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Letters to the editor: Issue of Feb. 11, 2016

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Lyles is a ‘blowhard’

Please publish more thoughtful, informative articles such as Mary Shepardson’s “Now and Then” column about Poway history and Rob Weinberg’s “Mr. Marketing,” and fewer by blowhards like Dick Lyles saying “Hillary Clinton should be in prison.” (Feb. 4)

Gary Samad

Poway

Lyles needs manners

Dick Lyles’ “Straight Talk”column makes me cringe every week, particularly his most recent column about Hillary Clinton. It’s obvious this guy is a Republican, but there is a way to share conservative opinions without being ugly, and Lyles certainly doesn’t know how.

Suggesting the Democratic frontrunner go to prison is absurd. Lyles should go to prison for defamation of character.

Why don’t you post an article right next to his with a liberal author?

Certainly I’m not the only one who feels this way. Please, someone teach Mr. Lyles some manners.

Peggy Schultz

Poway

Replace Lyles

After working himself into a froth in last week’s “Straight Talk,” Dick Lyles concludes his rant with the phrase “Give me a break.” Couldn’t you, Mr. Editor, give him that break? Surely there are other voices from our community that deserve to be heard.

Emily Fawcett

4S Ranch

Volunteer needed

As a grateful Rancho Bernardo resident, I have happily volunteered to repaint, repair and replace the eight Gatewood Hills neighborhood signs for maybe 30 years.

However, retirement and relocation have arrived and a replacement volunteer is solicited to carry on this very visible community enhancement.

Will a community-minded person(s) please step up?

Norm Gillespie

Rancho Bernardo

Flaws in column

Regarding Will Wooton’s Jan. 28 column, “Time to reboot American education”:

When I read Wooton’s column, I expect to find accuracy in the article. I read the first paragraph to learn “For over 175 years American children have been in the same public education system.” As an educator, I know that this is not true. He references Horace Mann in 1837 enacting a set of standards “currently in use today.” However, in his next paragraph, he states that in 1870 a collective set of standards was developed and adopted for all states. That might mean we have been using the same set of standards for 146 years, but of course, that isn’t true either.

He asks the question, “What are we doing wrong? Basically everything. There really is not way to say it then” (he probably meant “than” but he was educated by the system) “to just call it what it is - broken down and outdated.”

Wooton bases this statement by our sad ranking in educational proficiency, 23rd. Unfortunately, there probably was not room in his article to tell us which list, chart or statistics for 2014 he used. He does cite one statistic: “Our testing scores are lower than 50 years ago and our dropout rate has risen.” Of course, that’s not “The Stright Dope” either.

I would be pleased to help Mr. Wooton write a more accurate assessment, because we do need to make changes and reallocate resources. One size does not fit all when you have severe poverty, several languages in one classroom. and not enough emphasis on reading.

Prescott Jones

Rancho Bernardo

Why is plan underfunded?

Thoughts on Poway:

Budget surplus — How could the city have a surplus with an underfunded employee pension plan? For you and I, we have net worth only if what we own minus what we owe is more than a goose egg. When you are elected to City Council, your duties include, but are not limited to, taking care of budget, development, and the well being of all residents.

Poway can use the surplus as an investment for the future by purchasing those bankrupting Poway Unified School District bonds. Is there any law forbidding the city to do so?

New community center —The current community center and the senior center in Community Park are fine as they are. Poway does not need a huge, new and expensive center.

Outrageous pay raises — How many employees of private industries receive the kinds of raises City Council members and the mayor reward themselves with? “Being on the council is a 24- hour-a -day job.” I thought John Mullin knew that before he decided to run for the seat. For City Council members, based upon analyses of above situation, as their employer, I disapprove the proposed raises for all.

One should not run for government office to get rich. Only crooks do that.

Chanh Tran

Poway

Letters to the editor should be limited to 250 words and must be signed. They may be emailed to editor@pomeradonews.com or composed online at pomeradonews.com.

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