LETTERS: School choice; Hooters fiasco; and more

New educational settings

School choice is a hot topic in Colorado, especially as our great state is viewed as a national leader in education reform. While choice is often discussed as a platform benefiting students, teacher are too benefiting from school choice policies.

The fact is every educational setting is a choice — from traditional public, to virtual, charter and private, teachers have many options. In creating a profession for the 21st century, teachers across the country and here in Colorado have begun to take advantage of the possibilities offered by new school environments like never before.

We’ve all heard varying opinions about specific school choice policies and their impact on students, and strangely some try and paint this as a threat to teachers, but really it is a revolution that promises unlimited potential for the profession. The future of education is being built around choice and technology, and teachers are embracing this future.

This week is National School Choice Week, and as an educators’ organization, the Professional Association of Colorado Educators is celebrating all teachers and their professional choices. As education reform advances, it’s easy for us to cautiously approach new policies. However, it’s also important to remember that change is ushering in exciting opportunities and endless possibilities that will benefit our communities and profession for years to come.

Tim Farmer

Professional Association of Colorado Educators

They’re doing their jobs

The article in the Jan. 30 Gazette, “Sheepdogs alarm trail users, tourists,” made me laugh. My wife and I were riding our ATV in the San Juan Mountains near Silverton. We saw a large herd of sheep on a mountain side about a mile away and rode our ATV over there. We decided to have a picnic lunch on a rock, but when we sat on the rock a large sheep dog, a Turkish Akbash, came over and mooched part of a sandwich from my wife. Then he laid down next to her (we have the photo). We were just far enough away that we weren’t a threat to the herd.

Sheep dogs are working dogs and will be aggressive when they perceive a threat such as a biker, hiker, jogger, or ATV near the herd. They’re doing their job protecting the sheep. If you are near a herd, either go way around it or go back the way you came. Years ago, the national forests had signs all over the place that said “Land of Many Uses.” That includes animal grazing.

People have forgotten, or never knew, that the national forests aren’t just for hikers.

Richard Crow

Woodland Park

Hooters fiasco ridiculous

I really have to start out by saying that I appreciate all that the local, state and federal law enforcement personnel do for me on a daily basis. That said, this Hooters fiasco continues to be ridiculous.

The points of contention were not whether officers could drink during one of these operations or that there was something unusual about the stings being run, but that the charges were dropped as soon as Hooters came forward with its video record and that the officers involved lied to the judge about alcohol consumption during the operation.

Andy Michopoulos

Colorado Springs

Gingrich not electable 

Newt Gingrich loves to talk about facts. Let’s get some facts about Gingrich himself on his ideology and electability.

First, his ideology: Gingrich supported a national health insurance individual mandate for over 20 years, until early 2011. He also supported government action on global warming as recently as 2008. In addition, Gingrich opposed Medicare reform by Republicans in 2011, calling it “right-wing social engineering.” Finally, Gingrich praised FDR many times for FDR’s progressive policies and said FDR was the greatest president (even above Lincoln and Reagan).

Second, his electability: Gingrich received only about 10 percent of his own party’s vote in two swing states. In addition, Gingrich was removed from his House Speaker role for ethics violations. Finally, Gingrich is viewed favorably by only 26 percent of Americans and unfavorably by a whopping 60 percent.

And we are supposed to believe that Gingrich is conservative and electable?

Isaiah Hess

Colorado Spring