Monday's letters: Election squad, three-ring circus, LGBTQ guidelines

Fight culture war with election squad

It is comforting to know that our governor’s crack squad of election police is on duty. Hopefully, they were not overrun by a mob of convicted felons on Aug. 23.

What will they do between now and the November elections? Perhaps they will make sure no donated dictionaries enter Florida classrooms. After the November elections, they could be used to patrol against the use of forbidden words such as “gay” and “woke.”

Hopefully, they won’t cancel reruns of “The Sopranos” for its theme song, “Woke Up This Morning.” Or ban books by one of the creators of New Journalism, Gay Talese, because of his name.

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By Christmas they could be a very busy squad. Someone has to make sure carolers don't sing “Deck the Halls,” with its provocative lyrics like “Don we now our gay apparel.”

The true goal of this culture war is to distract from real issues, such as climate change, out-of-control growth, homelessness and gun violence.

James Medlin, Sarasota

The three-ring circus in Washington

I worked for a defense contractor for 34-plus years, with access to classified documents.

If I had taken these documents home and my house was searched by the FBI, I would have been arrested. At a minimum, I would have been tried and imprisoned for theft. I might have been charged with espionage and imprisoned for life.

I cannot vote for Donald Trump in 2024.

President Joe Biden has shown his fiscal incompetence at the macro level by “forgiving” up to $10,000 of student loans for individuals making less than $125,000 and families making less than $250,000 annually.

The individuals receiving these loans have shown their fiscal incompetence by borrowing money they cannot repay.

Since when did $250,000 become the poverty level? Forgiving this debt is a slap in the face to all Americans who scrimped and saved to put their kids through college.

I cannot vote for Biden in 2024.

In 2024, I plan to cast a write-in vote for Sen. John Blutarsky (aka “Bluto” in “Animal House”). The three-ring circus in Washington has enough clowns. What they need is a proven ringmaster.

Jack Nash, University Park

LGBTQ rules create uncertainty in schools

The Herald-Tribune reported Aug. 18 that the Sarasota County School District will update its LGBTQ guidelines to follow state law (“Schools must tell parents what students tell teachers”).

The guidelines state that “If a student tells us that (they) are gay/gender questioning/trans, etc., the parent must be notified.”

School Board Member Bridget Ziegler noted that there are systems in place to help students who feel unsafe notifying their parents.

At the same time, parents are now given more authority to sue teachers and the school system as I understand the new laws. Teachers now have to decide what applies if a student comes to them under threat of parental complaint.

I also wonder how the governor’s military teachers, who are used to giving orders, will react to this uncertainty.

No wonder there is a teacher shortage. It will be a difficult year for our fine teachers.

Earl Alton, Nokomis

Public schools must respect all students

It’s a clever sound bite. Parents should definitely have rights, especially in public education. But rights are currently being removed.

Good teachers know that every student who enters the classroom must be accepted, respected, honored and celebrated. Every. Single. One.

No matter where they come from, who their parents are, what their gender, race, religion or anything else.  Unless a child is valued, (s)he is not going to learn, nor become a responsible citizen. There have been volumes written on this.

Good teachers work relentlessly to instill a sense of community in the classroom. Students are taught (and shown by example) to support each other.

The classroom is a safe place. People have your back.

Not now. Now certain students can’t be celebrated because they or their parents don’t fit a newly prescribed mold. Those parents have lost rights. Those students have lost support and value.

This leads to ostracism. Fingers point. Names are called. Volumes have also been written on this.

It is called public education because it is open to the public, not just a select few. Public education welcomes everyone. It respects all who come through those doors. Slamming those doors on select groups teaches children to hate.

Sue Arden, retired Sarasota public school teacher of 40 years

Republicans reject integrity of Cheney

As Christ stood before Pilate, the crowd rejected this good man and called for the release of Barabbas. Luke 23:18

After 2,000 years many still reject goodness and integrity and instead support lies and darkness. The resemblance is uncanny to me.  Away with this woman, Liz Cheney. Give us Trump.

Kristi Kanellos, Sarasota

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Election squad could be used in culture war, uncertainty in schools