Our schools need money, not guns
President Trump, our weapons dealer in chief, has declared that teachers should be armed with guns. He says he’ll use federal tax dollars to carry out this lunatic plan. Nevermind that our nation’s public schools for decades have been forced to play the role of supplicant for federal aid but have been refused it. The federal government has left this to the states and local governments. What has resulted is a de facto apartheid system where poor kids go to poorly funded schools and
SEND LETTERS TO: letters@ suntimes. com. Please include your neighborhood or hometown and a phone number for verification purposes. wealthy students go to state- of- the- art model schools such as New Trier.
Forget the guns, Mr. President. Arm our schools with needed funds. Edward David Juillard, West Beverly
Schools are not military camps
As a retired military veteran and retired Chicago Public Schools teacher, I strongly oppose President Trump’s view that schools should have armed teachers. As a young soldier, I became proficient with various weapons, including the M- 16 rifle, .45- caliber pistol and M- 60 machine gun. A school is not a place for any kind of weapon carried by an educator. When we arm teachers, we are sending the wrong message to students. Schools are supposed to be places of civil discourse and the free exchange of ideas. Teachers with weapons convey the idea of amilitary camp. Peter V. Grafner, Forest Glen
Howto solve pothole mess
Chicago’s streets are full of potholes because of a continuous nine days of snow in a row, during which the freezethaw cycle tore them apart. The city should wean itself from asphalt, looking into using concrete instead. Asphalt surfaces just don’t provide longevity, and with global climate change, the problem will continue. Fred J. Wittenberg, Evanston