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SpeakOut
Carol Myers deserves better than bashing
In the last year, I have been trying to find information about the San Jose Unified School District and Willow Glen schools specifically.
Carol Myers has been the one person most willing to answer my questions. She has gone out of her way to talk with me and set up meetings with others. She has explained the history of desegregation and school choice in a clear, impartial way. Never, not for one moment, or using any phrase, has she shown any sign of bigotry. She has spoken highly of WGHS, as well as the other schools in Willow Glen. My impression is that she wants to ensure Willow Glen schools are getting their fair share of funds and that they have the greatest reputation possible.
Those are ideals I fully support.
Lori Kramer
Glen Eyrie Avenue
Attitude of mother was disappointing
I am so happy to hear that there is an organization such as the Restorative Justice Program ('Project lets teens have a second chance after their first offense,' May 2), that is dedicated to educating rather than merely punishing young adults for making choices that negatively impact our community. I believe that this program is a great asset to our community and will go far to help young people who may otherwise fall into a fruitless cycle of making bad life decisions.
But I am very disturbed by the attitude that the mother (of the boy discussed in the article) had towards the fact that charges were filed against him for an act of vandalism.
How would she feel if her car had been egged so many times in just a few months? Sure, it's not the worst thing he could do, but in my mind, unless my son were committing an act of civil disobedience, I don't believe I could ever defend actions he made as an individual.
A few years ago, I came out of a shopping center to find that someone had keyed my car so deeply that I could see the bare metal.
Because of the extent of the damage, I had to repaint the car, which cost about $600--money that was wasted. If I gave it to a needy family, it could have easily fed them for a month. Instead, it was lost.
Vandalism is a blatant example of disrespect for someone else's property, and it points to the general disregard people seem to have for one another these days.
In order for this program to work, we parents must stand behind their principles. If this boy, who sounds like a pretty good kid overall, becomes convinced by his parents that what he did was really nothing, and what was wrong with that guy that he actually pressed charges, then all the work Restorative Justice, and that of any other such program, will be unraveled. Parents are, as Charles Barkely said, role models. It's the toughest part of the job, so please watch yourself.
Felice Morosco
Marques Avenue
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Willow Glen, California Since 1992
