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4A Daily News – Saturday, February 9, 2013 Opinion Polson's drama DAILY NEWS RED BLUFF TEHAMA COUNTY T H E V O I C E O F T E H A M A C O U NTY S I N C E 1 8 8 5 Greg Stevens, Publisher gstevens@redbluffdailynews.com Chip Thompson, Editor editor@redbluffdailynews.com Editorial policy The Daily News opinion is expressed in the editorial. The opinions expressed in columns, letters and cartoons are those of the authors and artists. Letter policy The Daily News welcomes letters from its readers on timely topics of public interest. All letters must be signed and provide the writer's home street address and home phone number. Anonymous letters, open letters to others, pen names and petition-style letters will not be allowed. Letters should be typed and cannot exceed two double-spaced pages or 500 words. When several letters address the same issue, a cross section of those submitted will be considered for publication. Letters will be edited. Letters are published at the discretion of the editor. Mission Statement We believe that a strong community newspaper is essential to a strong community, creating citizens who are better informed and more involved. The Daily News will be the indispensible guide to life and living in Tehama County. We will be the premier provider of local news, information and advertising through our daily newspaper, online edition and other print and Internet vehicles. The Daily News will reflect and support the unique identities of Tehama County and its cities; record the history of its communities and their people and make a positive difference in the quality of life for the residents and businesses of Tehama County. How to reach us Main office: 527-2151 Classified: 527-2151 Circulation: 527-2151 News tips: 527-2153 Sports: 527-2153 Obituaries: 527-2151 Photo: 527-2153 On the Web www.redbluffdailynews.com Fax Newsroom: 527-9251 Classified: 527-5774 Retail Adv.: 527-5774 Legal Adv.: 527-5774 Business Office: 527-3719 Address 545 Diamond Ave. Red Bluff, CA 96080, or P.O. Box 220 Red Bluff, CA 96080 Editor: I have recently read the back and forth drama between both of the RMs (Richard Mazzucchi and Robert Minch) and Don Polson. In disgust. I would hope travelers through our county would not judge all of Tehama County based on Don Polson's longwinded rhetoric. Some of us find his opinions absurd and offensive. And I mean especially concerning the union labor work force. As editor, if you won't please eliminate Polson's drama will you at least give us readers a detailed history of this man's education and work history? Terance Van Dyke, Red Bluff No high perch Editor: Normally, I avoid reading the verbose and shallow screeds of Mr. Wolfe. However, my attention to his letter today was the result of a mention regarding same from a close friend. I was amazed at how brief the letter was while still maintaining its vapidity. Regarding Mr. Wolfe's com- ment about my high perch, which infers a privileged early life, I would like to offer a few facts of my past life. I was born shortly before the crash of 1929, but I don't claim responsibility for that event. My family struggled during the depression, often "ducking the bill collectors" when out of finances — yet giving food to many unemployed "pan-handlers" who passed through the neighborhood — some with college educations. These experiences probably helped to form my liberal leanings. I started hard work at 15 years on a wheat farm in Kansas, and decided that would be my future. Then, at the end of WW II, I was drafted and served in the army. I was hospitalized at Ft. Lewis and, for the first time, was exposed to my future profession and favorably impressed. From that time on, I worked hard to succeed in higher education and was supported by my labors, the work of my wife — who was also attending college — and partly from the G.I. Bill. While in college full time at UCLA, I worked part time for Standard Stations, nights and weekends. While still in school in San Francisco, I worked during the summer for moving compa- sumer and taxpayer pays for nies — hard, and not very reward- their incompetence and stupidiing, labor. I spent one summer ty. They can only raise taxes selling Fuller Brushes door to because of having no money but door — an ulcer-inducing event. they can't fix all the problems Once I entered the practice of that waste it. President Obama my profession, I spent ran the first time on many hours at work — his promise of "no Your nights, days, weekends pork" in bills. You — with a 60- to 100didn't see that change hour week not a rarity. and he didn't promise I apologize for the that again this last length of this letter term either. approaching that of the typical Then Superstorm Sandy vicWolfe diatribe. tims finally got some money, Now, if Mr. Wolfe considers more pork in that bill too, and that a privileged high perch, I now millions of dollars have would like to have him match my been stolen by past with his own. contractors. Maybe our governHugh Merhoff, Red Bluff ment should hire more people to safe-guard and oversee these funds, you think? Doesn't our president want more jobs. He Editor: says he does, just lip-service as When our government does usual. something, they do it big. The I'll bet Nancy Pelosi regrets new bomb sniffing dog patrol in what she said when she said, airports at the cost of 100 mil- "you have to pass it to find out lion dollars doesn't work. This what's in it." Well, we're finding is part of our out and it isn't pretty. Our presimoney problem. My dog has dent will exclude and exclude more sense than that. Maybe and exclude and it'll be the they should have tried it on a biggest waste of time and smaller scale. Make a test-run. money ever. Anything so comNo, that would make sense, plicated doesn't work. They can't start a trend like that. never learn. In every situation, the conBernice Cressy, Cottonwood Turn They never learn Your officials STATE ASSEMBLYMAN — Dan Logue, 1550 Humboldt Road, Ste. 4, Chico, CA 95928, 530-895-4217 STATE SENATOR — Jim Nielsen, 280 Hemsted Dr., Ste. 110, Redding, CA 96002, 530-223-6300, Fax: 530-223-6737, senator.nielsen@senate.ca.gov GOVERNOR — Jerry Brown, State Capitol Bldg., Sacramento, CA 95814; (916) 445-2841; Fax (916) 558-3160; E-mail: governor@governor.ca.gov. U.S. REPRESENTATIVE — Doug LaMalfa 506 Cannon House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515, 202-225-3076. U.S. SENATORS — Dianne Feinstein (D), One Post Street, Suite 2450, San Francisco, CA 94104; (415) 393-0707. Fax (415) 3930710. Barbara Boxer (D), 1700 Montgomery St., Suite 240, San Francisco, CA 94111; (510) 286-8537. Fax (202) 224-0454. Commentary Challenges for Red Bluff Union High School With Patrick Gleason's decision to return to the classroom after serving 12 years as the Principal of Red Bluff Union High School, the process for selecting a successor was launched. Picking a principal is not a trivial task; while there may be interested and qualified staff members who would like the position, it is important that the district select the best candidate from a pool of applicants broader than the pool of the existing school staff. This is not a reflection on the staff, but on the importance of carefully assessing who will be the best fit for both the school and the community. I attended a public meeting at Red Bluff High School on the evening of Thursday, January 24; the purpose of the meeting was to seek public input regarding the desired qualities of the new principal of Red Bluff High School. District Superintendent Lisa Escobar conducted the meeting and posted peoples' comments on chart paper for all to see. The meeting was very positive and many good ideas were presented. She was planning to meet with students the next day for their input. I was struck by the comments of a young mother sitting behind me; she said the openness of the selection process was refreshing, and she was glad to see the transparency in selecting such an important leader for our community. I was a little disappointed by the small turnout for the meeting; when we started there were only seven of us in the audience, but we grew to 11 by the end of the hour. There was a family of three, two married couples, a couple of mothers, a father, and an old timer, I mean me. I know there have been other meetings to seek input on candidate selection, but I hope the small turnout was a function of people's busy schedules and not apathy. One highlight of the meeting was there were no complaints, just positive statements about the school and ways to build on what is already there. These are exciting and challenging times at Red Bluff High School for many reasons. One challenge the school is facing is declining enrollment. In the school year 2009-10 there were 2,004 students enrolled in the Red Bluff Union High School; today there are 1360. In addition to the comprehensive high school the district also provides alternative education opportunities. Last year there were 154 students enrolled in independent study and 108 students enrolled at Salisbury Continuation School. (Data is from Dataquest, a service of the State Department of Education.) Declining enrollment means declining income, and sometimes the necessity of reducing staff, particularly if the staff retirement pattern does not parallel the decline in enrollment. Complicating staffing issues is the requirement of having the appropriate state teaching credential for the classes to be taught. For example, if three math teachers retired, it may be necessary to hire at least two to replace them even with declining enrollment, and simultaneously reducing staff that have other credentials. In addition, the process of reducing staff has strict guidelines schools must follow. Curriculum is also an exciting topic these days. The math curriculum will be transitioning from the traditional Algebra, Geometry, Advanced Algebra, Education. The purpose is to and beyond sequence to an inte- help students have a focus for grated approach recommended life after school, and to understand the world of by national experts and work. Good CTE will adopted by the State require good relations Board of Education. In with the community order to start incoming and its employers. students on the new Finding a new sequence of math and principal to lead Red let the "old" students Bluff Union High remain in the old School is a serious sequence, there will endeavor. Asking essentially be two math from input and advice departments for four from the community, years. This in itself will staff, various stakecause complications in Joe holders, and students staffing and scheduling. is an important eleThe good news is this ment in that process. will eventually be a The plan is to hire statewide approach, and someone by April. students transferring to I was impressed at the meetand from Red Bluff will not be trapped by a different math cur- ing I attended because there were not the usual gripes and riculum. In addition, schools will be groans that are often vented at working toward adopting a com- public meetings. Although the mon core of standards. Accord- turnout was disappointing, the ing to the Common Core Initia- attitude was a positive one of tive,"The Common Core State building on the foundations creStandards provide a consistent, ated by the school and its staff clear understanding of what stu- over the years. There is a lot of pressure on dents are expected to learn, so teachers and parents know what public education for improvethey need to do to help their stu- ment generally; this pressure is dents. The standards are exacerbated by recent funding designed to be robust and rele- cuts in California. California vant to the real world, reflecting public schools now rank 49th in the knowledge and skills that funding based upon an Educaour young people need for suc- tion Week survey. There was no attitude of cess in college and careers. With American students fully pre- "woe is me" by Superintendent pared for the future, our commu- Escobar; she was businesslike nities will be best positioned to and professional in her approach compete successfully in the to the challenges the school faces. Her approach will pay global economy." As part of the effort to pre- dividends for our school and our pare students for success in community. careers and college, the school Joe Harrop is a retired will be integrating vocational education into all students' educator with more than 30 course sequences. The acronym years of service to the North for the vocational component is State. He can be reached at CTE, standing for Career Tech DrJoeHarrop@sbcglobal.net. Harrop