Letters 05-30-2016

May 27, 2016

Oaks & Moths

All of last week’s letters regarding recommendations for the best native plants from "Listen to the Experts" from the previous week were right on target. Those who are interested in learning more about native plants, and their importance to birds, bees and butterflies, would do well to read Dr. Douglas Tallamy’s wonderful book, Bringing Nature Home.

If you were to ask Dr. Tallamy what his first pick for a native plant would be, I can tell you: any oak tree that is native to your area. Oaks support very high numbers of Lepidoptera (butterfly and moth) larvae (aka caterpillars), which are essential for migrating and nesting birds. And those caterpillars not eaten by birds grow up to be beautiful butterflies and moths. If you don’t like moths, think about the spectacular Cecropia.

Kay Charter, Saving Birds Thru Habitat , Omena

Poor Grades On Standardized Testing

We have been enduring standardized testing for the last few weeks as our district isn’t allowing for opting out without student removal. I think other parents need to know and the district needs to address their own inconsistencies in policy.

When I grew up I remember taking standardized testing; the point was to see how an individual scored statewide.

Now there is no longer a single test, nor is it once every few years. The kids hate it, the teachers hate it and upper levels of school management have agreed that it is a waste of time and energy. Yet I have never been given an option to opt out, nor is our decision being respected when we have chosen to opt our child out of what we feel is unnecessary stress and hours spent testing that could be used for learning. When the curriculum is designed around passing standardized tests as opposed to producing well rounded balanced students, we are failing to educate our children.

All local schools allow for opting out of testing while providing those students a safe place on school property, except Kingsley Schools. They have continued to refuse to accommodate our legal request and have inconsistently determined that if a child is being opted out, they must be removed from the school’s property.

So who’s benefiting from all this "˜mandated’ testing (which isn’t mandatory)? Good question. It sure isn’t those involved in administering or enduring these tests, so we have opted out and will continue to do so as long as this part of the system remains broken.

Megan Hall, Traverse City

Beware Trump

To describe Trump: hubristic, narcissistic, misogynistic, sociopathic. There are more descriptors. Should we pity this misfit or fear that his values attract such a large segment of our society? Hitler was spawned in the ferment of economic unrest. The workers flock to the most radical icon in times like these.

The intellectuals had little to do with the rise to power of Adolph Hitler, Mao Tse Tung, Pol Pot, Adi Amin, Hugo Chavez"¦we can name dozens more throughout history.

James Mason, Arcadia