Due process missing at Ryan Elementary and BVSD
In September 2015, I had to file a Federal lawsuit against Ryan Elementary and Boulder Valley School District (BVSD) because they unconstitutionally banned me from walking my daughter to school because I criticized my daughter’s teacher and lack of school safety at the school. I also wrote a letter to the editor about the incident, which was published in this newspaper. On Dec. 11, 2015, I was forced to file a fourth motion for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction filed in federal court after speaking with BVSD about what steps I needed to take to get back on campus and BVSD continues to act in bad faith and they are keeping my indefinite ban from campus in place. The attorney for BVSD even cited my letter to the editor published in the Daily Camera as an example of a negative interaction. Evidently, BVSD thinks that it can get away with depriving parents of due process and equal protection, if they don’t like when a parent criticizes a school.
Andrew J. O’Connor/Lafayette
Go young people, go
I was very heartened to see that U.S. youth are rallying in solidarity with countries that are most vulnerable to climate change. They are calling for full decarbonization and a transition to 100 percent renewable energy by 2050. This is in reference to Christian O’Rourke’s article [Re: “An ambitious agreement would benefit Colorado,” Dec. 10].
I am thrilled that these young delegates are making their voices heard loud and clear. This is exactly what needs to be happening all over the world. It is our young people who are inheriting a fouled nest, and they are the ones who need to demand that our legislators do everything in their power to help stop putting more CO2 into our environment.
If I were queen of the world, I would grant these young activists their wish. Unfortunately, I think it’s going to take smaller steps to move off the dime.
I remember hearing JoAnna Macy, a climate activist, talking about working within the system. She said it’s unrealistic to think we can totally undo our system of energy production. We need to engage the open market to help us make the transition to non fossil fuels. Putting a gradually rising price on all fossil fuels at their source will send a clear message to the open market that a transition of the energy system is underway and that will spur renewable energy innovation.
With viable alternatives, like electric cars powered with electricity from only solar or wind, we will be able to reduce our carbon footprint and really move toward decarbonization. If our government would put a fee on carbon at its source and then return those monies back to households, then the majority of people would get back more with this rebate than they would be paying for higher energy prices. This is all part of a bigger solution being offered by Citizens Climate Lobby.
My wish is that more young people would join Citizens Climate Lobby, and become a part of an organization which is offering up non-partisan solutions that stand a chance of being approved by Congress. You could join the Boulder Chapter. Go to citizensclimatelobby.org and find out how to become involved. Our country and our world needs you.
Roberta Benson/Boulder
Solving the debt crisis
We’ll be in big trouble if we don’t take steps now to reduce the present national debt within 10 years; and we should let our elected representatives know this. One compromise might be to please the democrats by going along the lines of the Simpson-Bowles plan — or at least keeping Obamacare — and to please the Republicans by not funding Planned Parenthood.
Alex Sokolow/Santa Monica, CA
