Legislators don’t comprehend the complexity of education

Once again, the Arizona Legislature is considering yet another way to tie student performance to school funding, and once again, I remember the T-shirt that said, “Those who can, teach; those who can’t, make laws about education.”

Education is a lengthy and involved process, filled with literally hundreds of variables that are not under the control of the schools. Therefore, how a student performs on a test on a particular day has almost nothing to do with how well he or she has been taught. Of course, when this point is raised, those on the right always scream that teachers are simply trying to avoid responsibility. How predictable!

A child is not a toaster or a computer chip. The creation of an educated person is not something that can be planned and measured from beginning to end.

If businesses worked under the same handicaps that schools do, they would never be able to stay above water because hundreds of things not under their control would interfere with the process every single day.

Here’s a novel idea: If performance-based compensation is such a good idea, let’s pay legislators that way. Seems fair to me!

— Sarah Nelson, Phoenix

Salmon has right ideas on immigration

After attending a town-hall meeting in Chandler with Congressman Matt Salmon, I am encouraged to hear that he favors securing our border first and implementation of other important steps to fix our broken immigration system.

I am discouraged that Congress will probably do nothing regarding immigration reform until after the next election. Border security is vital, but so is the economy and restoration of jobs.

Doing nothing regarding those who are already here illegally is to further erode our system. This is immoral.

— Robert Dyer, Chandler

Arizona acting as its own worst enemy

Regarding the religion bills approved last week by the Arizona Legislature:

Has the majority in the Arizona Legislature read any history?

What is the logical extension of the limits of faith-based refusal of service? Shall a doctor refuse service to a gay couple who’ve been in an accident? Shall landlords refuse housing to someone of a faith with whom they disagree? Shall merchants refuse to sell their wares to those that they may find dissimilar in belief?

History is replete with assurances that “it can’t happen here.” History is also replete with graphic evidence that opening the doors to institutional discrimination is not the way a truly inclusive society should conduct itself. Whether in matters of race, religion, sexual orientation, physical disability or age, this country has battled for centuries to combat forces that exclude its citizens from the opportunities and fruits of democracy.

To decry fundamentalism in other countries and practice it here makes me think Pogo was right. We have met the enemy and he is us.

— Paul White, Phoenix

Total equality a costly, unrealistic goal

This is a wonderful country that offers equal opportunity to all. The only problem is that we are not all equal to it. We are equal at birth in that we are all human beings, but equality ends there.

By our different genetic makeup, we are differentiated starting at birth. We are unique individuals, no two exactly alike. As such, we are different physically and mentally, from short to tall, thin to obese, White to Black, low to high intelligence, etc. By virtue of our genetic makeup, we are not and cannot be equal to one another.

The progressive, socialist left touts equality in all respects in order to further their agenda. They use the “myth of equality” to anger the masses against people who have succeeded in life by their hard work, their intelligence or special abilities. We will not all succeed in life, and that is a fact they cannot deny. They use the disparity in success to create envy and division in the country.

Unfortunately, history is replete with charlatans with the gift of gab who have driven multitudes, and ultimately countries, down the wrong path. We only need to look at Greece as the latest failure of socialism in Europe; closer to home, Cuba and Venezuela stand out.

And as much as it hurts looking “in house,” Detroit is the latest failure after decades of leftist policies.

— Jorge Landa, Goodyear

— B.J. Phelan, Sun Lakes

We have tried the myth, “Lowest health-care costs come from competition within the private sector,” (Opinions, Tuesday) for a long time. What we got was and is the most expensive health-care system in the world, but not the best.

Real numbers tell us our medical care is essentially twice as expensive as our neighbor Canada, but with absolutely dismal outcomes. Furthermore, one of the outcomes is the exclusion of a major portion of the citizenry from medical care except at the emergency-room level, the most expensive source of care.

Research demonstrates that the lowest health-care costs come from single-payer systems; systems that set limits to costs, include everyone, focus on prevention rather than crisis care, and are managed by government.

We perpetuate a beloved myth at great national and personal cost. We cannot afford the myth.

— Jerry Ebbinga, Fountain Hills

— Don Stacey, Phoenix

“The Tonight Show” with Jimmy Fallon is no longer a mature audience show. It appears to be following Fallon’s “Late Night” show for teenyboppers and “Saturday Night Live” devotees.

David Letterman just increased his followers thanks to the indiscretions of NBC.

— B. Jones, Queen Creek

Defense costs fly to predicted heights

Norman Augustine, an aerospace businessman, wrote tongue in cheek on tactical aircraft cost in the 1950s. He observed that defense budgets grow linearly but the unit cost grows exponentially.

“In the year 2054, the entire defense budget will purchase just one tactical aircraft. This aircraft will have to be shared by the Air Force and Navy 31⁄ days each per week except for leap year, when it will be made available to the Marines for the extra day.”

The P-51 cost about $100,000 in 1944. The F-35, per your article on Feb. 16, “Winging it: F-35 behind schedule, over budget,” costs more than $100 million in 2014.

Old health-care system wasn’t working

Mackay’s virtuous advice appreciated

Harvey Mackay’s column Monday, “Integrity is a 24/7 commitment,” nailed it.

I have enjoyed Harvey’s words over many years and shared with my daughters and grandchildren his sage teaching of responsibility to one’s personal life and society. My own simple understanding of “integrity” is “what you do when no one is watching you.”

Thank you for continuing his profound and important good words.

— Hank Richter, Phoenix

Lucky we can’t spend water like money

Concerning California’s drought: It’s good that California can’t take rain water from future generations, for if there were a way, it would surely do it. Just look at their monetary policies.

I guess when it comes to water, the conservative approach works.

Fallon’s ‘Tonight Show’ too immature