Letters to the editor | Sunday, Jan. 3, 2020: Students and staff in COVID danger at school

Teacher: Students, staff aren’t safe at school

ZIP codes 95351 and 95307 — this is Ground Zero, according to The Modesto Bee. This is where I live and teach school.

I am a primary school teacher in Ceres Unified School District. Ever since we began in-person classes we have had an average of one to two staff members test positive for COVID every week at my school. We have had at least 11 adults get infected. It’s all so hush hush and our staff has no real idea who has been infected at our school or district. Many students are being sent home with COVID symptoms but do not get tested. Yes, I know our children need to come to school and I want to teach. But our schools are open and will remain open during this stay-at-home order.

In my opinion, there should be at least a two-week quarantine or longer after winter break where schools go back to distance learning. We are so close to getting the vaccine. Why put so many of our students and school staff at risk of infection now? Our students, staff, and community are not safe.

Janel Calou, Modesto

Hold COVID scofflaws accountable

I wrote a letter to the editor expressing my dismay at the city of Modesto reducing the fine for the Velvet Grill & Creamery to $10,000 from $90,000 for violating health and safety protocols. My concern was by reducing the fine it would encourage other irresponsible restaurant operators to ignore health and safety protocols. Well now here we are with at least five other restaurants in addition to Velvet doing just that. This reminds me of spoiled children ignoring incompetent parents’ attempts at discipline but with far more consequential results.

These restaurants, in light of our current surge in COVID-19 cases, should be forced to close by the authorities in the interest of public health and safety. If we as a society choose to ignore laws, rules etc. with little or no consequences, then we do so at our own peril. These arrogant, dangerous and negligent operators should be held accountable by the authorities and also by all of us by boycotting their establishments. We should instead patronize Modesto Sukiyaki and the many other responsible restaurants offering takeout-only options in compliance with health and safety protocols. Our collective health and safety depend on acting responsibly.

Kenneth Bryant, Modesto

Protecting customers should be priority

While too many people in Stanislaus County have failed to follow medical guidelines to help slow the spread of COVID-19, the lack of leadership or disclosure from government and business leaders has fanned the flames of illness and death in our community.

When I walk into a restaurant and find that cooks and wait staff fail to have face coverings, I wonder what other health guidelines the owners have deemed non-essential. Do you think I’ll ever be back? Entering the local health supplements store, I’m told, “You only need to wear a mask to walk through the door.” Really? Which of your products haven’t been coughed or sneezed on? In the local hardware store I found none of the store employees wearing face coverings. Have you no concern for employees or customers who have underlying health issues?

Even after this medical emergency has ended, I doubt I will ever return to these businesses. Riverbank and Modesto are only a short drive away (something to look forward to in these isolated times), while I have the option of next-day delivery on my phone.

Thanks and love to the hospital workers who face the very real consequences of this epidemic.

Greg Masztal, Oakdale

Enforcing COVID health rules

We are under a new COVID surge. No surprise, as so many in this city and county refuse to wear a mask. Many cities in California are enforcing the mask mandate; citations and fines are being issued for businesses and people who don’t comply. And the far right is complaining about “not living in fear” and “their constitutional rights.” What rights are you losing when you wear a mask? Do you feel like you’re living in fear when you wear a seat belt or do you wear it because you know it can save your life?

The City Council and Board of Supervisors need to put pressure on the police chief and the sheriff to do their jobs — protect public health. Law enforcement officers arrest drunk drivers for one very specific reason: they put all of us at risk of injury or death. So do people who won’t wear a mask. Sadly, there are so many among us who simply are too selfish to care about others. The City Council should not reduce fines for violators like they did for Velvet Creamery.

Remember, Sheriff Dirkse will run again in two years. Let him go in 2022.

