Letters: More on the ‘Arabs’ mascot

Re “Much ado about a school mascot,” Letters, Nov. 21

It seems odd that a teacher should object to discussion about the propriety of using a gross caricature of an Arab as a school mascot on the grounds that it distracts from more serious issues in education. In other words, we cannot focus on more than one issue at a time.

Shouldn’t a debate about civic engagement and shared respect be considered an educational opportunity to exercise some critical thinking? Respectful debate and scholastic achievement are not mutually exclusive.

One aspect of a debate might be whether the term “political correctness” is too often used as an excuse for continuing discourtesies toward groups of people we simply don’t think we should have to care about.

Marian Birge

Encinitas

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