Letters: The ABCs in Idaho schools need to be changed for the well-being of students

A is for Abuse

B is for Behaviorism

C is for Creating Traumatized Students

Thank you for sharing families’ stories of the abuse their children have experienced while being restrained and/or secluded at school. More Idahoans need to be aware of what abuse is happening to students, especially those with disabilities in public schools. Students are being put in small closet-like spaces, and the door is held shut by an adult. Others are physically restrained by staff members.

We need to support educators by giving them alternatives to strategies based on behaviorism. Behaviorism focuses on the observable behavior and not the underlying needs the student is trying to communicate and get met. Current findings from neuroscience show us humane ways of supporting students.

It is tragic to witness the trauma students have inflicted on them when being restrained, secluded, and/or subject to corporal punishment. Idahoans have the opportunity to change this barbaric and damaging way students are being treated in public schools.

As a special education advocate, I’m working towards the new ABCs for our schools.

A is for Accountability

B is for Behavior is Communication

C is for Connection Over Compliance

Charmaine Thaner, Meridian

Cleveland correct

As a native Idaho resident, born and raised here, I am proud to say I have voted in many elections. I would like to offer a piece of advice to Sen. Crapo. Please stop making and showing those ridiculous ads you are paying for. Instead of pointing fingers and blaming President Biden in every one of your ads, how about just telling what you have accomplished? Unless you don’t want to remind people what you have or have not accomplished? I am not that familiar with Mr. Cleveland and only caught the tail end of your debate, but Mr. Cleveland spoke the truth, when he said that you, Senator Crapo, voted in your best interest, not the people’s. Your response was a little heated. You said you were proud of your voting record. Then enlighten the rest of us.

Rebecca Ridenour, Boise

Lying about abortion law

The recent debate between the candidates for Attorney General of Idaho produced a glaring example of one of the most gruesome aspects of American politics.

Candidate Labrador asserted that there are conditions under which terminating the growth of a fetus is not an abortion. This kind of hair-splitting is right up there with debating what the definition of “is” is. His exposition certainly puts him in the running for his law school class prize for sophistry.

More deeply, we encounter a law that requires with no exceptions (despite candidate Labrador’s misleading characterization) that a woman, faced with a potentially fatal condition, is to be denied appropriate medical treatment unless her physician is willing to face arrest, a felony charge, and a lengthy, expensive and emotionally draining trial. First, this denial almost certainly would qualify as medical malpractice compelled by law. Beyond that, people who smugly support a law which can result in both the death of a woman and the termination of the growing fetus smugly assure us that they are pro-life. I will need to have this very carefully explained to me.

Perhaps Dorothy Moon would like a shot at it (pun intended).

George Moses, Boise

Arkoosh professional

Labrador flunks Law 101. At the recent debate, on the most important lawsuit against Idaho in federal court, he either didn’t know the facts and law, didn’t understand them, or decided to misstate the law. (You tell me which is worst). This was the Idaho abortion statute case before Judge Windmill.

He also said attorneys from large firms were asking him for jobs. Really? It usually goes the other way. You get a public job and then hope to get on with a large firm, which pays way more. Why do it backwards for a guy who only plans to be there for three years? Sounds strange to me. My overall impression, this is a politician who wants to be governor and would be a disaster as attorney general in the meantime.

Tom Arkoosh is just trying to head off a hot mess by running against him. He has been doing fine in private practice for many years. Thank you, Tom, for stepping up for us.

Forrest Goodrum, Boise

Crapo’s ads

Sen. Mike Crapo’s latest ads are all about fear and loathing. He wants you to be very afraid of asylum seekers legally crossing our southern border. He wants you to be very afraid that fentanyl will harm your drug-using family members that he wrote off decades ago, despite having an addiction problem of his own. He wants you to blame every worldwide inflation and supply chain problem on Joe Biden.

Republicans, in federal, state, and local elections have foregone optimism for a brighter tomorrow for a constant and consistent message of fear and loathing. They repeatedly express support for overthrowing democracy itself to achieve the goal of “owning the liberals.” They refuse to concede to the truth that their dictator-loving, fascist-leaning, career-criminal former president was voted out of office by a majority of Americans. They firmly stand for removing fundamental rights from citizens. This is not your father’s Republican Party. It is the party that has nothing to offer but fear and loathing.

Loren Petty, Boise

Afghanistan refund

Conservative politicians claim we cannot afford to spend our taxpayer dollars on such outrageous things as health care, education, or climate change. The United States Congress spent $300 million dollars a day for 20 years in Afghanistan. That’s about $50,000 per person in Afghanistan. We deserve a refund!

Sheila Robbins, Boise

Supporting Arkoosh

My support for Tom Arkoosh comes from a lifelong conservative who always votes Republican — until now. Mr. Arkoosh is a middle-of-the-political-road person who is interested in actually doing the job of attorney general. He is clearly the only candidate who comes even close to that standard. You are all urged to take a moment to seriously consider what kind of a person you want for Attorney General. If you do it, Mr. Arkoosh will be your choice.

Royce Larson, Emmett