship and, when we were faced with computers and online searching tools and information formats that were new to us, the MLS (Master of Library Science) became the MLIS (Master of Library and Information Science).  We had to become very knowledgeable in the new world of information resources and how to access and evaluate them.  Libraries became the center of every school and our job became much more complicated with the added information resources with which we had to become accustomed.  In addition, it was still our primary job to encourage students to become lifelong readers by making reading exciting and rewarding.  Book selection became more difficult because budgets were not always sufficient to satisfy the reading needs of the student body and also keep up with the new and expensive online resources that were in great demand. Needless to say, we only purchased books that were reviewed as excellent so that our funds could also include nonprint media.

Since retiring and moving to Florida, I have volunteered in the media center of a nearby public school. The media specialist there is fantastic and has many very successful reading programs engaging all student levels.  There are rewards for reading for all grades and the students at that school absolutely LOVE the media center (library).  She sponsors three Book Fairs every school year to bolster her meager budget and runs other programs to raise funds to purchase additional books for the students.  She is on the committee to select books for the Sunshine State Book program which has been in existence for many years. Her selection policy is noteworthy and she does not have to concern herself with people coming into her media center demanding the banning of books. She knows what she is doing as do 99% of the media specialists working today.  They have been trained and know what books need to be included in a school library collection. They are not going to waste precious funds on unworthy literature.

I hope I have explained what a media specialist is − an essential teacher in any school!

Bette Dion, Naples

Overworked pharmacist death

Responding to The News-Press article where an overworked 41-year-old pharmacist died of a heart attack apparently related to work pressure. As a long-term 50-year pharmacist, my opinion is that this situation is outrageous.

First, there is an extremely high demand for Registered Pharmacists. Positions are everywhere, including work-from-home non-dispensing careers. This writer is on the faculty of the University of Florida College of Pharmacy as a Career Coach.

I have communicated with several students during the past few weeks. My direct guidance is to avoid most for-profit environments where the profit motive overrides adequate staffing concerns. When accepting a job offer, the Pharmacist should directly and pleasantly explain that if she/he is placed in a situation where they are extremely overworked without adequate staffing support, they will be out the door. The employee (pharmacist) can easily be in the driver’s seat.

Stanley H. Freeman, Pharm.D., Fort Myers

Don't recognize Republican Party

When I was young, I read so many books about WWII, Hitler and the Nazis. I absolutely could not comprehend how the leaders and population in a country could allow Hitler to gain power. They couldn't see what an unstable, dangerous person he was? Now, some 80 years later, we are witnessing it happening in our country.Isn't it ironic that many immigrants flocking to the U.S. are fleeing dangerous autocratic governments, only to flee to one that is headed in the same direction?Now, we hear that Trump's buddy, Putin, has successfully disposed of Navalny, one of the most heroic men of our generation, after sending him to a penal colony in Siberia for speaking out against Putin. Remember, Trump has called Putin "savvy and a genius." Of course Trump would have the Ukrainian war over in 24 hours, as he has said, because he would just turn it over to Putin.Retired Federal Judge Luttig declared Congress to be "spineless" when it comes to Trump. We agree!We are longtime Republicans, not RINOs, as Trump so disparagingly calls Republicans not in his camp, but don't recognize the party any longer. We are so embarrassed by the party and members of Congress who do his bidding, we will be changing our status to Independent.

Gwen Baker-Steiner, Marco Island

Separation of church, state

I strongly suggest that Collier County residents make some time to view the film "God & Country." Having seen it on Sunday afternoon, I cannot stress its importance on the future of our country.It will be enlightening to many of our electorate, particularly after hearing that chaplains will be permitted to counsel schoolchildren where once it was exclusively the domain of guidance counselors or mental health counselors in the school.Each discipline has their own merits, yet, let us not forget the separation of church and state in public school education.

Adrianne Cady, Naples

Nasty election ad cards

Wow, I am getting nasty election ad cards in the mail. We only have about 19,000 living in Naples so these nasty ads are against our neighbors. One card came from a PAC located on the east coast of Florida. Why are they interfering in our election?

