Letters to the editor: COVID-19, protests, school levy
COVID-19
COVID-19 mediation and management requires expertise in many biological, medical and social disciplines. The U.S. has considerable disease expertise in government agencies such as CDC and NIH. In the current U.S. Congress and in governorships, there are academic experts (20 Ph.Ds., including physical and social scientists), and disease treatment experts, (18 M.Ds.) With this high level expertise in our national leadership, why has the U.S. suffered excessively during the COVID-19 pandemic? Is it because of a lack of expertise? Probably not, we have the best scientific and medical expertise in the world! Has the U.S. COVID-19 policy been ineffective by not initially paying due attention to the epidemiological experts? Probably, experts have been frequently ignored, even at the highest administrative levels! Have significant proportions of Idaho’s citizens ignored public health experts’ advice that viral exposure is easily and involuntarily obtained, and that treatment may prove challenging? Definitely, we are not without blame for this crisis! Blame is endless, is COVID-19 endless? Perhaps, hopefully the end will be determined by all Idahoans choosing to be responsible citizens of our community, where each maintains individual freedom and does not impact the freedom or health of any other individual.
Thomas G. Hallam Sr., Garden City
Protests
I don’t understand watching the number of COVID-19 cases continually rise, meanwhile not a single public official asks that we not assemble in large groups to protest? Could BLM supporters consider taking a 14 day break just in the interest of public health? And if they don’t mean defund but instead are looking for reforms, why not say that instead? Words, as they continually remind us, have tremendous power, so why not use words that describe accurately what it is they want? Lastly, the idea that Lisa Sanchez made some harmless remarks highlighting racism in our area is false. She actually said she did not have a child out of fear that it would be killed by white people? Think about the power of that remark. It brought me to tears. She is making a sweeping generalization that has no basis in fact in regards to where she lives and the citizens she represents. It was a divisive and profoundly hurtful thing to say.
Terry Lundon, Eagle
Yes on levy
As a native Idahoan and proud supporter of education, I implore my West Ada neighbors to vote yes on the upcoming district levy. Your yes vote means more than just keeping school days on the calendar and programs in place. Your yes vote supports investment in Idaho’s future. It is a vote of respect for the hard-working educators in West Ada. This summer, I’ve spoken with hundreds of educators, and one sentiment is clear: they feel their professionalism and skills are undervalued. Your yes vote demonstrates confidence in your neighborhood school and the educators that work for you. It shows you value their dedication to your children. This vote maintains a levy that fills financial gaps left by our state’s funding formula. This is not a new tax! It is already on your tax bill, and the amount you pay will still go down when you vote yes. Our district is known for its fiscal responsibility, with steadily declining levy rates. We have to depend on levy funds to staff our classrooms, provide supplies, and pay for specialized programs. This levy is your chance to do something great for our community and our children. Please vote yes on Aug. 25.
Michelle Axtell, Boise