Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/41330
6A Daily News – Tuesday, September 6, 2011 Opinion Parental rights D NEWSAILY RED BLUFF TEHAMACOUNTY T H E V O I C E O F T E H A M A C O U N T Y 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 let- ters from its readers on timely topics of public interest. All let- ters must be signed and pro- vide the writer's home street address and home phone num- ber. 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 submit- ted will be considered for publi- cation. Letters will be edited. Letters are published at the discretion of the editor. Mission Statement We believe that a strong com- munity 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 vehi- cles. The Daily News will reflect and support the unique identities of Tehama County and its cities; record the history of its com- munities and their people and make a positive difference in the quality of life for the resi- dents 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: We as parents, grandparents and guardians have become so inundated with commitments we have lost track of our most important and frugal commodi- ty, our kids. We have allowed the public school system to raise them under the direction of politi- cians. Politicians are controlling what's taught in our schools. In 2010 Schwarzenegger signed SB543, allowing school staff to remove children aged 12 and up, and take them off cam- pus for counseling sessions, without parental permission or involvement. The purpose is to permit pro-homosexuality teachers and administrators to remove sexually-confused chil- dren in 6th grade and up from campus and take them to pro- homosexuality counselors who will encourage them to embrace the homosexual lifestyle. This was introduced by Sen. Leno. In 2009 Schwarzenegger signed SB572, which establish- es "Harvey Milk Day" in K-12. Children will now be taught to admire the life and values of the late homosexual activist vey Milk. Har- In 2007 Schwarzenegger signed SB777, prohibiting all public school instruction and every school activity from "pro- moting a discriminatory bias" against transsexuality, bisexual- ity and homosexuality to schoolchildren as young as 5. Curriculum and school activi- ties must be positive about homosexuality bisexuality, and transsexuality. In 2003 Gray Davis signed SB71, which teaches children as young as 5th grade that any con- sensual sexual behavior is safe as long as you protect yourself with a condom, and teaches children that homosexuality, bisexuality and transsexuality is normal. Now Jerry Brown has signed SB48, also presented by Sen. Leno, the changing of school textbooks to include the contri- butions of those with different sexual preferences. I believe everyone should have the same rights, respect, acknowledgements and accountability as anyone else, but they shouldn't be allowed to glamorize their sexual prefer- ences on others through our schools. Do you know our schools are allowing this group, K-12, to have a Day of Silence? It's a national youth movement protesting the silence faced by lesbians, gays, bisexual and transgender people and their allies. But we can't learn about Christianity? U.S. Supreme Court has said, students do not "shed their Con- stitutional rights to freedom of speech or expression at the schoolhouse gate." High school- ers should be able to get a copy of their rights in the school office. We need to demand our parental constitutional rights. In documented cases U.S. Supreme Court decisions have upheld parental rights, which means that the government may not infringe parents' right to direct the education and upbringing of their children unless it can show that it is using the least restrictive means to achieve a compelling govern- ment. Kathy Nelson, Red Bluff Library cuts Editor: I just attended Metteer Ele- mentary school's Back to School Night. The new principal present- ed us with the acronym SIMPLE. She told us the S stands for students because they come first. How can students come first in a school with more than 30 children in many of their lower grade classrooms? There are 34 students in my daughter's 3rd grade class. How can students come first in a school centered around a beautiful library students can only access once every other week because the librarian was laid off? My children will use their wonderful library less than 20 times this entire year. How can students come first when there is no PE or music program except band for grades 4-6 only? Other schools in our county seem to be maintaining these resources for their students. How is it our district cannot? I can think of many other acronyms representing Red Bluff Union Elementary School District. However the S is at the very end. Carey Koeberer, Red Bluff The real Perry Editor: The real Rick Perry has been a failure for the state of Texas. Your Turn Take a look at Texas after 11 years of Rick Perry at the helm. Texas is No. 1 in: Percent of uninsured children, percent of population uninsured, amount of carbon dioxide emissions, amount of toxic chemicals released into the water and amount of hazardous waste gen- erated. Texas is No. 50 in: Percent of population 25 and older with a high school diploma, per capita spending on mental health, percent