Letters to the editor: Central District Health board, equity, task force, New Path
Indoctrination task force
To Gov. Brad Little, Lt. Gov. Janice McGeachin, and the conservative members of the Idaho state Legislature: Once again, you’ve all become hysterical in the construct of your mob mentality. Previously it was Sharia law (quelle horreur!), now it’s critical race theory — a made-up idea of indoctrination in schools. What you’re really afraid of is the possibility that students might learn that systemic racism exists — past, present and most likely future.
My question to you is, when does the book burning start?
Jennifer Pedrali, Meridian
Ted Epperly
Ryan Davidson’s comments regarding Dr. Epperly and the CDH Board’s response to the pandemic demonstrate that he doesn’t understand the evidence. The reason for wearing masks and social distancing were, primarily, to protect others from COVID-19 carriers. The evidence shows it worked. As of June 25, Idaho had 2,145 COVID-19 deaths — 120 deaths per 100,000 residents. That ranks 41st out of 52 (counting D.C. and Puerto Rico) for U.S. deaths per capita. This is higher than Oregon at 66, Washington and Utah, but lower than Nevada at 158, Wyoming and Montana. Six Idaho counties have greater than two times Ada County’s rate of 95. Those include Gem at 204 and Owyhee at 256. Malheur County, Oregon, is at 206. New Jersey has the highest state death rate at 298 per 100,000. At that rate, Idaho would have 3404 more deaths, and Ada County would have 1,030 more. Whether lives saved were worth the temporary inconveniences and the ultimate mental and economic impacts, both negative and positive, are subjective opinions — not moral failings.
Linden Boice, Boise
Equity
Idaho’s new “equity” based Board of Education, in its rush to satisfy all sides of Idaho’s electorate, has managed to violate the most basic rule of definition. That is: “In defining a word one must never include that word in the definition.” The board found it necessary to do exactly that in its effort to satisfy the ultra leftist education community (especially the university gang), in the board’s effort to satisfy the legislature’s new statute limiting propaganda and mind control in Idaho’s classrooms. The board’s definition of “equity,” the new buzz word of the Left, is a failure. The word, of course, has no meaning today. It was pulled out of thin air by the ultra left in its goal to destroy the word “equality,” which does have a clear definition. By kowtowing to the anti-American left, the board placates the effort to bend the minds of students to accepting a false history of our country and its heritage. This board has once again proven its inability to lead the most important mission of society: education of children. This group of political appointees should defend the teaching of real history, not the anti-American Leftist attempt to destroy it.
Jim C. Harris, Boise
Education
The panel chaired by our lieutenant governor has been called “a solution in search of a problem.” This insults the word “solution.” Discussing the role race plays in our history is being presented as an either-or situation. This is a false narrative. Our racial past is part of our mosaic. It may make some people uncomfortable. What I am learning today I wish I had been taught in school 60 years ago. I ask the panel to suspend activities, inquire at a bookstore what people are reading and commit to learning about our racial history. The books “Caste” and “The Indigenous People’s History of the United States” would be a good place to start.
History can be unpleasant, but ignoring it continues the pattern and is a disservice to future generations. For example, Disney should not be our sole source of information concerning the Alamo. Spoiler alert, Davey Crockett owned slaves. To the panel, please educate yourselves before suppressing the education of others. How does not knowing large sections of our past history benefit the people of Idaho as they enter the global community? If not now, when?
Mark J. Bussolini, Boise
Dr. Epperly
Central District Health Department board members bear the responsibility of making public health decisions for Ada County residents. It’s a challenging labor of love, as I learned while serving on the CDHD board for 15 years. So I’m appalled by the recent decision by Rod Beck and Ryan Davidson to remove a nationally recognized primary care physician, Dr. Ted Epperly, from the board. Dr. Epperly, who has trained hundreds of future family physicians — many of whom now care for our Idaho friends and families — brings decades of family medicine experience and public health expertise to the board.
Commissioner Davidson’s misinformed claim that science shows that masks were not necessary during the pandemic, demonstrates his own ignorance. Dr. Epperly, by bravely stressing the need to wear masks, saved lives. We owe him our gratitude for years of service on behalf of our county. I ask residents to vote commissioners Beck and Davidson out of office because they have prioritized their self interests over our health and safety.
Martin Gabica, Boise
Housing first
Keep funding for New Path!
It took more than 10 years of deliberation to conclude that “housing first” was the appropriate way to address chronic homelessness in Ada County. That decision was largely based on a cost-benefit analysis conducted by Boise State University. Later studies have shown millions in actual cost savings.
Many solutions to homelessness that have been tried; each has shortcomings. There is not one perfect answer, and none of them is the quick fix that everyone might want. But New Path seems to work!
New Path promised savings to the taxpayer. It has done that. Ada County wants to continue reaping the benefits of having New Path but would cut funding for the services making this possible. That’s just odious logic!
Ada County should be rigorous in evaluating New Path, but facts should support any decision to cut its funding. Those facts should pertain to this project, not those from some in-the-clouds think-tank that has no information about this project.
Big salary increases for county commissioners go down a little hard when they elevate a remote ideology above the facts and people who are right here and need help. Our commissioners’ sense of entitlement is showing!
Gary Hanes, Boise