Susan H. Earl, Naples

More parks needed

As a snowbird, I am amazed at the amount of new construction going on in Lee County and those surrounding counties as well.So I was distressed by the plans for the land at the corner of Coconut and 41.Wouldn't the property have better served the community as a park? I see so few of them here. Can you image the possibilities? Walking trails, gazebos, pickleball courts and so much more.Sure, it would have cost a lot, but a green space for everyone vs. another medical building and condos, the planning commission and the city officials were so short-sighted.

Dennis Brown, Bonita Springs

Rolling back anti-woke agenda

So Governor DeSantis says that book banning has gone too far! A cause that was the centerpiece of his "Woke" campaign. Now he wants to claim that an intentionally vague bill has been misinterpreted. The vagueness of the bill frightened educators with threats of job loss and encouraged people with no academic experience to ban books with a single objection. The book banning bill joins a long list of bills where the unintended consequences were dismissed in zeal to garner support and power.There is another explanation for the turn of events. While a candidate for president, DeSantis found his "Woke" agenda didn't raise the support and energy he thought it would. With his current position of understudy for the role of president should Trump become ineligible, DeSantis wants to maintain a national profile that would allow him to quickly step into the void left by Trump. So the issues that played well in Florida but not nationally must be rolled back to keep him relevant.

Patricia Howard, Naples

Sky isn't falling

I believe the story goes…   “Oh my, the sky is falling…” cried Chicken Little.   After reading several letters to the editor and the stirring opinion piece in the Naples Daily News, I was urged to drop you a note.   As I look out the window, I see gray clouds and rain, I am not able to see brown-shirted men going from library, school, office, book store, or even personal homes taking volumes of books, piling them up and burning them all over Germany.  Wait, Germany?  Not Florida?  As much as you may want Florida to be Nazi Germany in the 1930’s, Florida in 2024 is not it.   The books that you so quickly pointed out are not in public school libraries, or classrooms, that is true, you failed to speak as to why.  But these volumes are still available online for our public-school students, if they chose to search for them.  They are still in our public libraries, again if our students chose to enter a library.  They are still for sale in our book stores, again if our children chose to enter a book store to purchase a book.  And, they are still available for students at our universities.  These volumes that you state are available, are free to read and discuss.  They are not banned for you to read or to provide in your home to any child.  Your decision to compare the actions of a duly elected governor, state legislature, and officials to German Nazis is just a bit over the top.  Take it from someone whose father spent over 300 days in combat in Italy during 1944 – 1945 killing a good number of them to free Europe from that evil.   During his days on this earth, he spoke all about the evil that shortened his life and took the lives of many of his friends, but he would also tell you that you use the term Nazi way too easily.

Ragnar Gustavson, Naples

Gift to Putin

The former president’s hold on the Republican Party and blatant support of Russian (Putin’s) interests has been on clear display recently. Just as both the House and Senate had agreed after serious negotiations to find a border plan that would satisfy the demands of the American people, and the current speaker and his inner circle to pass a bill that would, in addition, grant funds to resupply the Ukrainian military and protect Taiwan, (also wanted by the majority of Americans) the former president used his treacherous power of revenge to bully the speaker into cancelling that effort. He did it as a gift to Putin. Who will run our government if the former president is successful in his re-election effort? The answer is clear, Putin.

Mary Lewis Sheehan, St. James City

Unable to govern

There have always been great Americans who have represented our country proudly, from a dedicated group fighting the English to gain independence to the pioneers taming the West.  Americans wading ashore at Normandy to those stepping on the moon for the first time, Americans have always shown bravery and pride in their country.  America can be counted on to stand up for justice whenever required.

Russia has taken a page out of Adolf Hitler's playbook and has invaded Ukraine.  America (and several other nations) have provided support for Ukraine and there has been some progress in that nation's defense.  They are, however, running out of supplies and ammunition.

The U.S. Senate has passed a bipartisan (for MAGA readers, that means both parties approved it) bill providing border reform and money for both Israel and Ukraine and sent it to the House for approval.  Reflecting that great American patriot/pioneer spirit, the House went on vacation.  They indicated the bill was dead in the water because ex-President Trump didn't want it to pass.  Remember, Trump idolizes Putin and is not particularly sympathetic towards Ukraine.

