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Wednesday's letters: The view from the classroom

 
Published Sept. 1, 2015

Public education

Consider view from the classroom

As the new school year begins, the politicians are again gearing up for the elections ahead. One of the hot topics, as usual, is education in our country. Why, year after year, do we find ourselves with the same problems: low student enthusiasm, little parent participation, dropping test scores and a general sense that the teachers just don't care anymore?

As one of those teachers, I can tell you we do care. We find ourselves, however, asked to deal with the ills of the world within our six hours of school, along with the academic tasks always assigned to us. Again and again, the legislators who allocate our tax money and school administrators who hand down directives have little or no classroom experience. At best, it seems their teaching days were decades ago when the world, and its parents and children, were very different.

As this new school year begins, classroom teachers ask the powers that be to come spend the day with us. Teach a lesson, observe our students, speak to our parents. Most importantly, speak to the teachers about what we need to teach and how to implement it — not the theorists or pedagogues who "gifted" us with Common Core.

Lori See, Largo

Solar power

Florida needs to step up

Isn't it time the Sunshine State lived up to its name? Why are we 13th in solar power?

Floridians for Solar Choice, which is pursuing an amendment to the state Constitution, wants everyone to have the choice to buy local solar power at low cost while saving money and the environment. Outdated laws force us to buy electricity from monopolies that are investing in solar and don't want competition.

I installed electric solar. It works great. It was costly but is far cheaper now. Floridians should have the option of electric solar without having to buy equipment. Many states have zero-down contracts called power purchase agreements. Companies own the solar, they install the equipment and get paid with incentives and writeoffs. Consumers buy cheap, clean electric power over 15 years to 25 years with a transferable contract.

Georgia just passed a law allowing solar choice with the backing of Georgia Power. Georgia's utilities commission is elected, while the Florida Public Service Commission is appointed by the governor and plays ball with the utilities, or members risks their jobs. To confuse people, power companies are backing another amendment pushed by Consumers for Smart Solar.

Gary Stocker, Hernando

Expanding Medicaid would have been wrong Aug. 28, commentary

Medicaid facts and fictions

The claims of the spokesman for Americans for Prosperity are not supported by the facts.

First, he claims that there is no evidence that Medicaid expansion provides increased access to quality health care. However, a 2013 study by the Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured found that there is little difference in access to preventive, primary care and hospitals between Medicaid recipients and the privately insured.

Second, the spokesman provided cost details in the billions of dollars for several states that expanded Medicaid. However, he ignored the revenues associated with these same expansions. These details are provided in at least two reports, by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Kaiser Family Foundation. The first group reported that Medicaid expansion in Arkansas, Colorado, Kentucky, Michigan, New Mexico, Oregon, Washington and West Virginia will save those states a total of $1.8 billion through 2015. Additionally, the Kaiser report examined Connecticut, New Mexico and Washington state and concluded that those states experienced Medicaid expansion revenue gains with limited costs.

Third, Americans for Prosperity questions whether the federal government will keep its word about funding Medicaid expansion. This is absurd in light of Florida's government consistently depending on the federal government keeping its word to fund about one-third of the state budget.

The AFP spokesman also says that the Florida Legislature should be praised for promoting patient-centered reforms such as "Direct Primary Care" because, "unlike traditional practices that accept Medicaid or insurance, DPC has flat monthly fees averaging between $50 and $125. No premiums. No co-pays." However, a New York Times 2013 reports states, "Most direct primary care doctors limit their services to basic or preventive care. … When patients need additional treatment for serious ailments or tests and procedures, DPC physicians … refer patients to specialists and technicians who accept insurance."

Howard F. Harris Jr., Tampa

The way forward for schools Aug. 30, commentary

Address threats to learning

Mike Grego, Rick Kriseman, Rick Davis and Deveron Gibbons all wrote informative letters of opinion on this subject. However, with the exception of Gibbons, they all insulted an entire community based solely on race and economic status.

While few would argue against providing low-income parents with additional support for their children such as breakfast, free/reduced lunch and before- and after-school care, it is condescending to arbitrarily assume that special educational needs are required for students just because they are black or poor.

Thankfully, Gibbons stated the foundational problem that must be corrected before any other initiatives can work. He talked about constant threats of physical and emotional violence that keep children from feeling safe in school. He summed up by saying, "The environment is unhealthy, distracting our children from academics and the sheer joys of childhood."

This unhealthy environment is created when students who are ill-prepared to function in society are allowed to stay in our schools — regardless of their race or their economic status. Someone must take the responsibility to get students to the classroom in the best condition for learning. In the case of K-12, that would be parents. Public education is promised to all children, not publicly funded parenting.

Linda Ruble, Pinellas Park