It’s time to reopen schools
EDITOR: First, I would like to say that my experience as a parent in Petaluma City Schools has been very positive over the past 10 years. The teachers and staff are some of the best people in our community, and my children have benefited greatly from living in such a fine place.
Nobody could possibly have been prepared for a pandemic that the world has not seen in over a century. But we have learned quite a bit over this past year when it comes to schools. I’m disappointed that Petaluma City Schools seem to be behind other neighboring districts, and I’m a bit perplexed by the apparent lack of planning to get our children back into the classroom.
“Children absolutely need to return to in-school learning for their healthy development and well-being, and so safety in schools and in the community must be a priority," American Academy of Pediatrics President Lee Savio Beers said in a January news release. There are countless examples of the mental trauma that our school children are suffering from during this crisis. And, quite frankly, their voices have not received near enough attention.
While I applaud the efforts our teachers are making, our children simply cannot learn at a level that will sustain them going forward in this Zoom environment. I work in an occupation where I am not able to telecommute. And the times when I have had to be on a video conference for more than an hour or two has been unbearable. I could not imagine doing it hours in a day for five days a week. I hope that in the coming days (not weeks or months) we can see viable plans to return our children to the classrooms. The time to decide has arrived.
Mike Nevin
Petaluma
For those who would reopen schools: practice patience
EDITOR: COVID fatigue is an unfortunate side effect of the pandemic we’ve been suffering, and so it is no surprise that a parent and student march to the Petaluma City Schools offices occurred Feb. 9. Their grievance was, of course, that schools should be reopened with face-to-face instruction as soon as possible.
Do any of these folks really think that teachers don’t want to return to their classrooms? I have talked to teachers and seen some in action working from home and they will quickly tell you that they have never worked this hard before in their professional lives. Teachers — and their students — have stepped up and quickly learned to use new technology applications. Teachers are Zooming with kids in incredibly creative ways. They contact students one-on-one and have meetings with parents singly and in groups.
None of this is easy for teachers, nor has it been for any of us. Argus readers and Tuesday’s marchers should be aware that PCS has a reopening plan, and those families and students needing counseling and other helpful services only have to contact their schools or visit district and/or school websites. And let’s remind ourselves that we are living through an extraordinary time that requires an extraordinary amount of patience and safety to help us return to some semblance of normal. The county superintendent announced that teachers will soon be receiving vaccinations, an important first step for a safe and responsible reopening of schools. Welcome news indeed.
Susan Thompson
Petaluma
Loud leaf blowers need to go
EDITOR: It’s time to ban gas-powered leaf blowers in Petaluma. A growing number of cities in California have banned or strictly limited their use. For example, the City of Sonoma banned gas-powered leaf blowers in 2016. Noise pollution has been the primary force behind these ordinances. However, gas-powered leaf blowers are a major source of air pollution and a significant contributor to climate change.
According to the California Air Resources Board, a commercial gas-powered leaf blower operated for one hour emits pollution equal to driving a 2016 Toyota Camry about 1,100 miles. In California, the number of small, off-road engines – 76% of which include residential leaf blowers, lawn mowers and other garden equipment, and 9% of which are commercial garden and lawn equipment – is greater than the number of light-duty passenger cars.
Our current residential yard and city parks model is based on lawn cultivation, which requires much of our precious water; covering the soil with plastic, bark and/or rocks, which works against water conservation and healthy soil; and the use of fertilizers and herbicides. Leaves become the enemy when they could otherwise provide habitat for helpful insects, and mulch for conserving moisture and healthy soil.
We need to change the extreme maintenance model of gardening that we find in residential yards and city parks to one such as that promoted by Daily Acts. The Petaluma City Council needs to take the lead in educating our residents about the negative impact that gas-powered leaf blowers have on the environment, promoting the use of rakes where leaves are not desired, and providing support for commercial lawn businesses to make the change to electric leaf blowers and rakes.
Carol Crabill
Petaluma
Rivertown Poets going strong with community support
EDITOR: Thanks for your ongoing support of Rivertown Poets' semi-monthly readings. Your consistent coverage via our listing in "Out and About in Petaluma" has helped us to build and solidify our core audience, and attract newcomers. Our reading series, sponsored by Aqus Cafe and championed by John Crowley and Leslie McCullaugh, has provided local and Bay Area poets an invaluable forum for self-expression and sharing since 2013. It's been a lifesaver during this challenging pandemic year. Thanks to you, we've built a strong and collegial poetry community. I especially appreciated seeing the photos of February 15th's feature poets this past week. Keep up the good work!
Sandra Anfang, host of Rivertown Poets
Petaluma
Health officials shouldn’t host vaccine clinics indoors
EDITOR: I was a participant in the very well run vaccination distribution conducted at Sonoma Valley High School during the weekend of Feb. 6. I cannot understand why the next round of vaccinations has been scheduled at an indoor location. Many of my eligible neighbors are seniors, justifiably concerned about their vulnerability to the virus, and will not attend an indoor event of any type. They have been in lockdown for almost a year taking great pains to avoid just such exposure. It is my hope that future distributions will return to one (or more) of the many available outdoor venues scattered throughout the county.
Marvin Weinbaum
Petaluma
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