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Letters

Staggered reading 'causing havoc'

Dear Editor,

I am a Pleasanton resident and a parent of kindergarten, second- and fourth-grade children here at Pleasanton schools.

I would like to point out how incorrect your statement in the Weekly (Aug. 31, "PUSD revises plan for special education students") was regarding the staggered reading. You stated that the "initial flak has died down." This is so far from the truth.

Janel Sloan may have been the only one to attend the meeting this time but she speaks for so many of us parents. You stop by any of the elementary schools and you will find that nearly all of the parents are dissatisfied with the change. It's causing havoc at the schools, totally disrupting parents' schedules and work days, and we fail to see any benefit to our kids' education, nor has any benefit been proven to us.

It's a mess. I do understand that there are budget cuts. I do understand that times are difficult for PUSD. But is this the way to fix the problem? I don't think so. And Janel and I are far from the only ones of this opinion.

Marie Stapleton

Don't leverage city's name

Dear Editor,

I respectfully disagree with Fred Norman's request for the formation of a Peace Commission.

I would defend Fred's right to speak his mind and have his opinion heard. However, if he wants to have a platform from which to speak his mind he has many options. For example, he can pay for and form his own political action committee. He can also hold rallies (at his own expense) in the town square and draw like-minded people.

I object to giving any group access to a platform that leverages the "Pleasanton" name. If anyone or any group would like to have the use of our town's name, they should get themselves elected or get a ballot initiative approved by the citizens of Pleasanton that authorizes the creation of any given commission.

The citizens of Pleasanton should have the right to directly vote on how our name and reputation is used within our city, state and nation. Fred's intent may be noble but it opens the door for abuse by unelected and unaccountable citizens.

Rick Juarez