of non-elderly women with health insurance and workers compensation coverage. This is Texas on the brink 2011. Do not elect this man president, It's called the Rick Perry failure trail. Susan Riegel-Price, Corning Branding Editor: Finally, a letter to the editor singing praises for Tehama County. Thank you Fred Boest. Based on previous letters from frequent writers like Les Wolfe and Bernice Cressey and columnists like Don Pol- son, the image portrayed by the Daily News has been quite negative. The brand for the county that has come most to mind has been Tehama County — one of America's most biased counties. I agree with Mr. Boest, Tehama County has much to offer both residents and visitors. A more appropriate brand should be Tehama County — Land of recreation, relaxation and entertainment. Robert Wilkinson, Cottonwood Your officials STATE ASSEMBLYMAN — Jim Nielsen (R) State Capitol Bldg., Room 6031 Sacramento, CA 95814 (916) 319-2002; Fax (916) 319-2102 STATE SENATOR — Doug LaMalfa (R) State Capitol Bldg., Room 3070 Sacramento, CA 95814 (916) 651-4004; Fax (916) 445-7750 GOVERNOR — Jerry Brown, State Capitol Bldg., Sacramento, CA 95814; (916) 445-2841; Fax (916) 558-3160; E-mail: gover- nor@governor.ca.gov. U.S. REPRESENTATIVE — Wally Herger (R), 2635 Forest Ave. Ste. 100, Chico, CA 95928; 893-8363. U.S.SENATORS — Dianne Feinstein (D), One Post Street, Suite 2450, San Francisco, CA 94104; (415) 393-0707. Fax (415) 393-0710. Barbara Boxer (D), 1700 Montgomery St., Suite 240, San Francisco, CA 94111; (510) 286-8537. Fax (202) 224- 0454. GOP pledge drive Commentary I pledge. You pledge. We all pledge. Pledge allegiance to the flag. Pledge to stop smoking and drinking. As much. In front of the kids. NPR and PBS are ridiculous with their annoying pledge drives. Our leaders pledge and pledge and pledge to stop ignoring the past. Then they don't. And in every second liv- ing room in America you can smell Lemon Pledge. These are the pledges of our lives. But this campaign season, the whole pledging thing has rock- eted out of control with broken O-rings. To where anybody who plans on getting up close and personal with a Republican can- didate in the near future might want to carry an oath-repelling umbrella, because pledges are raining down like frog parts after a methane gas explosion in the amphibian wing of an aquar- ium. The pledges have become longitudinally rampant, running all over the map from gay mar- riage to abortion to Shariah law to the teaching of intelligent design. Which we can all agree is neither. Keep waiting for the American Association of Apple Growers to issue its demand that potential nominees publicly vow to avoid blueberry pies while running for president. "Commu- nists eat cherry pie." "Meringue is so French." "Rhubarb is for Wussies." Rick Perry recently signed the Anti-Gay Marriage Pledge, which counteracts his previous pledge to leave the question up to the states. So, according to him, pandering homophobia trumps states' rights. Of course, Rick Perry not so long ago pledged not to run for president, so he seems to have a rather fluid attitude as far as these pledges go. This good ol' boy needs to be careful lest he get labeled a pledging contradicter. Righter-than-right conserva- tives first gained success with the Susan B. Anthony Pledge, in which anybody running for pres- ident promises to appoint anti- abortion cabinet members. Then out flew the Cut, Cap and Bal- ance Pledge, which cuts, caps and balances the budget, focus- ing on giving rich people more money. And now, the Marriage Vow, which is similar to, yet differ- ent from the Anti-Gay Mar- riage Pledge. In this, candi- dates oppose same-sex mar- riage, reject Shariah law and pledge personal fidelity to their spouse. Which you'd think they'd have done during their wedding, but you never know with these kids and their crazy vows these days. Haven't heard any- thing about the Paris Hilton Pledge to wear underwear while get- ting out of cars. Or the Foot-Long Corn Dog Pledge: never to allow photography while eating at the State Fair. And let's not for- get the Charlie Sheen Career Management Pledge, in which peo- ple take an intractable oath not to embarrass everyone they've ever met. Then again, these are politicians. The Marriage Vow is the one that said black children born into slavery were more likely to be raised by a two-parent family than African-American children today, which some people point- ed out kind of, almost, nearly, endorsed slavery. Little bit. Although Michele Bachmann admitted signing it, she later recanted, claiming not to have read it. Will Durst Raging Moderate Oh, there you go. Signed it but didn't read it. You know what we need? I'll tell you what we need. We need candidates will- ing to sign a pledge not to sign any pledges they haven't read. And bearing in mind the state of illit- eracy currently in evi- dence, that in itself should cut down on this widespread pledging, consider- ably. The New York Times says Emmy- nominated comedian and writer Will Durst "is quite possibly the best political satirist working in the country today." Check out the website: willdurst.com to find out more about upcoming stand-up performances or to buy his book, "The All American Sport of Bipartisan Bashing."