Readers
Strong public schools pump up democracy
Congratulations to the Tucson Citizen for your Monday editorial (“Public schools pivotal for democracy”).
My second-generation American parents instilled in me their appreciation for this democracy that promised a public education system for all children.
This inspired me to become a teacher, principal, professor and a founder of the Tucson Children’s Museum.
I appreciate your reminder to the public of the Arizona Constitution, which prohibits appropriating tax money for private schools.
Including the decision by Justice Michael D. Ryan reaffirms the law and its intentions for strong public schools.
Throughout my career, I have observed many excellent classrooms in the public school system.
Having visited all seven continents, I know for a fact that supporting public schools both financially and personally is supporting democracy – the most equitable type of government proposed and functioning in history!
EVELYN M. CARSWELL-BING
In his book, vouchers vital for pvt education
Your Monday editorial is another clear reason the Citizen is folding.
Your views are so consistently to the left that those of us on the right feel left out of this “public forum.”
Is your unstated opinion that private schooling puts our democracy (republic would be a better choice of words) in peril?
If that is the case, you should write President Obama, who has his children in private school.
All property owners in Tucson pay very high taxes each year to fund public schools.
In addition, many of us support private/parochial schooling and think vouchers are a good idea whose time has come.
What I pay to support private education does not reduce what I pay as a property owner in taxes which fund public schools.
Vouchers make it possible for families who cannot afford private schooling to have a choice.
This is a choice I fully support.
Bruce Brock
Europeans’ taxes go to institution of choice
I lived in Europe, where people’s taxes go to any school they choose.
Schools are competitive, knowing that they get a certain amount of money for each child who chooses their school.
I felt that whether I sent my kids to the public or parochial school, they would get a good education.
In this country, some have the notion that everyone’s taxes have to go only to public schools.
Maybe we could consider another model.
Donna Wilson
Tucson public school teacher
Finger-pointing reveals Democrat fingerprints
The AIG executives’ bonuses were made possible by Sen. Chris Dodd, who amended legislation to allow the bonuses.
Guess which party he represents? Hint: It’s not the Republicans.
You might also want to guess just which party got up in Congress and stated over and over that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were fine and needed no regulation!
That was a Congress they controlled for the past two years and now control today.
John F. sukey
retired military
Reader gets in last dig before Citizen’s burial
Now is a fine time to write this letter – at the very last, unless you get a reprieve.
My husband and I have subscribed to the Tucson Citizen for many years.
I always liked the Citizen until you became so radical that at times I felt almost as if I were committing treason just to read the anti-American things printed there.
Through the years, I have saved some newspapers that were special for some reason. From time to time, I would get them out and see what a real newspaper looked like.
It got so the paper was nothing more than a hate sheet. People are so rude and disgusting in the things they write. Is there no more common courtesy?
Some of your “poison pen” writers were so hateful and mean, I wondered if they ate grouchies and sour milk for breakfast every day.
I had the feeling if one of your reporters wrote something that was for America, they soon were no longer there. What country are we in, anyway?
I do want to compliment you on the column by Don Severe in the Citizen Voices on March 23.
I enjoyed reading it; it did reflect the way we all were when we were all Americans, not hyphenated Americans.
And, yes, you can tell I grew up in the “Greatest Generation”: We were proud of our country and had respect for each other and went about doing what we had to do to survive the Depression, then World War II.
Above all things, we were proud!
Also, the letter from V. Stedronsky was the best I have read in a long time.
I wish I had said that. It is an excellent letter and should be copied and given to every reporter who should read it each day to think on those things before they spout a bunch of personal, biased opinions, half-truths at best.
I couldn’t let you die without writing this last letter. Sorry to see you go, just not the meanness you have printed lately.
ONETA SINGLETON