Online-only letters

Swinger reaction

Surely, we can do better

than a story on swingers

Wow, slow news day guys. Having some swingers from Des Moines on the front page ["Party over for Des Moines swingers," Times, page one, Aug. 14]?

Surely you guys can do better than that.

— Michael Donlon, Kirkland

Story doesn't belong in The Times.

I thought I'd accidentally picked up a copy of the Seattle Weekly instead of The Times on Thursday. Imagine my surprise upon finding two obese, barely clad individuals gazing out from your front page.

If you're going to run a story like that, how about putting it on the second page of the Local News section?

That might help me keep my breakfast down next time.

— Mark Braden, Seattle

Indeed, it belongs in a tabloid

I could not believe my eyes when I opened my paper this morning! With all the happenings in the world, you decided to run the Des Moines swingers story on the front page! There's a reason why I don't buy the tabloids at the grocery store: I don't want it in my house. I was hoping The Times was above that type of reporting.

— Sharon Glenn, Newcastle

Getting the swinging shock treatment

When I picked up Thursday's Times from the box and opened it, I thought I was holding the Weekly World News or the Inquirer. The story may have been appropriate for Valentine's Day, but I found higher-priority news items on pages two through 10. If you wanted "shock and awe," you could have them drop their sheet.

— Paul Jensen, Seattle

Getting left behind

Don't neglect those

who help challenged kids

"No child left behind" is a slogan we have all heard; to actually accomplish this we need to remember to "Leave no para-educator behind"!

I have been active in the Northshore School District for more than 12 years. Like many para-educators, I was a volunteer in the district while my kids attended school.

When I needed to rejoin the work force, it was a natural transition for me. I work with special-education kids from the first to sixth grades. The money was not much, but it worked for me while my kids were still in school. My kids have since graduated, so why am I still there?

That is an easy question, because I enjoy what I do and I am good at it: I can and do make a difference. Currently, one of the issues on the cutting block for my union is the removal of our annual step increase, which helps with the cost-of-living increases that we all are facing.

Without these increases in pay, the district will lose a great commodity: trained and well-qualified para-educators. Our jobs vary from school to school, but we all offer the same thing — namely, assistance to students who need it.

We are often the go-between for teachers and students: We modify assignments, we teach, we console, we help kids with physical issues. We are in mainstream classrooms, we are in learning centers and we are wherever we are needed to help all kids be successful.

One summer I saw at a park a student who had moved on to junior high school. She came over and talked with me, and told me she had always thought I was a tough, "mean" teacher, who pushed her and made her do the work. But she told me that in junior high, there were so many kids needing help, she was often just given the answers because they did not have the time to help her.

She said, "You cared about us and wanted to teach us how to do the work ourselves." That is exactly my goal, to encourage kids, to motivate them, to help them see that they can do more. My students are like my own kids, and I want them to do the best they can, whatever that is, at their level.

Help me be that "mean" teacher that cares; do not take away my living wage, and do not cut my hours, as I already work a second job. Help me make a difference so our kids are not left behind.

— Maureen Standley, para-educator, Northshore School District, Woodinville

Rossi on YouTube

Cameraman got what he deserved: an eviction

I watched the video on YouTube of the Democratic Party's cameraman at the Seattle Police Officers' Guild endorsement of Dino Rossi ["Dem cameraman is evicted from Dino Rossi event," Local News, Aug. 12]. I could not believe that someone representing the Democratic Party would be so disrespectful.

I have been a Democrat my whole life, but this is a new low. Kelly Akers was told in advance that he was not welcome and that it was a private function. He ignored those orders and when he was asked to leave, he ignored those requests too.

Obviously, this was all a ploy to make a lot of noise, and to make Rossi look bad. The facts remain: Akers was trespassing, ignored requests to leave and, as such, was escorted out forcefully. I don't fault either the Seattle police or Rossi's campaign. Akers tries to play the victim in the video by continuously shouting, "What did I do?"

I was not fooled, and I hope voters saw through this deliberate media stunt. This is a new low for Gov. Christine Gregoire's campaign, and the state Democratic Party.

— Abraham Leavitt, Mercer Island

The end of Edwards

Of his political career, that is

I have been a supporter of former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards for a long time. When I heard of his cheating on his wife, I was devastated ["Edwards on affair: Saying sorry not enough," page one, Aug. 9]. I cannot imagine that the "family" man I thought he was would cheat on his wife while she was ill.

What an absolute hypocrite; he is not to be trusted with our government, or the people of the United States. Do you trust him now? I do not!

He should be absolutely embarrassed at what he did to his wife and children, and I hope that he never gets involved in any of our government entities. He is an embarrassment to our county.

May God forgive him of his sins some day.

— Linda Larsen, Milton