ReaderWire ReaderWire (February 13, 2004)

Loud government

A recent letter in the Palo Alto Weekly castigates Unblock members for not wanting to be "bothered" by long meetings and indicates that Downtown North Neighborhood Association members should have extra input by virtue of their willingness to spend hours in such meetings.

But one of the whole points of representative government is that we as citizens do not have the responsibility of governing. We elect whom we think are the most qualified candidates and let them spend the hours sifting through the issues.

Otherwise it simply becomes government by those who shout the loudest and have the most time on their hands. Janice Hough Bryant Street, Palo Alto
Unwanted ultimatum

What the teachers refused was an ultimatum. The district said to "choose between furloughs or layoffs." No other alternatives were presented.

This is not in the spirit of mutual problem solving, but an attempt to force a unilateral decision under the pretense of "discussion." Most of us are willing to engage in constructive dialogue when a problem is presented not by "You must" but by "How can we?"

Working together means seeking positive alternatives that best satisfy the needs of all parties. The teachers have every right to resist coercion that does not allow them equal measure in the decision-making process. Ron Cooper W. Meadow Drive, Palo Alto
Cooperation key to crisis

The teachers' union, or at least its out-of-touch "leadership," has done itself, its members, our schools and our community a deep disservice by its childish, selfish and short-sighted response to our schools' fiscal crisis.

The Weekly editorial (Feb. 4) says it well. Refusal to sit down and talk leaves the union as part of the problem without being part of the solution.

As a former school board member, leader in our successful bond issue and parcel tax campaigns, and parent of three Paly kids, I know we have a precious jewel in our schools, and I know that our teachers -- the vast majority of them -- are a critical part of that excellence. They are wonderful!

I wish we did not have this funding problem, and I wish we did not have to ask them to help solve it. But we do -- and we do.

Through priorities set over the years by various boards of education and superintendents, and supported by a generous community that values education and is willing to pay for quality, our teachers today make a competitive income.

Long-time teachers are currently receiving up to $95,000 for a 186-day work year and enjoy competitive benefits topped by an 8.25 percent per annum retirement contribution. In fact, on a per diem basis, many of our senior teachers make more than most school principals (no wonder so few are willing to become administrators).

We are in this together. We need to solve our fiscal problem together and we need to do it without stripping our reserves (if we have learned nothing else from Sacramento...).

Teachers and administrators must be cooperative problem-solvers for the sake of our kids and the future of our public schools. Don Way Kellogg Avenue, Palo Alto
Uninformed opinions?

Yes, teachers are justified in refusing to meet and discuss proposed no-pay "furlough" days.

How about raising your level of professionalism and printing both sides of the story before asking the public to express their opinion about a subject for which they have little or no information? Lisa Swagerty Fielding Drive, Palo Alto

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