Magic Valley speaks up: Letters to the editor for the week of Sep. 20, 2019
Our weekly round-up of letters published in the imes-News
I do not wish to debate Steve’s conservative Republican vs. liberal Democrat discussion for or against Early Childhood Education. As a former educator, I’m coming at this discussion from a different angle.
For the last several years of my teaching career, one of my job assignments was to teach reading to middle school delayed readers. Some of these students were refugees who were just learning English. These students fall into a separate category. However, many were young people from the community who, for one reason or another, did not learn how to read properly when they first started school. Some had learning disabilities. There were others who, through no fault of their own, were environmentally disadvantaged. They could have been from dysfunctional families or from families that moved many times during the formative years of the student. Thus, the student just didn’t get the basics in how to read.
By the time I got these students, many were reading at the second or third-grade level. We educators know that most basic critical information for adults, whether it be instructions, directions, or even driver’s license manual information, is written for the fifth-grade reading level. These students had always been behind. Unfortunately, the chances were great that they would always be delayed readers.
This fact plays out over time. Many become at-risk students who are frustrated with school and drop out. If there is no nurturing support at home, they can get involved in unsavory illicit activities that can lead to incarceration. We the tax payers then get to support them.
My point is this: It’s wonderful to think that all parents, if they wish, can send their children to private preschools or day care facilities. These cost money. Many families can’t afford this. Children who can benefit from these early childhood experiences come to school with a leg up on those whose parents can’t afford those experiences. The “have nots” can be stigmatized from the very beginning. Even though we would like to think that all parents are doing the nurturing at home, in today’s world, this is just not the case. Many times, both parents are working two jobs to make ends meet and are just exhausted at the end of the day.
Lastly, it’s “pay me now or pay me later.” We in Idaho need educated people in the workforce. This education needs to start during their formative years. Many states have come to realize this. I hope that our state will soon decide that this is not a frivolous but a critical expense that we cannot delay.
Susan Waters Twin Falls
I'm all for Reclaim Idaho's plan to tax corporations and the rich 3% more in taxes to fund education. In early 2016, an Idaho newspaper found that corporate income taxes amounted to less than 3% of our state budget. With the 2017 GOP Cult-of-Trump tax cut bonanza to corporations and the wealthy along with our state adjustments, taxes corporations and the rich pay are likely even less. We workers shelled out over 17% of that budget in sales tax and over 21% in income tax. Only the feds kicked in more with almost 35% of the budget.
Meanwhile, as our Legislature was winding up in the early spring, statewide 10 to 12 school districts were holding tax levy or bond elections totaling just shy of $500 million. Obviously how much the Legislature funds education is not enough.
Corporations complain they aren't getting enough educated, trained workers. Start paying closer to your fair share, and a measly 6% of the state budget still doesn't seem an adequate fair share for the schools, roads, fire and police protection, etc., that we provide.
Dallas Chase
Boise
It’s time to clean up the Snake River
The Twin Falls Times-News deserves much credit for its stories on the Snake River and water quality in the Magic Valley. They shed much light on how the river, a blue-ribbon trout stream in eastern Idaho, becomes unsuitable for recreating, fishing or even being near it by the time it reaches Hells Canyon.
The Idaho Conservation League considers the Magic Valley ground zero for the Snake’s transformation from pristine to a severely polluted river, primarily due to heavy agricultural use and 425,000 dairy cows producing about 50 million pounds of waste daily. This leads to excess phosphorus and nitrogen being washed into rivers and leaching into groundwater. The state lists the Snake as impaired by phosphorus pollution and failing water quality standards. Our groundwater report also shows two-thirds of wells sampled in the Magic Valley have high levels of nitrate — some approaching harmful concentrations.
