Readers address the controversy regarding the inclusion of
student tattoo pictures in the Gilroy High yearbook and wade into
local politics a week before the Nov. 6 election
Kudos to GHS Principal for not excluding students with tattoos
Dear Editor,
As a former high school yearbook editor, I always encouraged coverage of the student body without false representation. While I do not particularly care to look at an entire spread of tattoos or piercings, I do feel that a yearbook staff has the right to vote on what they want to cover in their book; it’s a democratic establishment to properly represent the vast diversity seen on school campuses.
What is the real threat that the community feels it is facing? Is it really about the illegal means of getting such markings, or perhaps is it the assumption that people with tattoos amount to less than any other person? Having produced tattoo spreads in the past, I was never compelled to have my own after seeing the finished pages. Perhaps the parents that are upset are acting upon their own insecurity as to how their children will interpret such images.
I commend Gilroy High School Principal James Maxwell for not wanting to exclude such a large portion of his school’s population in fear of ridicule. By censoring these images the community not only expects others to parent their children for them, but they also promote ignorance in diversity.
Alyx Fischer, Gilroy
Tattoo page in GHS yearbook lowers the bar – principal is wrong
Dear Editor,
I strongly disagree with Gilroy High Principal James Maxwell’s stand regarding a special page for piercing or tattoos being included in the yearbook. The mere fact that it is not legal for minors to be tattooed in the state of California should be more than enough to prevent this from receiving special recognition in the Gilroy High yearbook.Â
If up to one-third of our students who attend GHS are pierced or tattooed, then that will be revealed in the many random pictures that will be included in the yearbook. In my opinion, not including a special tattoo page does not marginalize these students any more than not having a special page for students who choose to wear their hair long. Let’s not lower the bar.
Sandi Zappa, Gilroy
30 years in Gilroy, strongly in favor of Mayor Pinheiro’s re-election
Dear Editor,
I have lived in Gilroy for more than 30 years. The current city council election is by far the most negative that we have been subjected to.
Candidates Perry Woodward and Craig Gartman seem determined to drag us all into the gutter with distributing, false and, misleading information to voters. They are both running campaigns of fear, with mudslinging as their weapon, in the hopes of sidetracking and misleading the voters in an attempt to win their votes. How very, very sad.
The negative advertisement placed by Mark Zappa attacking Mayor Al Pinheiro is as bad as it gets. I applaud Mayor Pinheiro for staying above the fray and running a clean and honest campaign on his merits, the issues and the facts. That is what voters care about. It is behavior such as that exhibited by Gartman that gives politicians a bad name.
Remember, a mayor only has the power of one vote on the city council. He does not make decisions on his own. How can someone like Gartman, who does not share information with his fellow council members before springing it on them in public, expect to be able to lead those same people as a team? If you are going to be a team leader, you have to be a team player first and foremost. It is this kind of behavior from Gartman that recently cost taxpayers $15,000 when he withheld a document from city staff and tried to “investigate” the allegation himself.
As we all know, there were no misspent funds. The real crime is that Gartman forced taxpayers to spend $15,000 on an investigation he orchestrated in order to try to win favor with voters!
Mayor Pinheiro is an honest, hard-working public servant whose commitment to the community of Gilroy is unquestionable. He is one of the most selfless and humble men that I have ever met. His desire to lead Gilroy as our mayor is rooted in his strong values of giving back to the community, not for power or glory. The amount of volunteer hours he has put into this community over the years, in countless positions, without any expectation of getting anything in return other than a better Gilroy, says a lot about him. With him you never have to guess about what he will really do. I hope that voters will join me in strongly rejecting the negative campaigns of Perry Woodward and Craig Gartman and vote to re-elect Mayor Al Pinheiro on Nov. 6. Honest, selfless leadership for Gilroy.
Annie Fortino, Gilroy
It’s a ‘canyon-sized’ disconnect and a poor endorsement choice
Dear Editor,
Reading The Dispatch recently, I noticed a flurry of advertising for Caravelle Travel and Farmers Insurance owned by Al and Vilma Pinheiro. It is nice to see them supporting such a fine paper.
Anyway, I was rather displeased with the endorsement of Mayor Pinheiro by such a fine paper. What I found a bit amazing was the level of naivete by such an intelligent and esteemed editorial board. The board recounts a plethora of poor decisions and lack of leadership as well as constant deference to city administrators by the mayor. The board then takes a huge leap of faith and says it believes Mayor Pinheiro will do better. Hmmmm …
As I recall, if you want to have a good measure of what to expect from someone in the future, simply look at their past. The editorial board gives no facts to support this sudden eternal trust in a mayor who has a history of taking care of his chums in City Hall but has fostered a canyon-sized disconnect from the residents he is supposed to represent. Thank goodness for columnists Ben Anderson and Lisa Pampuch. Ms. Pampuch’s excellent “Minority Report” was far more factual and was pixie dust free. Anderson’s column broke it down to the bottom line without an ounce of fluff. If we want a council that looks out for residents, we must look to one who has the pulse of the community at large, not just those on Rosanna Street.
Mark A. Zappa, Citizen’s Against Waste & Fraud
In the heat of the local election, let’s keep the proper perspective
Dear Editor,
As the flurry of campaign efforts begins to go into high gear, this is just a quick reality check. We live in a community where public service is a part of our culture. Whether volunteering during the Garlic Festival or serving on councils or leading a troop of Brownies, we are blessed with a community of people who give generously of their time.
Too often, it is easy to forget that campaigns are about issues. People who run for office in Gilroy are your neighbors, your friends, the people you see at school functions, churches, in the grocery store, or the myriad of other places we all frequent. When personal attacks are made against individuals, it hurts, and it discourages those who may have even considered future leadership roles in your community.
Each one of the candidates running in the Nov. 6 election has made themselves available at numerous public forums. They have a perspective on issues, and that is what a campaign is about. I know you all join me in congratulating everyone who has put their hat in the ring, who has the best interests of our community, and who have expressed their desire to serve with a servant’s heart. To them, we owe respect.
Susan Valenta, President/CEO, Gilroy Chamber of Commerce
Downtown improvement, working with schools make choice clear
Dear Editor,
I urge the voters of Gilroy to support Al Pinherio for Mayor of Gilroy. Pinheiro demonstrates strong leadership and a collaborative approach to improve Gilroy. His leadership brought much needed attention to the revitalization of downtown. His collaborative approach gathered local developers to understand the school district’s facilities funding gap, encouraged developers to financially assist the school district with securing additional resources, and supported the joint-use agreements between the city and the district to fund Christopher High School.
I am confident that he will successfully continue to represent Gilroy with honor and continued commitment. He is invaluable to the residents of Gilroy. Please join me in voting for Al Pinherio for mayor of Gilroy.
Javier Aguirre, GUSD School Board Member
