Mailbag: Keep the service on Memorial Day, math book selection, noise ordinance, native trees
Keep the service on Memorial Day
Re: “A schedule could use adjusting,” Anita Brenner’s Around Town column, May 19. While the origins of Memorial Day in the United States are somewhat in dispute, the purpose of the day is not. For more than 160 years, Americans have set aside one day each year for a national remembrance of the people who died while serving in our Armed Services.
Memorial Day weekend is special in our community. When our family moved here now nearly two decades ago we learned of and fully supported La Cañada’s combination of a serious remembrance and frivolous fun. Flag raising and fireworks. Plaque dedications and pancake breakfasts. Memorials and music in the park.
We taught our kids that while those events may seem incongruous, they really aren’t. In fact, it is precisely the service of our war heroes that allows for — and guarantees — the frivolous fun the first weekend of summer signifies. Our oldest daughter represented her Girl Scout troop in several ceremonies. Our youngest is honored to be part of the current group of young people for whom the service provides an opportunity to acknowledge the role the military has played in ensuring our freedoms.
The idea of moving our community’s commitment to Memorial Day is unnerving. On a simple level it would be a logistical nightmare. Other days and weekends are already consumed with activities — especially near the end of the school year. The ceremony often calls for school choirs, school color guards and Boy and Girl Scout troops to add their hearts, minds and skills so we can be reminded of the extreme sacrifices made by others. Moving to another weekend or day would greatly restrict the participation of the young people who make the ceremony what it is.
On a more complex level it would send an unfortunate message. The running race and parade are not more important than the Memorial Park ceremony — they exist because of it. Yes, it might be a bit inconvenient for some, but so is proper citizenship.
Here’s a voice in favor of not only keeping La Cañada’s traditional Memorial Day Service on Memorial Day but doubling down on community involvement, attendance and support of the most important event of the weekend. Hope to see you Monday, May 30 at 9 a.m. at Memorial Park.
Jack MacKenzie
La Cañada Flintridge
The writer serves on the organizing committee for the La Cañada Memorial Service.
Adding less Go to MowBlowGo
Re: “Council speaks up on noise level,” May 19. La Cañada residents: Please support the proposed noise ordinance. Address future additions, such as establishing separate “MowBlowGo” hours, and/or a goal for a ban, to be included in the Climate Action Plan. Deadline is June 13.
As a fitness and health professional, I’m committed to solutions that protect and serve those with challenging conditions (such as asthma, fibromyalgia, pre- and post-surgery, spine issues, trauma), as well as athletes.
MowBlowGo workers may be unaware of the specific dangers of misuse. Hearing loss from 150 mph backpack leaf blowers (just how big are these leaves?) is generated by proximity and a spinal vibration. Respiratory ailments come from asphalt and soils. Adverse psychological reactions/nervous stress may be caused by prolonged exposure (OSHA recommends 20 minutes) and by blowing sideyards where sounds double. Carrying the packs also causes pain.
City licensing and inspection, and establishing new noise limits will naturally bring MowBlowGo workers to trade in equipment. Instead, let’s use electric mulching mowers, street sweeping and reduce/separate allowable MowBlowGo hours from landscaping and add seasonal restrictions. Allow them from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., November through June, ban leaf blowers in the summer and allow them from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m in the autumn.
Thank you, neighbors and workers, for your input. We can breathe easier knowing many of you have already voluntarily changed.
Julie Thurston
La Cañada Flintridge
Nonnatives don’t aid local wildlife
Re: The photo of the city’s recent planting of crape myrtle trees at Glenhaven Park, May 19. Much has changed since Arbor Day was first celebrated in America in 1872. We now understand that not just trees, but native trees, are vital for supporting ecological health and essential ecosystem services. Despite this fact, the city of La Cañada Flintridge persists in planting nonnative trees for Arbor Day.
