Letters

Not a bargain

To the publisher:

I absolutely agree with Mr. McCollister’s statements regarding collective bargaining and our schools (“Publisher’s View,” Oct. 23). It seems at times that our teachers are indeed “teamsters,” but for the team of “me” rather than the team of “we” (the students). Our schools seem to indeed be “factories” where curriculum is manufactured to produce the best “product/scores” (our children). Now that the school board is finally free of the restrictions of the court’s desegregation order, why would they want to be tied down to collective bargaining? Are our children nothing more than parts on an assembly line to be bargained over and held hostage to what unions feel is best? If the school board thinks collective bargaining will improve their image I feel they are sadly mistaken. I fear our schools will resemble the Sopranos rather than institutions of learning.

Stephanie Triche, Baton Rouge

Why not run?

To the editor:

As usual, you are the lone voice of reason in the wilderness that is the early 20th century thinking so pervasive in our fair Notropolis (“Random Thoughts,” Oct. 23). So, I ask, what do I have to do to get you to run for office? I like Kip very much and think politically he is the best thing to happen to Baton Rouge since the Mississippi River, but you should be his successor when he moves on to greener pastures.

Danny Watts, Baton Rouge

To the editor:

After weeks of debating the need for a declaration proclaiming Baton Rouge a tolerant city and the talk has died down, you bring this up in your latest column. While I do agree with much of your stuff, and I do think you have the best of intentions, I am disappointed that you feel like such a declaration makes sense and is nothing but a PC feel-good approach to solving a lot of our problems.

Back in the day, we were taught the Golden Rule: “Do unto others as you would have them do to you.” Why do we need a new rule labeling everyone? Everyone is me, you and the guy behind the tree. Your sex, color, religion, political beliefs and behavior in private should not matter.

Why shouldn’t our mayor and city council proclaim to the world that Baton Rouge believes in The Golden Rule? I think that says it all. Now if we can all do our best to follow that rule, this would be a better place for everybody.

As for some of your other ideas to get this city moving, right on. We need less parochialism and more globalism. We need a tax system similar to Texas and not like ours (listen to Treasurer Kennedy, he’ll tell you we are not a low tax state), and we need to see what we can do now to undo the problems created by years of distrust, abuse and poor planning.

Keep blowing the trumpet. You are doing a great job. I just don’t like all the tunes, but then that’s just me.

Bob Bernhard, Baton Rouge

To the editor:

As an independent liberal born and raised on the East Coast, I find the intolerance in this town—not only extends to gays, lesbians, blacks, non-Christians but also to liberals—so disheartening and mean-spirited, I look forward to the day in two years when my son graduates from high school and I can leave the state.

Having a commercial media that only serves the white conservative population encourages intolerance. What sort of message are we giving the rest of the country when they arrive at the Baton Rouge airport and Fox “News” is playing on the TV monitors—conservative and intolerant?

Vicki Ann Lancaster, Baton Rouge

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