Letters

Late last week, I opened the Free Lance and was dismayed to see a name calling, finger pointing, purely political attack in the Opinion section.  While I will not bother to take the time here to address the overblown editorial of the author, I would like to set the record straight on the freedom of speech issue with my constituents.

I am coming out of the wilderness to set some facts straight – I normally wouldn't, as a few might remember, for I hung up my whistle and pen in 2006 after 10 years of reporting for the old Pinnacle newspaper.

I really should be writing Marty himself, but since he either is employed by or writes regularly for your paper I am holding you responsible. His most recent column on the school bond issue is not totally accurate, and his continued verbal abuse of San Benito High School must stop. First his criticism of our failure to reach the desired AYP number is correct, but as he almost always does, he uses the statistics to say whatever he wants them to. Clearly not every student at San Benito High School is performing at the level that the federal and state governments say they should. Let's take a closer look. What Marty fails to point out is how many kids get moved from one test scoring band to another. For example, from far below basic to basic, from basic to proficient, from proficient to advanced. This is a more accurate measure of how well a school is performing. If you take a student and advance him or her to a higher level, that is a good thing. Not all students start from the same baseline level. Next his point about the fact that different subgroups are not performing actually works against his demands for improved accountability for potential bond money. The fact that all subgroups regardless of race are not performing well is a great reason why the bond should pass. He talks about the mission being to educate students – actually the mission of San Benito High School District is "To educate all students to their highest potential so that they will have the maximum number of options upon graduation". Phase 1 of the construction project is the vocational buildings (which he inaccurately reports in his column). All of the research and newspaper articles indicate that the vast majority of jobs in the next 20 years are going to be in service-related industries. Welding being at or near the top of that list, heating and air conditioning, plumbing, auto repair, etc. Jobs that require additional training after high school, but do not require A to G, (the CSU) qualifications to succeed in. What about these students’ options? He constantly harps on athletics and inflated egos. Well inflate this: Athletes have on average a 0.83 higher G.P.A. than non-athletes. Look around the town of Hollister and see how many local successful people are former athletes. And it is pretty embarrassing when you are trying to play tennis and you fall in a fissure big enough to swallow up a small mammal. My understanding is during the second phase of bond construction in order to build new classrooms the swimming pool would have to be moved, and possibly the tennis and basketball courts. Maybe this could be considered placing athletic facilities above classrooms, but the school is building the weight room/wrestling room on its own. What athletic facilities is he talking about? Marty have you ever set foot on the campus of San Benito High School? Have you ever swam in the pool? Which by the way it is the only public swimming pool in San Benito County. Have you ever attended a BLT, ever been to a football game, wrestling match, school site council meeting? Did you attend the special education prom? Ever heard of circle of friends? Are you going to senior parents night? Did you conveniently fail to mention that a student in this year’s graduating class is receiving a Bill Gates scholarship. And unless my math is incorrect there are (counting your column) six articles in this week’s paper about the school. Maybe you should try using your influence and position to try and build up the school, find solutions to problems, offer congratulations to those who do well. And as I like to point out to the kids "Be a leader of good and not of evil”.  The beauty of San Benito High School is that the person is the program, and as someone who has shed blood literally as well as figuratively for the kids, both athletes and non athletes, for 28 years I resent your constant criticism of the school, and suggest you try actually finding out what is going on there before you take any more pot shots.

My argument here is not against the utilization of natural gases or oil; nor is it against hydraulic fracturing in and of itself. I believe that if it can be proven beyond a reasonable doubt that the process does not lead to the contamination of groundwater, the leaching of radioactive gases into the air, the reduction of property values, and an increase in both traffic and crime, then it is certainly a viable alternative to augment America’s dependence on nonrenewable energy sources. The facts as they are, however, do not support this.

The Free Lance has praised the Hollister School District for being open and waiting to put a bond in the election. Open because they said they “will have to refine the project list” or open because they said they don't know what projects they want to do so they are waiting. The paper also stated of San Benito High School District, “Much of the discourse has been about narrowing the project list – a long slate of ideas”.  The paper uses a negative description for SBHS District. The Free Lance sounds as if it is campaigning for HSD. Whatever this paper’s issues are with SBHS District, you realize that the students will pay for your tactics. You can try to convince yourself it is about the SBHS district but the district will eventually serve the majority of this community’s children.  

A previous editorial chided local government for its lack of effort at marketing the Pinnacles National Park and that the “economic behemoth” that is our nation's newest national park is being neglected, under advertised and generally ignored by the business sector and government.  The reality is that benign neglect would be preferable to what may be in store for the park if the development of oil and gas resources is allowed in San Benito County. Over 100 years ago, the Pinnacles gained protection from miners and resource interests intent on despoiling this priceless natural wonder. The park, with its host of unique rock formations and species, is once again in danger but this time the danger is posed by an external threat.  

After viewing the sample ballot for the June 3 election, I was surprised to see who the organization was that authored the argument against the high school bond Measure G. It was the Silicon Valley Taxpayer Association. Are you kidding me? The authors of the argument against Measure G don’t live here, they don’t vote here and they do not pay taxes here. And yet there are telling us how to vote in our own backyard.