In 2016, the city planted a pair of crape myrtles (originally from China); in 2015, a carrotwood (originally from Australia). This year, Mayor Jon Curtis stated that crape myrtles provide habitat for wildlife. This statement is not supported by scientific evidence. Habitat means food and shelter. Crape myrtles and other nonnatives do not feed the 90% of leaf-eating insect species (such as caterpillars of butterflies) that can eat only native plants. What’s more, nonnative flowers have only an 8% visitation rate by native bees compared to an 80% visitation rate of native flowers. Nonnative plants devastate the food web and, with it, healthy functioning ecosystems.
The world is experiencing a sixth mass extinction, caused by loss of habitat. We should be supporting biodiversity and making habitat everywhere we can by planting native.
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors mandated that Phase Two of the Expo Line be landscaped with 90% native plants. If a bureaucratic entity as large as the MTA can wrap its collective mind around the ecological and water-conservation benefits of native plants and landscape with them, the city of La Cañada Flintridge should be able to plant a native tree for Arbor Day. Rather than crape myrtle, the city should have planted Western redbud (Cercis occidentalis), which blooms with beautiful pink flowers every spring, helping our native pollinators, while the pollinated flowers become seeds for birds.
All trees sequester carbon, reduce erosion, provide shade, etc. but only native trees support biodiversity. It’s time for the city of La Cañada Flintridge to embrace the science and be in step with the times that demand we act more responsibly.
Lisa Novick
La Cañada Flintridge
Blumenfeld campaigns tirelessly
On Sunday May 22, I was proud to host at my home one of the many meet-and-greets Andrew Blumenfeld has participated in during his campaign for the state Assembly. For hours, Andrew answered every question, and demonstrated his thorough grasp of a wide variety of policy issues.
I am proud that Andrew Blumenfeld has maintained his commitment to run a campaign that provokes meaningful and productive conversations in our community. And what did he do afterward? The same as he has been doing for months. He joined his countless volunteers and took to the streets to knock on hundreds of doors in our neighborhood, to engage every last member of our community. That’s a campaign that clears the high bar we should set for such an important decision.
I am confident our community will look beyond the pricey mailers paid for by outside groups, and the petty attacks, and dig deeper and learn more. When you do, I believe you will join me and the many others who are proudly casting their vote for Andrew Blumenfeld for state Assembly.
Hui Su
La Cañada Flintridge
Math book selection divisive
La Cañada is unique in that it has some of the greatest technical minds in the nation in its district — JPL and Caltech parents. LCUSD employs the best teachers in the country. That mixture of parent and teacher should guarantee us a superb math program. Unfortunately, everything has been done to keep these two groups from intersecting. Parents have been all but shut out of the math textbook selection process.
Education Code § 60002 requires a district to promote parent involvement. The State Board of Education (“SBE”) Policy #01-05 provides guidelines for implementing materials not on the SBE adopted list for California schools, as seen here with “Everyday Mathematics” (“EM”). The guidelines urge transparency and parent involvement. LCUSD’s Board Policy 6161.1 requires parents to be encouraged to participate. Promotion, encouragement and transparency have been almost nonexistent.
Board Policy 6161.1 requires candidate books to be available for inspection for at least a week. Assistant Supt. Anais Wenn limited the inspection to three hours on May 3. Twenty-six people showed and even fewer completed a questionnaire. Only after parents expressed concern at the May 10 meeting did Ms. Wenn make materials available by appointment. Such secrecy leaves one to wonder if maybe EM will not pass scrutiny.
A quick Google search of EM reveals an overabundance of negative reviews. When asked if anyone had contacted districts that had implemented and then abandoned EM, Ms. Wenn admitted that no one had.
The sixth- and second-grade teachers on the committee chose “Math In Focus” (second has since settled for EM). “Math In Focus” includes a textbook. EM does not. “Math In Focus” allows students who have mastered a lesson to move on to the next on their own. EM will not. “Math In Focus” includes a significant online component to which the committee was supposedly never provided access.
The La Cañada school board should vote against EM or, at a minimum, postpone any vote until concerns are resolved. Any vote should also be distanced from teacher salary negotiations. Teachers critical of EM would be expected to speak publicly against colleagues when unity is of utmost importance.
Deborah Parker
La Cañada Flintridge