The following individuals and organizations deserve either
CHEERS or JEERS this week:
The following individuals and organizations deserve either CHEERS or JEERS this week:
JEERS: For the ongoing parade of bad judgments that continue to plague Gilroy High School. From student comments, it appears that Advanced Placement English Teacher Margaret Ota facilitated the finding of a Web site that showed a video of the beheading of American Nick Berg in Iraq. The subject came up in relation to guillotine killings in Charles Dickens’ “A Tale of Two Cities.” But that’s hardly a justification. Ota showed remarkably poor judgment in facilitating the viewing of Berg’s beheading. It just wasn’t necessary. The difference between reading and discussing a Dickens’ novel and viewing a beheading video should be clear to a veteran teacher.
CHEERS: For City Councilman Russ Valiquette’s idea to flip-flop the manner in which taxes are collected and distributed in California. Instead of the state giving money back to the cities after collecting, say, the sales tax, Valiquette wants the cities to collect the money and pay the state. That’s right in line with our thinking: The farther the tax money gets away from the source, the more of it is wasted. The state can’t control its spending. It can’t keep its promises and it can’t deliver a budget on time. Gilroy can. It’s a good idea that the League of California Cities should consider taking up as a top cause.
JEERS: For the decision by the district attorney’s office not to try the three teens charged with threatening to shoot a Gilroy High teacher as adults. The three are 17 – very close to legal adulthood. Furthermore, in adult court their actions, identities and the charges against them would have been made public. Though the DA’s office has deemed the threat idle because they had no weapons, the students created a dangerous and costly situation. That should have been enough to meet the test of a serious offense.
CHEERS: For Goldsmith Seeds, which has started a voluntary fitness program for its employees. It’s wonderful to have such a progressive company as one of our community’s top employers.
JEERS: For Caltrain, which once again has ignored the South Valley. Baby Bullet express service along the line that stretches from Gilroy to San Francisco will begin June 5. The new service will skip many stops making the train rides shorter for commuters. But the southernmost point of origin – Gilroy – isn’t included in the new plan.
