Readers comment on banning social-emotional learning, the Alachua County sheriff and more

Coping with emotions

As a Nationally Board Certified teacher, I know children cannot learn if they cannot cope with their feelings. Some children throw tantrums. They have not yet developed the ability to cope with their frustration and so they act out in inappropriate ways. Adults have the responsibility to teach children to listen to their emotions, accept their emotions and cope with their emotions.

But Ron DeSantis wants to ban social-emotional learning in schools. Does he prefer amoral, disrespectful citizens unable to cope with their feelings? Does he prefer more acting out in the form of school shootings, suicide and other violence?

Does Gov. DeSantis want us to raise children unable to have feelings and unable to cope with feelings, who disrespect authority as well as themselves? Perhaps he wants to keep the masses fearful and violent so he can control them with his fear-based rhetoric.

His common disregard for the importance of emotional intelligence in students (which, by the way, paves the way for higher earnings in adults) is frustrating to me. Lucky for DeSantis, I can cope with my frustration by writing this letter.

Karen Porter, Newberry

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Invest in public safety

Recently, Robert Rush, the father of Alachua County sheriff's general counsel, wrote an opinion piece that was filled with numerous inaccuracies concerning our ongoing labor and employment dispute with Sheriff Clovis Watson Jr.

We believe it's in the public's interest to set the record straight. First, crime is indeed up. According to the most recent Florida Department of Law Enforcement's County and Municipal Offense report, crime rates under the Alachua County Sheriff's Office's jurisdiction rose 7.6% in 2020.

Our union has not asked for a 2.5% raise. This was the step increase owed to our deputies as of Oct. 1, per our contract. It has not been paid and the sheriff’s failure to make that payment is part of the unfair labor practice charge we recently filed.

Our deputies have not received any pay increase. The 3% cost-of-living adjustment, which the County Commission gave to all county employees, was not paid to the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office bargaining unit members. Watson has provided no salary increase to bargaining unit members other than 3% to supervisors, which he was contractually obligated to pay.

The large numbers of employees leaving our Sheriff’s Office for better-paying jobs in other agencies is incontrovertible. This staffing shortage poses a significant threat to public safety at a time when crime is rising. It’s time for Watson to return to the bargaining table and invest in public safety!

Jody Branaman, president, North Central Florida Police Benevolent Association

Credit-card issues

Having recently had my credit card illegally used in a local restaurant when I entrusted my card for a few minutes to my waiter, who took the card into another room to have it processed, I asked a waiter at another restaurant why American restaurants don’t seem able to use credit-card readers at the table. European restaurants do it as a matter of practice.

He and the chef/manager said that American restaurants are not equipped to do so and then walked away from me in disdain. I have resolved not to use my credit cards in those circumstances and will keep hounding restaurants to catch up to European restaurants in never letting the credit card out of sight of the customer.

Kevin McCarthy, Gainesville

Symbol of pride

The Hippodrome used to include the rainbow among its various evening light shows. It signified tolerance of those who have adopted it as a symbol of pride for having accepted themselves for who they are, which extends to the freedom to marry the person they love in order to hold property as "tenants by the entirety."

Then along came Florida's "Don't Say Gay" law, whereupon the rainbow disappeared (will the "Magic Kingdom" be next?). Perhaps it disappeared under a possible threat of loss in funding by the state for the Hipp's various programs, some of which may involve children. But of this we can be certain: Who we love is a predisposition, not a choice.

Accordingly, the only real choice in the matter is to pretend not to be who we are, which would fool no one, and that includes God, so then would be pointless. But what isn't pointless is the fact that the proponents of the above-mentioned law have denied its opponents their rights to freedom of speech, which extends to freedom of expression, as protected by the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Denial of which, in addition to being unlawful, is dictatorial and just downright undemocratic.

Marc Wilson, Gainesville

Tattered flag

To the ones responsible for UF Health Pediatrics – Gerald L. Schiebler CMS Center, our state flag is in deplorable condition. Old Glory could be replaced with a new one as well. Seeing the state flag, what little is flapping in the breeze, is a disgrace.

I’m sure I speak for the majority of people who drive by 1699 SW 16th Avenue, directly south of the Malcom Randall Veterans Affairs Medical center, who see this and wonder what is the major malfunction of this establishment. Is it a subjective protest against the state government?

As a local Floridian and Gainesville-born American veteran, the standard of display is unsatisfactory.

Andrew M. Huenink, Gainesville

Source of gridlock

With regard to the April 22 letter about gridlock in our government: Maybe the writer is not aware of the recent biggest gridlock in recent years. When Donald Trump won the presidency in 2016, even before he was sworn in, prominent Democrats were hollering that they needed to impeach him or he will be re-elected.

During Trump’s presidency they brought impeachment proceedings against him twice and worked to throw stumbling blocks in front of him for everything he tried to do to improve America. Yes, he was arrogant and very outspoken, but he worked to get a message of his plans out to Americans. Now we have a president that won’t even take questions from the press.

Many Americans forget that President Barack Obama controlled all three branches of government during his first two years in office, but nothing got done to improve America. Why? Because he spent the first two years traveling across our nation telling Americans how bad George W. Bush was.

Ken Krug, Melrose

Defining terms

I have been looking for a definition of the “dreaded” critical race theory (CRT). Like pornography, some things are hard to define, but we “know it when we see it.” Look no further than the redistricting law recently passed by the majority of the Florida Legislature — a textbook example.

Leveda Brown, Gainesville

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This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Letters to the editor for May 1, 2022: DeSantis and schools, more