Isn’t this being done?
The “How would education funds be spent?” (PP 3/30) article leaves one to wonder what really transpires in the Minnesota educational system. As usual, the devil (and truth) is in the details.
One can argue with items such as “more counselors, social workers, school psychologists, and nurses” until the proverbial hell freezes over. And one can argue about the equity efforts that show people in education management apparently believe different races are unequal in their abilities. Otherwise, why the emphasis on equity (equal outcomes)?
One item, however, tells the whole story. “The bills … would invest … and require schools to screen for reading problems in kindergarten.” Isn’t this being done? If so, why do they need more money? This isn’t anything new — it was known 60 years ago.
This should be the first exercise as students progress in the first few months. The ability to read is dependent on several things, one of the most important being physical skills such as hand-eye coordination. No wonder the public schools are failing.
I rest my case.
Art Thell, West St. Paul
Play fair
Saw a news story about Xcel Energy wanting to get into the EV car charging business. Seems like an obvious and predictable fit. Their map showed their distribution all over the interstate system.
What’s different is Xcel wants to add the facilities cost across the board into the rate base, meaning it would be on all our bills even if we never saw an EV. Unfair to us and surely an advantage over competing vendors.
Up until now PUC rules prohibited this and I assume they still do. I know this because I used to work there. The customer or benefiting party would have to pay the cost difference up front if not justified by the rules.
It seems like Xcel is looking for an exemption to this rule, not sure the reasoning but, I can imagine. But I say, play the game fair guys.
Mark Ruecker, Roseville
Criticize Biden, too
Are we allowed to criticize the President?
That’s the question I think about after reading the Sunday edition of the Pioneer Press each week. Plenty of criticism of Trump or Republicans but very rarely do you see President Biden criticized or mocked when he tells a lie or says something stupid. It’s not that there’s a lack of material so it looks like political bias is alive and well at the Pioneer Press.
I heard someone in the news business once say, “if you can tell I’m a Republican or a Democrat, then I’m not doing my job”. Wouldn’t it be nice to see both sides treated the same?
Walter Huemmer, St. Paul
Busted
The Federal Reserve manipulates interest rates via a zero rate policy for more than a decade, Congress spends trillions we don’t have as foolishly as a child, and the Fed announces inflation is transitory. Now, I ask, what could possibly go wrong?
T.J. Sexton, St. Paul