'We are not the 'Education State,' Governor: Letters to the Editor, Jan. 21, 2024

Such bad ideas, Senator

When talking about schools and programs in schools, it's important to keep in mind that it is not only about freedom of parents but also freedom of taxpayers.

I no longer have kids in the system but I sure as heck am keeping a close eye on how my tax dollars are being spent in education. The recent suggestion by Florida Senate President Kathleen Passidomo to lessen the frequency of financial reports can erode trust and transparency. Expanding the time between bus inspections can put students in harm’s way; a small gas or monoxide leak can become a large problem. Remember, these kids aren’t buckled in. And stipends for homeschoolers? Please be sure that these homeschoolers aren’t just babysitting for younger siblings. I’d like to see all homeschoolers who accept vouchers be subject to state testing. Let’s keep our high academic standards consistent with the excellence that we as taxpayers in Florida expect.

For a state that prides itself on freedoms and accountability, these seem to be lacking in the suggestions of bus safety, homeschooling and financial reporting. I do not accept Passidomo’s recommendations.

Laura Petruska, Melbourne

More: 'The youngest I've ever seen': Viera High student, 18, announces school board run

DeSantis and deregulation

I don't understand Gov. DeSantis' move for more deregulation in schools. All he has done while in power is regulate: He regulated and politicized schools. How many teachers are on school boards versus how many politicians?

He regulated what books children can read and what teachers can teach. Let's not forget all his so-called "Don't Say Gay" regulations. How about rewriting the history of slavery and the Civil War? Critical Race Theory? How about eliminating diversity (communication), equity (principles) and inclusion (fairness).

Teachers are leaving their jobs and losing their jobs over LGBTQ policies, history classes and book bans. DeSantis wants to remove high school graduation tests. Why not run a first-grader through school and graduate them even if they can't read or write or do simple math?

Expand the timeframe between bus inspections? Just crazy. Are you willing to risk your child's life because of faulty brakes or tires? Loosen teaching certification requirements? For what? We have some of the lowest academic standards in the United States. Only 32% of third-graders can read. Really.

Some parents aren't fit to raise children. Are there any classes on how to raise responsible, respectful, honest children? Children are our future. Florida has lost its high academic standing and school safety. Who is going to hold parents accountable?

We are not the "Education State," Gov. DeSantis — you who are constantly downgrading what can be taught and the qualifications of those who teach.

Geraldine Hoyt, Melbourne

The poor should plan better

Could a simple reason explain why the poor remain poor?

I know this is not politically correct,  particularly in the world of today,  but a chart from Oxford Economics got my attention this morning. It showed dollars spent per dollars of post-tax income by income levels. 

What got my attention was the top 25% by income spent about 70 cents for each extra dollar of income, the bottom 25% by income spent $1.80 for each new dollar of income. 

What that seems to indicate is the higher income use part of each new dollar to build wealth, while the lower income levels use each dollar of income to go into debt. 

I could be totally wrong, but it seems a simple change in financial planning could help the poor stop being poor.

Ilene Davis, Cocoa

Go west, snide columnist

I would say to writer Frank Cerabino a few things about his recent snide, nasty column on Sean Hannity’s new home in Palm Beach.

Surely it is better than New York Mayor Adams’ sanctuary city. Sanctuary for whom? Inebriates, drug addicts like the president's son and miscreants from everywhere? Yes, I forgot pigeons.

Hannity never claimed to be a “pioneer," perhaps just a decent person seeking a place without woke anarchy: He is probably happy to have some order, some covenants, some law. Without rules there is no freedom, Mr. Cerabino, but I wouldn’t expect you to understand that.

I am sure Hannity, being a true journalist, well knew of hurricanes and sinkholes, and since he pulls down a grand salary, something you could only dream of, Mr. Cerabino, I am sure these thing won’t disturb him. And my gracious, being a decent “white privileged person,” he, unlike the president’s entire family, even pays his taxes.

As to Hannity being “a freedom-seeking missive of misinformation,” I think we are still, for a short while, allowed to have freedom of speech in what is left of this country. In my opinion, you would be happier living in San Francisco or perhaps Portland or Los Angeles. There you can walk into Gump's, Saks Fifth Avenue or Nordstrom and take anything that isn't nailed down. Then go and load it into what’s left of your EV.

Happy trails, Mr. Cerabino. You shouldn’t complain. Just go write for the San Francisco Chronicle and enjoy your unregulated, anarchistic, BLM-loving city.

Elizabeth Diehl, Melbourne

More: Cerabino: Welcoming Sean Hannity to Palm Beach and "free state of Florida"

We musn't teach altered history

A recent Time Magazine article identified a Tallahassee school teacher forcefully required to send an apology letter to parents as a result of sending a link of information elucidating what an insurrection is. Numerous Florida school teachers won't broach the Jan. 6 event for fear of retribution.

This is a consequence of Gov. DeSantis' manifesto cracking down on education he deems "woke" or "indoctrination." Unabashedly, the Florida Board of Education introduced new standards for teaching African American history in 2023, including “how slaves developed skills which, in some instances, could be applied for their personal benefit.” Prohibiting teaching the reality of slavery, which frequently included branding, beatings, and raping subjugated human beings, is not only an injustice, but a whitewashing of a disgraceful period of American history.

Jan. 6 was undeniably an insurrectionist assault on our Capitol building and democracy. Forbidding revealing the details of the actual events of that day doesn't alter the truth, but opens the possibility for similar actions if an election loser cries fraud.

Jan. 6 was a day of infamy brought on by Trump's lies of a stolen election. Trump's fallacious claims have brainwashed millions of ignorant people blindly believing total falsehoods. Despite rigorously investigated declarations of fraud, all have been proven to be without merit and are entire fabrications propagated by Trump, Rudy Giuliani and others.

Gregory W. Hewitt, Melbourne

Trump will triumph

In the Jan. 14 letters, writer Joe Tierno cleverly uses the example of a boxing match to compare Biden vs. Trump and declares Biden the winner. According to new polls, Americans think the opposite. In a new ABC poll, only 33% gave Biden favorable job performance ratings; 58%, unfavorable.

Tierno cites the infrastructure bill as Biden's first punch. This bill was  loaded with self-imposed red tape and pork (for example, no non-union companies). Almost none of it has been implemented and won't be until Biden is a distant memory. He says Biden brought inflation under control but it's Biden's own inflation, initiated via his war on energy. The reality is, disposable income is down, millions out of the workforce, 33 months of price increases (per CPI) killing purchasing power, credit card debt at historical highs, with rates near 20%. Personal savings are at an all-time low, 3.2%; GDP growth only due to government spending, without which GDP is flat. Sorry, not "under control."

Tierno says contender Trump is under four indictments, but he is not convicted of anything in political witch hunts. Concurrently, congressional invesgiations into the Bidens' overseas business deals continue. The Jan. 6 fiasco is going nowhere in terms of Trump guilt. Trump's economy is a matter of record: lowest inflation ever. Lowest unemployment rates including minorities; energy independence and a secure southern U.S. border.

Using the writer's words "Having presented the facts how is this even close?": I agree. Trump wins, in a second-round knockout.

George Minto, Titusville

This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Poor should plan finances better: Letters to the Editor, Jan. 21, 2024