Sacramento City Unified should reinstate C.K. McClatchy journalism advisor immediately | Opinion

Best teacher being mistreated

“McClatchy High School is censoring the student newspaper, trampling on free speech,” (sacbee.com, May 9)

I was appalled to read that C.K. McClatchy High School has placed journalism advisor Samantha Archuleta on leave. Even more shameful is that instead of rallying behind her, Archuleta’s administrators and colleagues have seemingly turned on her. In an article on the “weirdest stuff” overheard on campus, the student newspaper (which Archuleta advises) published a comment from one student who said “Hitler had some good ideas.”

The statement is shocking (deliberately), stupid and offensive, but it is surely protected by the First Amendment. If the comment itself is protected speech, merely reporting it is protected.

My oldest son was fortunate to have Archuleta as a teacher in McClatchy’s vaunted Humanities and International Studies Program. She is, hands down, the best teacher he ever had (his words). She assigned world literature classics, challenged students’ preconceived notions, taught the art of close reading and demanded that students demand more of themselves.

The Sacramento City Unified School Board must reinstate Archuleta immediately.

David Crow

Sacramento

Outstanding leadership at Sacramento State

“California Gov. Gavin Newsom says he’s ‘against divestment’ after Sac State changes policy language,” (sacbee.com, May 11)

A week ago, Sacramento State’s administration came to an agreement with the pro-Palestinian protestors who had constructed an encampment on campus. We are thankful to CSU Sacramento’s administration for their leadership and for modeling the path that all university leadership should take: listening to students and finding ways to support them. The agreement included that university investments would be reviewed to ensure that the campus engages in socially responsible investments and that students would be supported as the current crisis in Gaza continues to unfold.

UCLA, UC San Diego and Columbia University should be examples of what university campuses must avoid becoming: battlegrounds where police are called in to throw stun grenades and shoot rubber bullets at their students. Where are we headed as a society if our universities — historic bastions of free speech — are institutions that use violence against students for exercising that very right?

Dr. Luke Wood and his team have paved a new way forward that centers students and works to build a healthy community on campus. The Sacramento community is lucky to have such outstanding leadership at our local university

Omar Altamimi

Council of American Islamic Relations, Sacramento Valley/Central California

Opinion

A true Aggie

“California veteran columnist laid off, to still cover Davis,” (sacbee.com, May 10)

There was something in the humor, personality and talent of Bob Dunning when we first met as fellow journalists and Davis residents circa 1970 that led me to accurately predict that he would merit the label of “Mr. Davis” for many decades thereafter. University towns and their obsession with intellectual excellence and criticism can pose special challenges to the media, and Bob proved his mettle in such an environment.

I have moved from Davis but have continued to envy his relevance and prestige in my ex-hometown. Kudos to opinion writer Tom Philp for creating an appreciation for a true Aggie.

Robert Pentzer

Chico

Blame the bad drivers

“Over seven blocks on a dangerous Sacramento road, seven severe crashes, two of them fatal,” (sacbee.com, May 14)

The headline of this article seems to blame motor vehicle crashes on the road, Arden Way. But the real problem isn’t the road, it’s bad drivers who choose to break laws and harm people’s lives. Sacramento is full of them: Idiots who don’t stop, barely slow down at stop signs, defy midtown traffic calming by zooming around traffic circles and weave dangerously among highway drivers, some of whom amazingly travel at or near the speed limit.

I’ve asked to have a light installed at a particular Midtown intersection where virtually no one stops at the signs, even if I’m walking in the crosswalk, but nothing happens. We don’t need more police monitoring peaceful events, we need someone to catch and deter would-be manslaughterers from breaking traffic laws.

The fault is not the road or the vehicle, it’s the driver. Just because others do wrong doesn’t make it right.

Ann Gerhardt MD

Sacramento

Newsom’s RTO mandate inspires hatred

“More CA civil servants ordered to work in-person twice a week,” (sacbee.com, April 1)

There is no “return to office.” This is a forced change to working conditions and a punishment for adapting to these extraordinary times. The pandemic is over, but the lessons learned remain. Telework has been the default for four years now because it works. A return to office mandate only comes from someone who still has a pre-2020 mindset.

I had been indifferent to Gov. Gavin Newsom. He seemed like a reasonable default. Now, I’m unhappy to say, I hate Newsom. True hatred. How can I not feel it? Newsom wants to make 10% of my time worse for the rest of my career. He’ll trample over my life and say it’s for the good of all.

So I’ll support Newsom’s opponents and badmouth him to my friends. I’ll shrug when tragedy strikes him and cheer when his political demise comes about. Bad Newsom. Bad, bad Newsom.

Jordan Scavo

Sacramento