Terry Slatic and FUSD racism: Letters to the editor, Oct. 14, 2020
Slatic’s comments called disturbing
Trustee Slatic’s comments during the Oct. 7 Fresno Unified School District board meeting are disturbing. Specifically, his argument that systemic racism in our schools is a partisan issue. This mindset is not only willfully ignorant, but dangerous, especially when it’s repeated by someone in a position of power at a school district predominantly serving Black and brown students.
We applaud the rest of the school board and FUSD leadership for passing the anti-racism resolution. We’re in the midst of a pivotal election season. Anyone willing to ignore the reality of systemic racism and disrespect the experiences of people of color shouldn’t be given power in our community. We need leaders to dismantle the systemic racism that harms Fresno’s students, staff and families.
We need leaders who have our students’ safety and best interest at heart, especially students of color. We urge the community to keep this in mind this election. To the leaders at Fresno Unified who are fighting for the safety of our students, we say, please keep it up
Hannah Esqueda Freeman, Californians for Justice, Fresno
Reopen libraries and get reading
With so many places opening up, why can’t the county libraries figure out a way to at least do something rather than sitting shuttered?
Sure, quarantine the returned books for however long needed, no public computer use, limit the number of people in the library, and amount of time they can stay. Do what you need to do, but at least let books be ordered, checked out or something.
If people can be unmasked, huffing and puffing next to each other in a gym, surely a person can go in and get a book.
Paulette Bellamy, Lemoore
Trump disrespects people of color
Trump supporters with Latino roots, as well as any person of color: When you look in the mirror, do you see the thief and rapist your treasured leader, Trump, sees you as? He sees you as worthless and he talks about it; he doesn’t want to have to shake hands with you because he sees you as filthy. Do you see yourself that way? My guess is you do. Otherwise, why would you support someone who is out to use you and diminish you, not ever caring about you, your spouse, your children your grandchildren, your friends. He’d rather put you all in cages. Wake up before you are the next to be caged.
Me? I don’t worry because I’m a college-educated suburban white woman — the exact person he is trying to get support from. That’s why I’m voting for Biden. I suggest you better learn how to discern — quickly — before this wannabe dictator runs amok over you.
Doreen Nagle Confino, Fresno
Put underlying conditions in context
On Republicans saying that the death toll from COVID-19 is only 6% of the total deaths because of underlying conditions of some people. Let me get this straight. I have a heart problem and as I am walking down the street a drunken driver hits me. It sends me to a hospital where, as they are trying to save my life, I have a heart attack brought on from the injuries’ that were caused by the drunken driver. I die. But I died from a heart attack because I have a bad heart.
By Republican thinking this means that the drunken driver can go home as he didn’t kill me, the heart problem that I already had killed me. By my thinking, wouldn’t I still be walking down the street with a heart problem if the drunken driver hadn’t hit me?
Daniel Houts, Fresno
This story was originally published October 14, 2020 at 6:00 AM with the headline "Terry Slatic and FUSD racism: Letters to the editor, Oct. 14, 2020."