Instead of ‘fixing' education, support Florida public schools and teachers

Miami Herald

04-04-2025

Quality education
Re: the March 30 letter, 'Fixing education.' An example of a president 'fixing' a problem was Jimmy Carter, who established the U.S. Department of Education (ED) in 1979. One of the goals of ED is to ensure equal access to education, yet President Trump's administration wants to eliminate civil rights protections and discrimination based on gender, race and disabilities.
Further, 'student achievement' reached an all-time high in the early to mid 2010s, according to the National Assessment of Educational Progress, the nation's report card. This is not, as the writer stated, like it had been 'falling since the department's founding.' The pandemic was the major cause of a decline in learning.
To justify the dismantling of ED, Trump has repeatedly claimed that U.S. schools rank 40th out of 40 nations and first in cost per pupil. Neither is true, according to FactCheck.org. Instead of eliminating ED, 'fix' it by supporting our public schools and paying teachers fairly. Also, let's be mindful that our country is where those of other countries send their upper level students to be educated. This is the real 'no-brainer.'
Pat Singleton,
Coral Gables
Working program
Social Security is a popular and vital program that helps 65 million Americans. Everyone reading this either benefits from it or knows someone who benefits. Since its inception in 1935, there have been people frightened and envious of this program's efficiency and functionality.
As a clear example of good government 'for the people,' it repudiates their whole philosophy. And, of course, they want the money, all $2.7 trillion. Threats to Social Security are based on assertions of widespread fraud. Evidence of fraud, however, is as rare as evidence of voter fraud in the 2020 election.
At the Social Security Administration (SSA), thousands of staff have been fired by Elon Musk's DOGE, supposedly to weed out government waste. Not surprisingly, SSA's ability to function has plummeted. The real goal is to replace established government institutions like the SSA with private corporations connected, perhaps, to the president.
Taking money from the poor and middle classes on the basis of lies, then handing it over to the rich, ranks among the most despicable, indefensible, shameful acts of governance. Let us all pledge to never vote for any politician who reduces, privatizes or otherwise dismantles Social Security.
Thomas Carsey,
Palmetto Bay
Truth to power?
Secretary of State Marco Rubio revoked more than 300 student visas during the past month. He says they are Hamas sympathizers who are disrupting school properties. Most, however, are simply students exercising their First Amendment rights of free speech against an unpopular war in the Middle East.
Instead of holding truth to power, Rubio is kissing the rings of Donald Trump and Elon Musk and not speaking out about deporting undocumented immigrants without due process of law. One would think that Rubio, a Cuban-American, would have learned something about the past 65 years of communist Cuba.
Instead, he is too busy taking rights away from his own citizens while keeping his eye on running for the presidency.
Kenneth Karger,
Kendall
Wants vs. needs
President Trump recently announced that 'Canada doesn't have anything we need.'
Why, then, is he interested in making Canada the 51st state?
People need to listen very closely to what this con man is saying.
John Jarnagin,
Key Largo
A fine mess
In the March 30 letter, 'For education's sake,' the writer suggested that, 'Quality education is either for all or for none' and proposes putting 'education in the hands of the states.'
Fine. Let's look at what the states did with gun control. Whether one favors more or less control, letting local politicians control the process has created a confusing and complex mishmash of gun laws throughout the nation.
Imagine what these politicians would do to confuse and complicate the education process. 'Parental control' is a smokescreen for gaining local political power.
Richard Pober,
Palmetto Bay
Get involved
April is National Volunteer Appreciation Month. As AmeriCorps members with Early Learning Corps, Maria Espinoza and Brianna Llaguno have focused on providing preschool students with extra practice and support to help them start strong. Over the past four years, they have collectively volunteered 9,600 hours to help students succeed!
Maria and Brianna are part of prekindergarten classrooms, where they spend their days talking, reading, writing, singing and playing with students to help them develop early literacy and math skills. Thanks to the extra support they've provided, we've seen wonderful growth. It's been incredible having them be part of the school community.
Early Learning Corp is looking for more great people to join our team as tutors. If interested, please visit join.readingandmath.org.
Kara Arthur,
Hallandale Beach
Can't bear it
For weeks before March 13, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) promoted a 'public forum' regarding the resumption of bear hunting. More than 500 people signed into a virtual forum, most expecting to object to a repeat of 2015, when more than 300 bears were killed in just two days of a one-week season.
Ultimately, the FWC moderator discussed how best to kill bears; nothing about whether bears should be killed. As to when a mother bear can be killed, FWC opined that a six-month-old cub was 'self-sufficient,' while admitting that cubs stay with and learn from their mother for two years. Notwithstanding massive public opposition to renewed bear hunting, the mask is off of FWC's march to a predetermined result: resumed bear killing.
Three more virtual public meetings are scheduled via Zoom, on April 2, 3 and 5. The agenda has not been published and it's unclear whether these meetings will duplicate the March 13 dog and pony show or involve new dogs and ponies. Public comments can be emailed to [e-mail]. The final decision will be made at the next FWC meeting to be held in Ocala on May 21.
The FWC must understand that bears are not ears of corn to be 'harvested' for the benefit of a tiny number of trophy hunters who derive their self-worth from the magnificence of the animal they kill.
James Woodard,
Palmetto Bay
Just thinking
Is there a difference between President Donald Trump wanting to aggressively take over Greenland to protect its people, as Vice President JD Vance has said, and Russian President Vladimir Putin aggressively fighting to take over Ukraine, to supposedly save it from imaginary Nazification?
Maybe if Trump stopped alienating our European allies, we wouldn't have to worry so much.
Priscilla Fregger Adler,
Cutler Bay
America's diamond
A list of 250 words President Trump's administration considers unacceptable for government documents includes Native American, Black, women, disabled and elderly. The first Black baseball player in the Major Leagues and a soldier, Jackie Robinson, was eliminated from the Department of Defense website before protests mandated replacement.
Baseball, America's favorite pastime, is all about diversity. More than 40% of players are people of color, including Latino/Hispanic, Black and Asian. Numerous Jewish players, including Sandy Koufax, were Major Leaguers. Jim Abbott, a one-handed pitcher, never considered himself disabled. Among other Native Americans, Jim Thorpe, an Olympic Gold medalist, played baseball for the Giants. The All-American Girls Professional Baseball League was formed in 1943 during WWII to replace wartime GI's.
When we watch the Olympics, aren't we touched by the spectacle of the world's athletes coming together in peace for common dreams? Do the Olympics exclude the terms Trump and his AI minions are trying to eradicate from our psyche?
Let's stop whitewashing our diverse America.
Johnnie McDonald,
Coconut Grove
Car costs
President Trump's recent decision to impose a 25% tariff on imported automobiles is a misguided attempt to bolster domestic manufacturing that will ultimately harm American consumers and businesses. Tariffs are a self-defeating tool; by raising the cost of foreign imports — including those produced by U.S. companies overseas — they artificially inflate prices, leading to permanent inflation, increased business costs, and potential layoffs.
This approach exacerbates global trade tensions, inviting retaliatory measures that further damage U.S. exports, resulting in a lose-lose scenario.
The best way to encourage the U.S. industry is not through protectionist policies but by eliminating corporate taxes and deregulating markets to make domestic investment and growth more attractive.
Paul Bacon,
Hallandale Beach