Elena Kagan’s nomination to the Supreme Court; L.A. Unified’s proposed parcel tax; a deadly text message

Kagan on the court?

Re “Kagan is picked for high court,” May 10

Elena Kagan, the president’s nominee for the Supreme Court, has the least amount of experience of any nominee in the last three decades. Her judicial experience is zero, as is her real-world experience.

President Obama appointed her as solicitor general, where she once argued that the federal government has the power to ban certain books and pamphlets. Responding to this argument for the majority of the court, Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. wrote, “As a free-floating test for 1st Amendment coverage, that idea is startling and dangerous.”

Kagan has called for Senate confirmation hearings “to engage nominees in meaningful discussion of legal issues.” Now, being considered for a permanent position on the Supreme Court, she should be vigorously evaluated by these very standards.

Gary Curtis
Valencia

The observation that Kagan’s track record with conservatives may help with her nomination is another indication of how far our country has moved to the right.

In over 30 years, there has been no candidate nominated for this illustrious position that has been an avowed supporter of labor or liberal causes.

It’s a sad litmus test indicating, yet again,

how far our country has moved in a direction that ignores the plight of the poor and the disenfranchised.

Russell Blinick
Encino

When I read that, if Kagan is confirmed, every single one of the justices will be graduates of Harvard, Yale or Columbia law schools, that several did their undergraduate work at Princeton and that more than a few were born and raised in New York City, I started doing a slow burn.

The existing imbalance of six Catholics has given me a lot of trouble, so I guess a third Jew is better than a seventh Catholic (Protestants don’t seem to be any more likely than atheists to get the nod).

I am fed up with politics dominated by special interests and by the elites of the Northeast. Earl Warren wouldn’t stand a chance in today’s world. Nor would Sandra Day O’Connor, with her disgraceful attendance at Stanford Law School.

Janet Weaver
Huntington Beach

I truly believe that there isn’t a person, living or dead, Obama could nominate for the Supreme Court who would be acceptable to the Republicans, including Jesus.

Carlie Harris
Harbor City

Schools need the money

Re “No on the parcel tax,” Editorial, May 8

I was surprised to see The Times encouraging a no vote on the parcel tax. While I agree that the district and the unions still have work to do, schools need that money desperately, and, as you point out, much of that money will go to individual schools to use as they see fit.

Parents are already paying for art programs, PE programs, music programs and supplies. To come up with almost $100,000 to pay for a laid-off teacher is almost impossible, especially at a small school. A $100 parcel tax is a small price to pay to help our schools.

Many of us have had our property taxes adjusted to reflect lower home values, and that difference more than covers the parcel tax.

Kim Haselhoff
Encino

Although I agree that the Los Angeles Unified School District has a sad history of financial mismanagement, I vehemently disagree that full restoration of the arts program is a “lower priority.” Visual and performing arts are core academic subjects just like math and English, according to state and federal education codes.

Furthermore, studies document that arts education has a measurable impact on at-risk youth in deterring delinquent behavior and truancy, increasing literacy and helping to level the “learning field” across socioeconomic boundaries.

It seems both shortsighted and callous to deem arts education a low priority. While some schools will be able to supplement the lack of an arts program by funding their own classes, many schools in lower-income areas will not, thus depriving the very children who arguably need the arts the most.

Anne Flanagan
Los Angeles

The League of Women Voters of Los Angeles has long encouraged L.A. Unified to seek creative ways, such as parcel taxes, of increasing school revenues.

Parcel taxes can be politically feasible in a time of need. The accountability concerns raised in the Times editorial about Measure E can be addressed by the district, in concert with oversight by community groups such as the league.

We support Measure E.

David A. Holtzman
Los Angeles
The writer is president of the League of Women Voters of Los Angeles.

I agree with The Times that taxpayer safeguards and focusing on core academic programs are important in local funding measures for schools; however, I’m concerned that readers might mistake your statements to refer to the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District’s local measure, when in fact your editorial was silent on Measure A.

Measure A includes strict taxpayer accountability provisions and was written to protect core academic programs against deep cuts caused by state funding reductions. It requires all revenues to be spent in the classroom. Without Measure A, Santa Monica and Malibu schools will lose up to one in eight outstanding teachers, increasing class size by as much as 30%.

Good schools benefit everyone. If you live in Santa Monica or Malibu, vote yes on Measure A.

Shari L. Davis
Santa Monica
The writer is president, Santa Monica-Malibu Council of PTAs.

Regarding school parcel taxes, the idea of having a “citizens oversight committee” is appealing but amounts to little more than a campaign gimmick to get the parcel tax passed.

These so-called independent committees are invariably created by, and ultimately answerable to, the districts whose spending they are supposed to oversee.

An oversight committee was one of the selling points in the recent unsuccessful campaign to pass a parcel tax in the Pasadena Unified School District. I was the chairman of the opposition campaign that defeated that proposal. The flimsy nature of those oversight committees was just one reason why we were able to defeat the parcel tax despite being outspent by the proponents.

My first reaction when I hear that a school district is proposing a parcel tax with a citizens oversight committee is that each school board member should thenceforth wear a sign reading “I am not doing my job. Fire me at the next election.”

Ross Selvidge
Pasadena

Don’t blame the message

Re “It was the text of their lives,” Column One, May 6

I think The Times focused on the wrong technology in retelling the tragedy of the text message that resulted in a shooting.

Teenagers have always found ways to insult each other and pick fights, but the technology that caused this death was a handgun.

Instead of bemoaning social media and communications gadgets, we should be focusing on restricting the sale and possession of firearms, which too often create deadly consequences of too-fast and too-easy anger.

Thomas Scully
Culver City

A house but not a home

Re “Our houses, ourselves,” Opinion, May 6

I am a real estate agent, and on caravan last Tuesday several of us were bemoaning the effect of staging on houses.

Now all the houses look alike: minimally furnished, beds dressed with duvets and pillows piled high, cushions plumped, neutral tones and photos packed away.

Where is the character? The charm? That lived-in, homey look? Where’s the soul, as Meghan Daum might ask?

Flown out the perfectly cleaned windows with the rest of the economy.

Nancy Wright
Pasadena