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CHARTER MAGNITUDE

'Opportunity' schools open doors for the middleman

Editor, The Times:

The Times editorial could not be more mistaken about the Seattle School Board and charter schools ("A serious, rookie mistake by Seattle School Board," Dec. 21).The charter-school bill (aka "opportunity schools") is an insidious affront to public education.

Yes, there are examples of good charter schools, just as there are examples of good public schools. However, the overall evaluation of charter schools shows that they are not the answer to the problem, do no better, and often are worse than their public-school counterparts, take much-needed money from the school district, are not accountable to the taxpayers, and simply put, are just "the middle man" skimming money from the top before any gets into the schools.

We have just elected a competent new board that, along with director Mary Bass, has more intelligence, savvy, educational training and experience, and astute policy analysts, than ever before. Thank goodness Seattle finally has a proactive School Board looking after public education.

Deanna Chew-Freidenberg, Seattle

Listens attentively

So the "rookie" Seattle School Board members know less about their local schools and their students than the state legislators "who have studied the issue for years." The studies I have seen show that, as you state, charter schools are no panacea; some succeed, some fail.

I imagine these "rookie" School Board members listened to the voters who twice voted against charter-school initiatives, who want their legislators to concentrate on funding public schools including alternative schools already in place, and who want their School Board members working to improve schools rather than spending their time and district funds on the unfunded mandates sent down by the all-knowing state legislators.

I applaud these "rookie" School Board members.

Catherine Ahl, Poulsbo

Cynical thesis

The Times has a lot of nerve to tell the Seattle School Board that the state's decision on whether the city should have charter schools is outside their jurisdiction. It's hard to imagine an issue that would impact Seattle education issues more than a shift to charter schools. I would think that the School Board would be derelict in its duties if it didn't have an opinion on the matter.

In fact, it seems it's The Times that is derelict in its duties. State voters have twice rejected initiatives for the adoption of charter schools. That The Times doesn't even mention this, and suggests that the School Board is somehow out of touch with voters, is remarkable and cynical in the extreme.

Trevor Griffey, Seattle

DRIVING WHILE OBNOXIOUS

Three for the road

I'd like to see three laws enacted immediately:

• Ticket drivers for driving in the rain with their lights off.

• Aggressively ticket drivers hogging the passing lanes.

• Have HOV lanes as such only from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. on the weekdays.

Regarding the first and second suggestions, we already have had to resort to enforcement of common sense on helmet laws and seatbelts. People "running dark" are a menace. Hanging out in the passing lane is just inconsiderate.

Concerning the third, it's infuriating to be jammed up in traffic with no one using the HOV lanes.

Al Brashear, Kenmore

CIVIL DISSERVICE

Kinder, gentler backlash

Rabbi James Mirel destroys his own argument in "What went wrong? A plea for civility in a combative world" (guest commentary, Dec. 21). He admonishes us not to call our opponents stupid. He then asserts that those who call President Bush stupid have lower IQs and SATs than does the president. This raises questions about the rabbi's sincerity which he also warns us against asserting.

He argues that the term evil should be reserved for those who deny the humanity of certain groups. He notes a single example. He might have cited more contemporary examples including aggressive wars and the slaughter of innocents in the Middle East and around the world.

Finally, Mirel warns us against sarcasm as the tool of the arrogant and the cowardly. This is simply unkind invective in the garb of kindness and gentleness.

Of course, it would be nice if we could all exercise our right of free speech more wisely and judiciously and less shrilly. However, America has many more important issues to be concerned about.

America suffers today because of its inability to acknowledge and deal with gross political misrepresentation and the preclusion of debate on certain critical issues.

No, the problem is not our inability to make nice with one another. The problem is that we are unable to deal openly, honestly and courageously with the central issues of our existence as a nation.

Malcolm McPhee, Sequim

Not a good thing

As a parent and former educator and now a legitimate "senior," I have watched two generations come and go with little or no parental guidance. This makes for a society with no manners and no morals, i.e., a total lack of ethical behavior.

From Martha Stewart and her stock broker now standing trial for insider trading, down to the kid shooting a classmate to steal his lunch money, morality as we know it is crumbling.

We all would like to leave this world better than we found it, but unfortunately this is highly unlikely.

Sharon Johnson, Coupeville

BAR NONE

Injury nullification

On finally surrendering, Saddam Hussein's first words were probably "Get me O.J. Simpson's lawyers!"

John Wight, Edmonds

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