LETTERS: Sanders’ free college push shows shortcomings of K-12 education

During Saturday’s Democratic presidential debate, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders provided a reason for making a university education free for all: that a college degree is necessary to have what used to be a high school education.

Sen. Sanders should first tell us why so little is learned in high school. That would lead to why so little is learned in junior high and elementary school.

Could it be that the left has had control of the schools for several generations, and classrooms that once emphasized the three R’s now give more attention to tolerance, multiculturalism and the fraud that is climate change than is given to the basics? What makes Sen. Sanders think today’s high school graduates can succeed when hundreds of colleges and universities need to teach remedial math and remedial English to one-third of their students just to get them ready for a real college class?

Owen Nelson

Las Vegas

Sebelius on debate

Steve Sebelius had a wonderful opportunity to write an interesting article after the CNBC Republican presidential debate. The headline on his Oct. 30 column, “Bashing media is easy; debating is hard,” almost promised serious thought. It didn’t take long for him to point out that people accuse him of being biased. Poor Mr. Sebelius.

However, if that is all he is accused of, readers are going easy on him. Mr. Sebelius wrote: “Cruz’s criticism was most direct; he ignored a question about his opposition to the debt-limit deal to complain about (wait for it) not getting substantive questions. And then he had the gall to complain about not getting a chance to answer the original question!”

That question was a 54-word sentence by debate moderator Carl Quintanilla. I am pretty sure there was a question in there. Wait for it, as Mr. Sebelius says. Mr. Quintanilla asked: “Congressional Republicans, Democrats and the White House are about to strike a compromise that would raise the debt limit, prevent a government shutdown and calm financial markets that fear another Washington-created crisis is on the way. Does your opposition to it show that you’re not the kind of problem-solver American voters want?”

Does Mr. Sebelius truly consider Mr. Quintanilla’s question substantive? Why did he not let his readers know what an infantile attempt Mr. Quintanilla made? I believe Mr. Sebelius realized what a stupid question that was, and he wanted to conceal that from readers. That is why I think Mr. Sebelius gets off easy when he’s called out for being biased. In this case, his fault was deception.

Thomas E. Petika

Las Vegas

Stadium talk

I continue to read about UNLV wanting a new stadium on Tropicana Avenue near the airport (“Sam Boyd Stadium swap possible,” Oct. 31 Review-Journal). Just what this city needs — more traffic congestion.

I have a better idea: Rebuild Sam Boyd Stadium in its present location. Make it a domed stadium. Then recruit a good team to play there and spend the money to hire a college coach, not a high school coach. With a new stadium, team and coach, UNLV might have a chance to produce something that hasn’t happened in a long time. The team might actually have a few winning seasons in a row.

Walt Dybeck

Las Vegas

ISIS and Paris

In a recent speech in Iowa, Donald Trump stated that the first step in defeating ISIS is to eliminate its source of financing: the oil fields, refineries and pipelines ISIS has captured. Mr. Trump’s proposal was simple and practical: “I would bomb the [expletive] out of ’em.”

Perhaps if the French had listened to Mr. Trump, with or without help from its allies, the terrorist attack in Paris on Friday would not have occurred. My guess is that America will not take such action until Mr. Trump gets elected.

Lev Schneiderman

Las Vegas