District can't afford Concord High change

In regard to Concord High School changing its mascot from the “Minutemen” to the “Bears,” I don't understand the need for it. Minutemen were heroes. But my main concern is the cost. I work at an MDUSD school where every week the plumbing fails or the air/heat breaks down. The list is never-ending.

The cost to reoutfit the band alone would be more than $100,000. If you include football and all the sports uniforms … I can't even imagine. Our schools are deteriorating. We need to address our infrastructure.

Please. Let common sense prevail. — Toni Keosian, Concord

Airport expansion bad news for environment

Re: “Oakland airport's expansion will exacerbate climate change, groups say” (Page A1, Aug. 15).

The planned expansion of the Oakland airport, which is used primarily for short-haul flights, will increase demand and use of the airport and worsen pollution and the climate crisis.

It is disingenuous to claim that Oakland flights would increase anyway without the project. The increased capacity would allow airlines to add more flights daily, causing increased stress-inducing noise pollution and small particulate emissions among surrounding low-income communities that already suffer massive environmental injustice.

We must choose other scenarios for meeting the high demand for travel, especially for shorthaul distances.

Most of this traffic would be better served by high-speed rail, eliminating the additional air and noise pollution from even more frequent flights across Oakland and Alameda.

Fully 11% of California's CO2 emissions come from air travel. Has the climate crisis not yet convinced officials and the public that we have to change our ways? — Susan Wright, Oakland

Keep spotlight on Santa Rita Jail deaths

Re: “Lawmakers seek jail death transparency” (Page B2, Aug. 16).

The Interfaith Coalition for Justice in Our Jails appreciates your article, which focused on the San Diego jail. This devastating problem lives here at the Alameda County jail, with more than 70 deaths since 2014. We have conducted three somber rallies, calling on county supervisors to take some leadership on jail conditions. As in San Diego, most deaths occur to people within the first traumatic days and weeks of incarceration before they are even charged. Guards and the medical service contractor fail to properly handle mental illness and substance abuse. The dual sheriff/coroner role often compromises family/ community access to death information. The movie “What Happened to DuJuan Armstrong?” documents these issues. We urge continued coverage of this problem, particularly for our Santa Rita jail.

— Karen Rachels, Oakland

Moms for Liberty don't speak for all

Re: “`Fear and hate are the issue'” (Page A1, Aug. 17).

To Moms for Liberty: You don't speak “for America.”

You are an extremist minority group. You hurt innocent people you don't know, often children, and you don't care. You have the right to speak your distorted and hateful messages, but that right does not extend to actions. It's sad we have to block your book bans and racist curricula revision and gender strictures with legislation — such a waste of resources just to extinguish your hate. My suggestion: Put a sock in it. — Steven James, Walnut Creek