Readers’ letters

California is improving outcomes for students

CalMatters reporter Jessica Calefati relies on faulty research, narrow metrics and insufficient data to make sweeping generalizations and unsubstantiated conclusions about California’s landmark Local Control Funding Formula (“Is California’s investment in needy students paying off,” Page 1B, June 25).

Calefati ignores or glosses over evidence in pursuit of a flawed narrative based on a handful of California’s 1,000plus school districts. The truth: Test scores are rising for all student groups. Plus, the state’s suspension rate is at an historic low and the graduation rate is the highest it’s ever been.

California is improving outcomes for students with new learning standards and new online tests that challenge students to think rather than bubble-in their best guesses. Drawing hard and fast conclusions about these changes from just two years of data, as Calefati does, is reckless and rash.

The Local Control Funding Formula has put spending decisions in the hands of local school districts. The alternative — returning to a Sacramento-driven system of mandated compliance — won’t direct more money to students who need it most.

California will not return to the past. — Michael W. Kirst, President, California State Board of Education

Voters need to replace three Alum Rock trustees

The recommendation that residents in the Alum Rock school district begin recruiting solid board candidates to replace three of the current members is spot on (Editorial, June 25).

The self important board President Khanh Tran and his cohorts Esau Herrera and Dolores Marquez are apparently responsible for poor and possibly actionable mismanagement of public funds. The lack of respect for district residents and employees is indicative of a misunderstanding that at least two of the trio have of their roles as elected representatives.

These board members do not seem to understand that they are there to respond candidly and honestly to citizens’ concerns regarding inadequate maintenance, repair and management of district facilities and to properly and carefully oversee fiscal matters.

The District Attorney’s fraud unit will hopefully begin an investigation of the relationship between the district and Del Terra and, armed with the facts, the voters within the district will finally take notice of the actions of this board and replace the unresponsive three with true public servants. — Lee Esquibel, San Jose

Rich aren’t paying their fair share of taxes

Gary Heidenreich (Letters, June 27) says that the rich are already paying their fair share in taxes. He lists federal and state tax rates. Few if any of the rich pay the actual rates. They shelter and defer their incomes, finding loophole after loophole in the tax code.

Donald Trump says that’s smart. There is another rate. It is called the effective or actual rate they are paying, and it is considerable less that the rates he quoted. Unfortunately, the rest of us don’t make enough to shelter, so we actually pay the stated rates. If the rich paid their fair share, the rest of us would be happy for it. — Mark Grzan, Morgan Hill

Caltrain doesn’t need additional sales tax revenue

Are you kidding me? Can’t Caltrain get enough from the billion dollar Measure B? Enough already taking from our wallets. We all pay. Yet only a few use the service, and those of us south of San Jose never get increased service. — Susan Mister, Gilroy

Second Amendment criticism fails the logic test

Susan Brown (Letters, June 25) thinks the Second Amendment should only apply to arms that existed in the 18th century. Applying that logic to the First Amendment, I am sure that she wrote her letter to the editor with quill and ink on parchment and delivered it by hand or on horseback. Similarly, all the protests of President Trump should be banned unless the participants traveled to them using covered wagon or clipper ship. — Scott Peterson, Math Professor, De Anza College Cupertino

The hypocrisy of California’s travel restrictions

It is OK for Gov. Jerry Brown to travel to China on taxpayer dollars, but, heavens, it is impossible for him or others to travel to Texas on the taxpayers’ dime because Texas is so inhuman and China is so wonderful in human treatment to its citizens. One can only wonder what those politicians in Sacramento have ingested in those smoke-filled rooms where bills are thought up. Might I suggest we ban travel out of Sacramento, because what ever the politician have caught might be contagious in the real world. — Charles Shoemaker, Sunnyvale