‘Tragic’ layoff of teacher? He’s still teaching

To the editor:

Edward Savarese’s story isn’t “tragic,” as stated by Assemblywoman Debbie Smith in the July 15 Review-Journal (“Success, but no security: Lauded teacher still laid off”). Mr. Savarese is still teaching for the Clark County School District. Finally, waaaay down deep in the story, it was reported that the teacher was snapped up immediately by another principal, before he even received his layoff notice. Did Ms. Smith know this before she was invited to comment on the story? Mr. Savarese’s stated belief that his skills are irrelevant is obviously false, because his skills apparently attracted the attention of the principal at Hancock Elementary, who hired him from the layoff list.

Also, I’d like to know whether the reporter, Trevon Milliard, asked school district spokeswoman Amanda Fulkerson, “Do you have the list of these deficient teachers who should have been fired before Mr. Savarese received a pink slip?” Her answer would have been no, because the district had already fired the 36 teachers who were determined to be insufficiently qualified under the layoff criteria now in place.

Mr. Savarese himself stated that “the union protects the mediocrity,” but does he have any specific information to back up that claim? Who are these mediocre teachers? Are the parents complaining? Do their principals really just keep them on out of habit or from fear of the union? Seriously?

The reporting in this case is merely human interest and filled with opinions, backed up by very few facts.

Judy Kay Frome

Las Vegas

Green failure

To the editor:

The picture on the front page of Thursday’s Review-Journal includes Sen. Harry Reid, Rep. Shelley Berkley and state Sen. Steven Horsford, all with shovels in hand, at the 2010 groundbreaking for the tax-subsidized Amonix solar manufacturing plant in North Las Vegas.

The picture could just as easily have been captioned, “Millions of your tax dollars being shoveled down a rat hole by Sen. Harry Reid, with the help of Rep. Shelley Berkley and state Sen. Steven Horsford.”

If this was such a good idea at the time, it would be interesting to know how much of their own money these three would have invested.

Robert R. Kessler

Las Vegas

Kitten killers

To the editor:

To Family Court Judge William Voy, who sentenced the two teenagers guilty of drowning two newborn kittens (Wednesday Review-Journal):

Did you fall and hit your head? A sentence of 200 hours of community service involving animals to teach them empathy? On the same logic, would you sentence a pervert to 200 hours of community service at a day care center?

Sentence them to a street corner with two buckets of water and a sign: “If you feel we were wrong to drown two kittens, stop and dunk our heads in these buckets.” That will teach them remorse, which may be a reminder to be humane in the future!

Bob Sperry

Las Vegas

This is justice?

To the editor:

I see Cory Simmons will get two to five years in prison for voluntary manslaughter in the death of his girlfriend’s 2-year-old son (Thursday Review-Journal). That could be one year with the way our system works. What a deal.

Compare that punishment with the sentence given to two teenagers who gave two kittens what amounts to a late-term abortion: 30 days in jail, house arrest and nearly five years of probation.

What really matters in this society?

RICHARD SANTA MARIA

LAS VEGAS

What about the baby?

To the editor:

I have been following the news coverage of the two teens who drowned two kittens weeks ago. The public seems to be outraged over the deaths of these kittens, with animal activists standing outside the courthouse with signs about animal cruelty, and calling the district attorney to make sure these two teenagers were charged with a felony and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law (Wednesday Review-Journal). Ask some people, and they would like these boys locked away forever.

However, where is the outrage over the baby found in a trash bin this week (Thursday Review-Journal)? The teenager has not been brought into custody and is not in jail. Where are the calls to the district attorney asking him to prosecute her? It is a very disturbing time when people are more outraged over the death of a animal than the death of a baby.

amy lubenetski

Las Vegas