Fortunately there are a good number of great Americans in Congress to steer our nation in the honorable direction. Marjorie Taylor Greene, Matt Gaetz, Josh Hawley, Lauren Boebert, Tuberville − and several others who actually make Lindsey Graham look good − have made the Republican Party  unable to govern.  While Ukraine is slowly dying because of lack of support, the House will return in two weeks and resume looking for further Democrats to impeach and looking for dirt on Hunter Biden.  Is this the group chosen to lead America back to greatness?  Wouldn't it make more sense to rely on a group that didn't run around wearing red hats and instead have some backbone?

Ahhh.  That's not going to happen.

Robert F. Tate, Naples

Paralysis in Congress

I never thought I would live to see the day that the Republican Party would be a supporter of our enemies. The paralysis that Republican leadership has facilitated in the House and Senate provides comfort to the dictators of Russia and China. It is emboldening them to take actions that are not in the best interests of the United States. Speaker Johnson's actions threaten the security of the United States. His failure to allow a vote on support for Ukraine, Israel, and the border is a dereliction of his duty.Arthur Goldstein, Naples

Returning to the Dark Ages

Alfie and his court of Collier Commissioners accept the benefits of science but reject the conclusions of science.  They are taking the residents of Collier County back to the Middle Ages. They accept medical care, but reject a pandemic and the scientific tools required to control it (masking, social distancing and vaccines).

Now they have added fluoride to their rejection list based on an Alfie theory − by removing fluoride from drinking water, one eliminates “the threat of a globalist movement to medicate the population, to dumb us down, to keep control of the people in the hands of white coats.”  Some irony here: white coats have promoted dental hygiene, including fluoride, as a way to mitigate heart disease which can cause early death. They accept the technological benefits of semiconductors based on quantum physics, but reject climate change and the scientifically shown environmental impact of human behavior as they support the overdevelopment of Collier County. They accept physiological and psychological therapies, but reject the science of homosexual as a natural phenomenon. They accept medical assistance, but reject a woman’s right to lifesaving gynecological treatment.

The Alfies reject science whenever science threatens their agenda of white male supremacy or is inconsistent with their conspiracy theories. The Alfies’ agenda mimics the Sharia Law of Muslims:  (1) Women have fewer rights than men, (2) Homosexuality is outlawed, (3) Science is rejected in favor of religious doctrine, (4) Abortion is illegal and (5) There is no separation between church and state.  The only thing Alfie might have that Muslims don’t have is undocumented immigrants. The Alfies rejection of science is taking Collier back into the Dark Ages.  The City of Naples with its educated rich appears to be exempt from backward Alfies, for the moment.

Sally Lam, Naples

Voters forewarned

Maya Angelou, unofficial U.S. poet laureate, famously said, “when someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time.”  MAGA world has been telling the rest of the country for some time now that since they are unable to win in the marketplace of ideas, they are more than willing to install an authoritarian form of government in this country to impose their will on the rest of us. The demonstrably violent, anti-democratic MAGA mob seems confident that there are enough go-along-to-get-along Republicans who can be cowed into assisting them to pull it off.  I, for one, am certain they can count our brave, elected Republican Florida officials at the local, state and national level in that number. Their four times indicted, two times impeached, morally bankrupt leader repeats it at every campaign stop, mixed in with the other personal grievance gruel he dispenses. Simultaneously, former Fox and still MAGA darling Mr. Carlson, every dictator’s useful idiot, makes the rounds of the capitols of brutal authoritarians. He licks their boots and reports back to MAGA world on their mostly homogenous white populations and staged demonstrations of happy citizens going peacefully about their business, all the while failing to note the soldiers on every corner to keep the population compliant. Mr. Carlson has the audacity to excuse the murderous behavior of these dictators by saying when you are the leader of a country you have to kill people. In yet another foreshadowing of what a MAGA Trump administration would attempt to put in place here in the United States, Mr. Putin did in fact kill his primary political opposition even before Mr. Carlson could remove Mr. Putin’s boot polish from his tongue. Perhaps by sheer happenstance and perhaps not, it was only several weeks ago that Mr. Trump argued in court that he could not be prosecuted for crimes committed while president, to include having his political opposition assassinated.  Voters, forewarned is forearmed.

Thomas Minor, Bonita Springs

This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Extreme education policies, fluoridation of water | Letters