Investigating President Trump: Letters to the editor, Nov. 24, 2019

Lots of reasons to investigate Trump

I’m trying to understand why the Republicans are investigating the investigation of Donald Trump’s campaign. I mean Trump went on TV during his campaign encouraging our long-standing enemies, the Russians, to give him Hilary Clinton’s emails so that he could use them against her in his personal quest for the presidency.

Then there were those closed-door meetings with various Russians in which Trump’s son and others in his campaign were involved in to develop information against his political rivals.

Further, during that time we were experiencing a deluge of cyber sabotage from the Russians all trying to cause people to vote for Trump and the Republican party. How much more cause do you need to initiate an investigation into someone’s political campaign?

Given all of the above I now assume that the Republicans are trying to find out who started Trump’s campaign investigation so that they can pin medals on all of them for being vigilant, patriotic Americans in protecting our sacred electoral process.

Police-shooting columns react

Todd Frazier (”Police union chief says Bee columnist reckless,” Oct, 29) spends the first half of his remarks explaining why he wrote the column (note to Mr. Frazier: I do not care). After erroneously accusing Marek Warszawski of bad reporting and intentionally inflaming public sentiment, he displays his complete lack of understanding of constitutional due process by claiming that because (Isiah) Murrietta-Golding was suspected of wrongdoing, he could be executed by police.

This warped view was often the default position of the Fresno Police Department while under the direction of Jerry Dyer. It is the Fresno Police Department’s fatal flaw and will not change if Dyer becomes mayor. I fear for our community.

Standardized tests not the solution

After 17 years of interminable standardized testing, driven by curriculum long on promises and short on engagement, it seems the jig is finally up.

Data recently released by the NAEP (the nation’s “report card”) indicates reading scores have slipped again for 4 ^th and 8 ^th graders. Analysts have noted that there are few significant changes in reading levels since 2009 and, shockingly, struggling readers today are the same demographic that struggled 30 years ago. Additionally, Fairtest.org has analyzed the 2019 SAT results and found that scoring gaps between racial and socio-economic subgroups are wider than ever.

Expensive “investments” of tax dollars into the No Child Left Behind law (2002) and the Common Core (2009) have not paid off. Yet, publishing companies like McGraw-Hill and standardized testing mercenaries such as the College Board continue to drink from the trough of public education to the tune of many billions of dollars.

So where now? Do we continue outsourcing to distant vendors our responsibility to care for our charges and teach them well? A novel thought: Trust educators as dedicated professionals to bring meaningful, creative, and rigorous literacy and math experiences to the children who parents entrust teachers with every day.

Lamenting theater company’s closing

How disheartening to see the shuttering of a theatrical gem like Stageworks cross over the media like a whisper in a wind.

With the closing of this theater company, Fresnans are left with little more than a couple of companies (all struggling to stay afloat from what I've seen), the colleges (thank goodness!) and a handful of children's theatre groups. It saddens me to see that in 20 years so little has changed when it comes to the development and sustaining of performance art.

For a metro this size, theater (as well as other performance art — ballet, music, opera, etc.) should be vital and thriving. Performing arts are not just for children! What happens when the talented child grows up and loses the chance to sing, dance and perform in front of others as a young and older adult? Performing arts allows adults to express creativity, share stories, cultures, and ideas.

I applaud all the members of the theater community in Fresno & Clovis who work on a shoestring budget to provide us what we have. Next time a theater company knocks on your door for support or attendance, consider the long-term effects of saying no.

This story was originally published November 24, 2019 at 6:00 AM with the headline "Investigating President Trump: Letters to the editor, Nov. 24, 2019."