Letters for Feb. 28, 2024
Downtown is not ‘family friendly’
The “Family Friendly” ordinance being discussed by the Spokane City Council is anything but “family friendly.” Mixing alcohol and children together is never a good idea. There are plenty of studies that show the harm alcohol has on our society and family structure.
If we want to encourage people to come downtown and enjoy the many amenities provided by our beautiful city, there are plenty of other ways to do so. For instance, with the increased shootings that have already past 2023’s stats, focusing on our public safety downtown would be a good place to start. Instead of the low-hanging economic fruit that the City Council is focusing on and wants to placate us with.
Christopher Savage
Spokane
Students preparing for college are falling behind
Running Start should not be extended to high school sophomores (“Walking start to Running Start,” Feb. 21). Instead, Running Start should be repealed for hollowing out the essential civic knowledge of the citizenry, leaving voters vulnerable to a wide range of social media idiocies.
Running Start assumes either (a) no learning happens in high school, or (b) that colleges have become high schools. By contrast, college courses should presume high school level knowledge, and build upon that foundation.
American history, government, world affairs and economics are all high school courses that students miss to take Running Start, and colleges are forced to fill in high school knowledge. Colleges cannot do both high school and genuinely college level work.
And the dumbing down affects the non-Running Start students, who are ready for college level work and do not get it. “College graduates” know far less than they should.
At worst, there should be an entry exam in American history and government to qualify for Running Start. College should have pretests that guarantee high school level material was mastered prior to any college-level course, and remedial history should be as prevalent as remedial English and math.
Grade-level work should be defended by requiring mastery of the prior level to proceed to the next-level course.
College level courses should be college level. Running Start has created two generations more and more vulnerable to internet lies and to the historical distortions of demagogues, because our “educated” people know so little.
End Running Start.
Craig Mason
Spokane
Seniors, disabled should have property tax exemption
This is in response to Mike Reno’s Feb. 18 letter regarding senior/disabled property tax exemptions. If your neighbor only pays $71 a year, that leads me to believe his house assessment is low, as is his income. This populous also has higher incidence of health costs. Those who qualify for this exemption presently have worked all their lives and paid taxes. Now in retirement or incapacity with fixed incomes, they have a way to stay in their homes and not be homeless!
Cathy Williams
Spokane