Wednesday's letters: DeSantis on the right track, SCF rejected 'inappropriate' art

DeSantis not anti-LGBTQ, anti-Black

While many people seem to revel in lighting their hair on fire every time the DeSantis administration acts, cooler heads can prevail by looking at the facts, about two issues specifically.

First, the Parental Rights in Education Act is not anti-LGBTQ, but instead is pro-parent. Americans never voted to allow the government to raise their children.

Parents have a right to be made aware of issues in their child’s psychosexual development and to control any medical interventions. Secrecy is allowed under the law “if a reasonably prudent person would believe that disclosure would result in abuse, abandonment, or neglect.” There must be a reason.

More: How to send a letter to the editor

Anybody who thinks this unreasonable has lost their ability to reason.

Secondly, the governor is not trying to gut or eliminate African-American studies. He did reject one particular course that was heavily laden with contemporary political issues such as intersectionality and reparations, Black Lives Matter and "Black Queer Studies."

Florida law dictates education in the African American history of enslavement, reconstruction, etc., including the shameful Ocoee, Florida, massacre of 1920. Nobody is trying to eliminate it – just to keep it free of clearly slanted political content.

Dana A. Cyr, Sarasota

SCF found art ‘inappropriate’ for kids

I am currently serving as the vice president of the State College of Florida Foundation Board. It has been a pleasure and an honor to support education in Manatee and Sarasota counties.

The college serves over 25,000 students, including its Collegiate School, comprising high school students. Students are educated without regard to race, religion, gender or sexual orientation.

More:Embracing Our Differences cancels exhibit at SCF

In the Embracing Our Differences exhibit, there were three pieces of art the foundation felt might be inappropriate for children and we asked the organization not to bring them to campus.

This is the controversy. Not one had anything to do with equity, inclusion or diversity.

Laura Bassler Cota, vice president, State College of Florida Foundation, Bradenton

Local population growth out of control

I was stunned when after living in Sarasota for 17-plus years, I almost couldn’t find a parking space in one of Sarasota Memorial Hospital’s garages. After driving around for 30 minutes, I fortunately found one.

When I related this struggle to my doctor’s nurse, she said she and her colleagues often can’t find spaces. My doctor said the same.

When population growth in a community is so wildly excessive that medical staff can’t find parking spaces at their worksites, something is gravely wrong. It’s time for developers to stop greedily building on every open lot and for Sarasota Memorial to provide increased parking for staff and visitors.

It would be just deserts if more pro-growth people were to arrive at their medical appointments only to find their doctor is not in the office yet because he or she is still circling the parking garage trying to find a space.

Karen R. Koenig, Sarasota

Restrictions driving away teachers

What a bittersweet day. I volunteer with a program called “Books For Kids,” reading once a month in two first-grade classrooms in an underperforming elementary school.

The first room is a Title 1 classroom whose teacher is absolutely amazing! On Friday, she informed me that it was her last day. The craziness going on in the schools and the threat of a felony charge because of her first-grade classroom library has taken its toll.

More:Teachers in fear cover up classroom libraries

Meanwhile, these children will be losing a positive role model and a powerful force in their young lives.

It breaks my heart.

The sweet of the day was when the teacher in the second class handed me a bag of Valentine chocolates with a note.

The people who make these rules need to spend three hours in a classroom. Shame on them. Our children deserve better.

Alice Golub, Lakewood Ranch 

Our freedoms are disappearing

First, they came for our public schools and our teachers. Then they came for our public hospitals. Then they came for our women who wanted abortions.

More: Group seeks to end hospital's taxing authority

Then they came for our freedom from being murdered by guns. Then they came for our belief in history, science, the rule of law and democracy.

Where will this end? When all our freedoms as individuals are taken away.

More:Governor targets 'woke' School Board member

All we have is our vote. We must use it to rid our democracy of anti-government hatred of our rights under the Constitution.

Sandra Brinker, Sarasota

Keep dogs, people safe on the road

So let me get this straight. A new law proposed in Florida would make it illegal for dogs to hang out of vehicle windows and require them to be tethered in a doggy seat belt in order to keep them safe.

However, helmets for motorcycle riders over 21 are optional.

Anyone care to explain that to me? Eric Waller, Sarasota

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: DeSantis not anti-LGBTQ, but pro-parent; keeping dogs and people safe