Upset but offering solutions

Editor:

As parents of three Rio Rancho Public Schools students, we are appalled that the district would consider sacrificing one of its most valuable assets (teachers) by asking for unpaid leaves of absence. Surely, there must be smarter ways to shore-up operating costs. The district has half-days at most schools on Wednesdays; evidently, for teacher planning. Consequently, buses run five days a week, schools must operate (heating, cooling, water, electricity) five days a week, and support staff (cafeteria, janitors, administration) must work five days a week. On average, this results in four half-days per month that could be readily combined into two full instructional days and two teacher planning days. How about closing the schools every other Friday, and allowing the teachers to do their planning from home? The benefits are evident. The net result is no reduction in instruction hours, but a potential significant savings in operating costs.

We don’t have the numbers to calculate the savings, but we challenge the district to get creative.

We owe the teachers and students a better solution.

Lorenzo Najera

Rio Rancho

Most teachers not negative

Editor:

I’m writing to express concerns that negative coverage about Rio Rancho Public Schools hasn’t fairly represented the views of the majority of employees. This is my eighth year working for the district and I’ve always been treated with respect. Something that makes RRPS a quality district for students and staff is that the administration in general, and Dr. Cleveland in particular, always works to find the best way to achieve goals.

It’s clear to me that RRPS is using creative means to avoid reductions in force, and we appreciate it. We see that RRPS is continuing to be the same fair, thoughtful employer.

Each time a mandate has been presented as a way to reduce operational expenditures, the staff has been notified by e-mail and/or in person. These reductions are reasonable. However, when I watch the news, people on TV are negative. The only staff members presenting these negative views are union members. They’re not speaking for the entire RRPS staff.

I don’t have to worry about losing my job because I’ve been teaching in the district long enough. However, my current position is one that could be removed and I would return to the classroom.

This wouldn’t be my first choice, but I understand the need, and would willingly teach in a classroom.

I hope this letter can clarify that a very small segment of the RRPS employees is painting a very ugly picture that just isn’t there.

Sarah Farrell

Shining Stars Preschool, RRPS

School issues abound

Editor:

How can Rio Rancho Public Schools administrators say custodians, teaching assistants, administrative support staff and other non-teachers on the district payroll are not essential for student learning? Students can’t learn if the teacher has to stop teaching to clean up messes, or if they’re doing more paperwork. The work of the assistants is also critical. The district’s “solution” will lead to larger class sizes.

Every parent knows the less individualized attention our students get, the more damage to our children’s learning.

As parents involved with our daughter’s school here in Rio Rancho, we are appalled at District’s board approach to date regarding their treatment of staff. We know our daughter’s school is well run. But the central office is calling for staff to take unpaid leave, when they themselves make no such concessions. Leadership?

Where is the explanation of how the district got into this mess? 

Yes, the state funding formula needs to be fixed because it underfunds growing districts like ours. This is not new. It’s been happening for years. The district could have planned accordingly. The district can and should work with the union.

Everybody knows you can’t create or maintain a quality organization without input from, and respecting folks delivering the most essential service of that organization. Instead of asking for ideas from the folks on the front line of education as represented by their union, the district disrespects them.

Have administrators and the board accepted responsibility? Are they doing their part?

 

Charles and Jill Goodmacher

Rio Rancho

Thanks for the tunes

Editor:

I would like to congratulate The Observer for publishing the “Songs of the Season” with lyrics and sheet music. It’s just wonderful, especially in this era of political correctness. I’m sure somebody out there will be offended and The Observer will be contacted to that effect. My answer to those people would be very simple: “If you would have something this beautiful to listen to, to read and to sing-along, we would be very happy to publish it for you.”

Thank you and Merry Christmas.

Heinz Kegler

Rio Rancho

Can’t spare 10 seconds?

Editor:

When I read the Rants & Raves section, I am disappointed when I read more rants than raves because I happen to think we made a great choice when we moved to this great town. We live in Enchanted Hills and we love it.

But I had something happen on Dec. 6 that made me join the ranks of the ranters. While going up Enchanted Hills Blvd., we saw two ladies pushing a stroller with a child in it trying to cross the street. I say trying because I was in the right-hand lane and stopped but no one in the left lane would stop to let them cross.

