LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Charge tuition in public schools
I have watched news coverage on the walkouts by teachers in our public schools. They should be ashamed of themselves, using children for their woes. It appears the main reason is because of low wages.
I propose an easy solution. Just as the universities and community colleges statewide charge a tuition fee to attend, it is my contention that public schools should charge tuition fe for students. As an example, a family of one child might pay $20 per month. Each additional child per family would pay as well, with perhaps a discount for families with more than two children attending. Tuition would go directly toward teacher payroll. The problem would be resolved without impacting the general taxpayer.
Walt Johnson
Foothills
Re: the April 8 article 'Wage hikes cut into services for people with disabilities.'
Stop the presses. The minimum wage hikes have 'unintended consequences'? Really? Those of us that laid awake at night worrying about making a payroll, made it very clear what the consequences of arbitrary minimum wake hikes were, but were ignored by proponents, out of state interests, politicians and the media.
Now it's time for reality.
Good luck to you folks who have to live with the misguided decisions made by politics rather then economics. As for me; I'm out of it. The biggest decision I make now is reaching the green with a wedge or a nine iron.
Hopefully, some day you can afford to join me on the golf course.
Gary Stoeger
Northwest side
Teaching is a challenging job that requires not only expertise in a subject matter, but also the ability to effectively manage and engage students, whether they are little ones just learning the basics or young adults in high school.
Here in Tucson, we are blessed with so many dedicated teachers who pour their hearts and souls into teaching.
Despite all of their training and expertise, Arizona slaps teachers in the face with salaries that in noway match the expectations and demands of the job. I left the profession myself, in large part because the wages just weren't enough to live on. Right now it's a crisis situation.
The losers in all of this are the next generation of Arizonans, and in turn, all of us, as the health and well-being of the next generation impacts everyone. Please vote for representatives and for a governor who understands what's at stake here: a strong, vibrant school system where educators are paid like the professionals they are.
Courtney Coffey
Northwest side
A repressive government, you say?
Re: the April 3 letter to the editor 'Second Amendment protects our rights.'
The writer should indeed heed his own words, 'We the People have the wherewithal to rise up against a future totalitarian government ... should the need ever arise.' He suggests that this was the purpose of the Second Amendment as proposed by the Founding Fathers. If the writer, in fact, believes this to be the reality, then he must see that this is the very situation America finds itself in today.
We have a totalitarian, authoritarian and autocratic president now who is creating sweeping changes to our government that will equal the oppression of the American will and freedom, just as it existed in 1776. It is ironic that the writer suggests the Second Amendment is our way to 'overthrow a repressive government.'
Karen Clifton
Midtown
Big donors should be identified
Re: the April 6 article 'Ducey signs bill overriding local laws on campaign-finance disclosures.'
'People have a First Amendment right as well to participate and not be bullied,' Gov. Doug Ducey said. The First Amendment, thanks to the GOP politicians on the Supreme Court that gave us Citizens United, gave the Koch brothers the right to buy elections (including the one that made Ducey governor), but it did not give them the right to do so anonymously.
There should be little objection to letting political donors of small amounts do so anonymously, as they could be subject to retaliation by their employer. But when the big donors spend big bucks to buy a politician, the public has the right to know who is on the other end of the leash.
George Libman
Northeast side
The left's dirty little secret
The left is dragging out the 'commonsense' gun laws argument again, and one of their proposals is universal background checks. Right now, background checks are conducted only by federal firearms licensees. There is a reason for this. These licensees must keep meticulous records of every gun they buy or sell. Their inventories and records are subject to search by state and federal officials, without notice.
In order to have universal background checks (background checks for sales between private individuals), there would first need to be universal gun registration, and then, federal and state authorities would have to have the right to have you produce those weapons at any time. This is the dirty little secret the left does not want you to know about. Great Britain and Australia implemented universal registration, and then implemented universal confiscation. This is the left's ultimate goal, as recently revealed by former Justice John Paul Stevens.
Raymond Trombino
Green Valley
Ducey uses fear to back deployment
Re: the April 10 article 'Ducey, noting added arrests at border, assigns 338 soldiers.'
I just finished reading the governor's rationale for agreeing to deploy National Guard troops. I am very disappointed with his lack of using facts to reach the conclusion that they are necessary. While everyone agrees the federal government needs to do its job and pass comprehensive immigration reform, fear-tactic stunts like this only bring us further apart. Someone in his party has to respond when our president is wrong, and once again no one had the strength to do so.
Rick Irvin
Green Valley
Teachers continued their protest over low pay on Monday in Oklahoma City, walking around the state Capitol in a continuing protest over school funding.
SUE OGROCKI / THEASSOCIATED PRESSI