The Times-News cares enough about this to send journalists on a recent field tour led by the Idaho Conservation League. We toured key sites along the Snake River near Twin Falls to highlight the league’s work to address water pollution. Because spring water feeds much of the river, surface and groundwater are intertwined. To reduce surface water pollution, the Idaho Conservation League engages in the Middle Snake Watershed Advisory Group to counsel the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality on ways to regulate the amount of contaminants released into the river. And, in July, we published our first groundwater quality report on the Eastern Snake Plain Aquifer.
The league’s goal is a safe, fishable and swimmable Snake River. The extensive cleanup needed to do this requires significant involvement from local communities and stakeholders. The Idaho Conservation League recognizes the river’s integral role to Idahoans, especially in the Magic Valley, and hope many of you will join us to clean up the Snake.
For more information, go to idahoconservation.org/issues/water.
Josh Johnson
Ketchum
Kudos to the hunters who befriended and protected the young bull elk who spent five days at their campsite near Stanley. It was the start of archery season, and if Elliott wasn’t slaughtered outright — bow-hunting is one of the cruelest ways to kill — he might have run off and died slowly and agonizingly as he bled out.
So why not give the deer, turkeys, pronghorns, bears, quail and other animals who are hunted in Idaho a break, too? They only want to be left in peace to forage, explore and raise their families.
Live and let live.
Craig Shapiro
PETA Foundation
St. Nicholas Catholic School is grateful for support
St. Nicholas Catholic School started the academic year with a new look. After many hours of work and planning, St. Nicholas students have new playground equipment to enjoy during recess. In a ribbon-cutting ceremony during Open House on Aug. 22, Principal Wes Remaley thanked the many volunteers and local businesses who made it all possible. School superintendent and St. Nicholas parish pastor, the Rev. Francisco Godinez, was given the honor of cutting the ribbon — much to the delight of students.
Aging equipment was removed this summer, ground cover was changed, cement poured, rubber bark distributed and a new play structure and swing set erected.
“Students are so pleased to have a fun new play space,” Remaley said in a statement, “Our playground is now safer and easier for teachers to monitor. We are thankful to the many volunteer parents, donors and local businesses who made this possible.”
The updated playground is the result of countless volunteer hours that was initiated by the St. Nicholas Catholic School Board’s fundraising efforts, community donations and a grant. The project came to fruition just days before school started Aug. 21.
Luke Adams, a former student and now parent of current students, spearheaded the renovation.
“Our playground was really out-of-date. It has not changed since I attended school,” Adams said. “We got a lot of good years out of the old equipment, but our students needed an updated and safer area to run and play.”
St. Nicholas Catholic School wants to offer a special thank you to the following businesses, churches and individuals: Barclay Mechanical, High Output Construction, J & L Electric, Lynch Oil, Northwest Farm Credit Services, Timm Adams Farms, the Land Group, the Sprinkler Shop, Valley Agronomics, Rupert 2nd, 3rd and 4th Wards and the many parents, parishioners and community volunteers.
At St. Nicholas Catholic School, our mission is to bring children closer to Christ by providing an excellent integrated religious, academic and social education in order to develop a Christian attitude, a solid work ethic and respect for themselves and their community.
Nikki Wutzke, Secretary
St. Nicholas Catholic School
Rupert
Magichords thanks supporters
We would like to thank these businesses for their support of the Magichords tater pig booth at the Twin Falls County Fair: Glanbia, Falls Brand, Dart and Rite Stuff Foods.
Harry Chapin
Twin Falls
Museum appreciates new look
Thanks to a local group of outstanding businesses, the exterior of the Sun Valley Center for Arts Museum in Ketchum received a fresh new makeover. We are so grateful to the following individuals and businesses for their generous support: Steve Hobbs of Hobbs Builders, Adam Elias of Elias Construction, Mat Morgan and Chris Zarkos of Morgan’s Fine Finishes, Paul Kettleband of Earth and Structure, Mark Spencer of Native Landscapes, Jeff Burrell of Color Haus, Kyle Worthington of Evergreen Landscaping, Jonathan Lunceford of Lunceford Excavation and AC Houston.
Sun Valley Center for the Arts staff
Ketchum