They were not in a crosswalk, but nonetheless, the traffic should’ve stopped. After five or six cars went by and people behind me were pulling out and going around, the ladies waved me on as it was obvious they weren’t going to be getting across.

What’s wrong with you people? Two women and a child and you people can’t take 10 seconds out of your precious time to stop?

I got some dirty looks as people went around me and I hope they could read my lips. I wasn’t saying anything nice. I hope that if the family members of those that did not stop are ever in that same spot, that someone stops for them. Now that I got that off my chest, Merry Christmas. I still love Rio Rancho. Go Rams! Go Scorps.

 

Dirk Knowles

Rio Rancho

Don’t mess with Rio Rancho

Editor:

We live in such a beautiful place, yet people have no regard for it. Everywhere you look there is trash on the streets and parking lots. I got a big dose of it this past weekend. I live on the parade route and came out in the morning to cups, bags, napkins, etc., all over the sidewalk.

Go to Wal-Mart and the lot is loaded with trash. I cannot understand this laziness and lack of respect for our earth. It is easy to take your trash home and throw it away. If you don’t want it in your car, why would you want it on the ground?

Renee Marcellis

Rio Rancho

Unions part of the problem

Editor:

In recent weeks, every time I pick up the local paper, the front page has another story about an angry teachers’ union.

Any sober-thinking individual can see that big labor unions have destroyed countless American industries, including the Detroit automakers now begging Congress for a bailout. These unions don’t just control factories and assembly lines. Our education system is a slow-motion car wreck, driven by the same union interests that brought the auto companies to the brink of bankruptcy.

Teachers’ unions protect incompetent teachers, block reform efforts, and use money from dues to support radical left-wing agendas, all the while demanding higher salaries and additional perks and benefits. Rio Rancho’s school district is already up-side-down over $5 million. Talk about adding insult to injury.

These unions fight tooth and nail against any meaningful change to their comfortable status quo — while students and taxpayers pay the price.

After decades of denial, there is a growing realization around the country that unions’ defense of the status quo and broken tenure system cannot continue. We need renewed accountability.

Another major problem on the horizon is unionized public-sector jobs. Throughout the country, most city, county, state and federal employees are union members, with unsustainable benefits and retirement programs. Remember, unions are the only environment where good employees and poor employees make the same money. In today’s economy, if I were one of these people, I would keep my mouth shut, hide, and hope I’m not noticed so I keep getting that check.

J.K. Anderson

Rio Rancho

NMDOT ill prepared

Editor:

Welcome to the Department of Unsafe Transportation, and from the looks of what they were doing this morning (Dec. 16), their budget only calls for a wheelbarrow of traction per intersection. There was nothing leading up the intersection, where it’s needed, to keep cars from slip-sliding into the middle. The slogan “Be Prepared” is for Boy Scouts only. In the near-distant future someone will devise a method whereby the transportation people will have prior notice of rain, sleet and snow that will get their attention. All of which does not mean they will make an appropriate response. 

So, into the valley of slush we slide, ditches to the left and ditches to the right.

Bob Harpley

Rio Rancho

Wake up America

Editor:

More than two hundred years ago, Scottish jurist and historian Alexander Fraser Tytler gave a chilling observation on the rise and fall of democracies.

“A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the voters discover they can vote themselves largesse from the public treasury. From that moment on the majority always votes for the candidate promising the most benefits from the public treasury, with the result that a democracy always collapses over a loose fiscal policy, always followed by a dictatorship.

“The average age of the world’s greatest civilizations has been 200 years. These nations have progressed through this sequence; from bondage to spiritual faith; spiritual faith to great courage; courage to liberty; liberty to abundance; abundance to selfishness; selfishness to complacency; complacency to apathy; apathy to dependance; dependence back again to bondage.”

We continue to pass bonds that don’t raise taxes today but pass on more debt to later years. Medicare and Social Security are out of control, the economy and banking industry has run amok and individuals are spending beyond their means. Yet, government promises to save us all by giving us what we want.

We reward poverty with money, which only creates more poverty. We’ve gone from protecting the unfortunate to supporting the irresponsible.

The more government controls, the more the citizens give up their freedoms. Gerald Ford said, “A government big enough to give you everything you want is a government big enough to take from you everything you have.” Wake up America.

 

Lonnie Clayton

Rio Rancho