Gaetana Drake, Modesto

Addressing abuse helps stop it

Re “Merced school counselor speaks out about sexual harassment to encourage other victims” (Page 1B, Dec. 27): Everyone should read the article, which says in part: “One of those laws passed by the California Legislature requires employers — including school districts — to provide sexual harassment training to their employees.” Another part talks about Merced City School District sending employees an email in mid-December telling hundreds of other district employees they had until Dec. 31 to complete the training.

The biggest problem for those being sexually harassed or sexually abused at schools and colleges is that these organizations will cover for the accused and harass the victims. If you think making these employees take some harassment training is going to change them, you’re kidding yourself. The only way to stop this problem is for more people like Annie to come forward and speak out.

Charmaine Dennis, Modesto

Don’t forget about emissions

Our national New Year’s resolution should include a restart of U.S. efforts to lower our carbon footprint. The last four years’ hiatus from respecting the health of our nation and from recognition that nature’s ecosystems support our lives is finally coming to an end. The U.S. can rejoin the international effort to lower CO2 outputs, turning down Earth’s thermostat which has resulted in destructive ocean acidification, sea level rise, increased intensity and frequency of hurricanes and megafires, increasing salt infiltration in California’s delta, and decline of the Sierra snowpack. We can and must stabilize nature’s essential services that we all depend on.

We’ve heard all this before? Right. And as our nation turns away from science denial and political loyalty to delusion, we can pull this national 737 Max out of its lethal nose dive.

One way to start the needed healing is to implement a bill already in the House of Representatives that has growing bipartisan support: The Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act that would help us lower our national carbon footprint, HR 763.

Richard Anderson, Modesto

Another presidential misstep

In looking back, if soon-to-be ex-president Trump had appointed Dr. Ben Carson to be the head of Health and Human Services instead of Housing and Urban Development, perhaps the COVID-19 pandemic would not be so horrific (in the U.S. at least), more controlled or close to nonexistent. Dr. Carson could have brought this virus up earlier with more definition, and position Health and Human Services closer to the office of president. In terms of fitting the right person to the right job, Trump failed again. Well, what do you expect?

Mitch Rudoff, Modesto

Ridenour focuses on Modesto youth

As part of the Modesto youth, one of the biggest problems we see the city facing is a limited number of opportunities for young people to contribute to their community and build meaningful lives. Many opt to leave in search of jobs in the Bay Area and other nearby towns.

Unlike other candidates, Doug Ridenour has put this issue at the forefront of his campaign, hosting monthly seminars that connect young leaders with community leaders, where ways to improve the city’s relationship with its youth can be found. I’m voting for Doug because I believe in a future for Modesto’s youth, an issue that is often overlooked in the regular discourse of Modesto politics. With the right leadership, we can make Modesto a place suited for the development of modern opportunities for changing times. A vote for Doug is a vote for Modesto’s future.

Alex Samano, Modesto

Bidding farewell to spotlight

As I leave elected office, I thank you for giving me the privilege to serve our community over the last 15 years through my respective city, state, and county roles. Thank you to my family, friends, supporters, and encouragers. Thank you to those who held me accountable and kept my feet to the fire so that I wouldn’t lose my way.

I have done my best to improve the quality of life for all of us who call the San Joaquin Valley our home. Whether it was working with others across ideological and geographic lines to help negotiate and pass the 2014 Water Bond, fix the negative bailout, reform CEQA and ADA, clean up our cities and county, adopt Laura’s Law, pass Measure L or build a new Empire library, I am proud of the small cracks I made to solve problems and address important issues. As Alexander Solzhenitsyn said, “Individually, we may only be able to make a small dent…only a small crack…but cracks make caves collapse.”

I’m not going anywhere. This is my home, where I will continue to raise my kids and work alongside you for a better tomorrow. I’ll close by combining some of my life mottos into the following words: Choose joy, have courage, dream big, love people, show kindness, dare mighty things and over time, you will change the world — one person/neighborhood, school/city, community/county, state/nation at a time.

Kristin Olsen