MAILBAG - March 3, 2009
Not everybody’s having their signs robbed
I read Monday’s story about all the theft of the City Council candidates’ lawn signs (“Verdugo Woodlands reports signs stolen”).
It seems like the thievery was concentrated to the north Glendale area (the million-dollar homes) or the more affluent area. Just to point out the difference in areas or locales, I’m in south Glendale. My property is in a very well-suited bend in the road with excellent exposure. My business window signs and lawn signs, which are numerous, look like I was approached by every candidate — not so. I have duplicates.
Although we have numerous signs, we only have five different applicants. This morning, after breakfast, I went to the sidewalk and something looked different. Lo and behold, no signs were stolen, but my five applicants have grown to six.
After I recovered from my long night’s sleep and my eyes came into focus, I noticed something different. During the night, a good fairy came by, rearranged all the lawn signs and installed two new ones. My point is, in north Glendale, they remove or steal the signs, and in the not-so-affluent or south Glendale, they contribute to your collection. Strange.
JOHN CIANFRINI
Glendale
Freemon needs a lesson in compassion
Martin Briner’s Community Commentary (“Education board is not full of tyrants,” Wednesday) was refreshing, bold and right on target. I hope we will see a return to civility in the dialogue between the union and the district board. Our current Glendale Unified School District board members work hard to keep high-quality education available to our youth here in Glendale. If you doubt this, just look at the problems in many neighboring area school districts. We are fortunate that our district continues to offer high-quality classes because of great teachers and music, sports, arts and other programs necessary for the whole child to flourish. This, in large part, is due to the adept and thoughtful oversight of our current board members, administrative staff and teachers working together cooperatively.
I hope more teachers will follow Briner’s direction and support new union leadership. How can we expect our children to learn to work together in a functional way when Allen Freemon is preaching a dysfunctional model of teacher/district interaction? The Glendale News-Press just had a major article on the rise in incidents of bullying in our community (“Center: Bullying is on the rise,” Feb. 24). The Oxford Dictionary defines a bully as one who uses influence to intimidate someone, typically to force him or her to do what one wants. I contend that Freemon needs to set a better example of behavior.
CAROL HOUNSELL
Glendale
All candidates deserve equal treatment
Recently, the Glendale News-Press has published letters to the editor about certain candidates for the upcoming school board election (“Sahakian is not a champion for schools,” Mailbag, Feb. 17; “Union shouldn’t run school board,” Mailbag, Friday). I am appalled that your newspaper is not remaining neutral in something as basic as this to our democracy. If you want to have a discussion on a candidate’s background, or where children go to school, or whatever, then compare that information about all the candidates in a feature story. That is what all the candidates deserve.
KATHY FRAZER
Burbank
Sahakian is a gain for Glendale
As a former student of Hoover High School, I can enthusiastically say that Eric Sahakian is a fantastic choice for the Glendale Unified School District Board of Education (“Don’t overlook Sahakian’s creds,” Mailbag, Thursday).
I remember the transition from junior high to high school was very tough on me, and Sahakian was the best counselor a student in my position could have.
He was always available to listen to my concerns and fears and was always available to talk to my mom when she had a question.
Even after Sahakian left Hoover for Toll Middle School, he helped me with my college applications, and I am currently enrolled at UC Irvine, finishing up my third year.
I can honestly say that without Sahakian, my time at Hoover would have been much different. I know that many other students feel the same way. Sahakian would serve as a great board member, and I encourage all Glendale residents to vote for him.
As a former Glendale Unified teacher, counselor and administrator, Sahakian has a wonderful mixture of experience and knowledge to lead the district to greatness again.
LINDA KARABED
Burbank