Mountain Way student drop off a daily transition

Dear Editor,

I am writing in hopes that you publish my frustrations in your paper.
Since the Granite Falls School District implemented a budget cut in transportation this year; having all students within a one-mile radius walk to school, the parking lot for pick-up/drop-off at Mountain Way Elementary has been disastrous.
There are times it takes 15 minutes to go through the circular pick-up/drop-off.
I voiced my frustration in the beginning of the school year to the principal, her response was, “We don’t have funds for parking lot patrol," but there seem to be plenty of staff after school taking green passes from the kids.
I have walked up and pointed directly at a car just parked in the pick-up/drop-off lane.
Why do I have to point that out when there are several staffers standing out there? It’s obviously backing up the whole line.
Parents constantly cut through the parking lot and cut-off parents waiting in the circular line, they double park or park where they aren’t supposed to.
Parents and children walk in between cars in the pick-up/drop-off circular also, even though there is a designated crosswalk in the parking lot.
I did request that the school put a notice out to parents about this and they did mention it in the February newsletter, but it didn’t and hasn’t changed anything. In fact, I told the secretary that I doubt many will read it.
I said, “When someone gets hurt, then maybe everyone will care and follow the rules”.

Stephanie Seeds
Granite Falls

Recovery needs only a free market

Dear Editor,

The elections in November both at the federal and state levels were mainly based on economics, but too many conservative elected officials are targeting social agendas.
The U.S. Congress is focusing many of its first legislation on abortion vice the economy and fiscal discipline to begin reigning in our federal deficit.
I am personally against abortion because I believe an unborn fetus is a life and is granted the same liberties (life, liberty and pursuit of happiness) as each of us. Right now is not the time for this fight. Instead they should focus on repealing the Financial Regulation legislation that will tie industry’s hands and ensuring our corporate tax structure is inviting for investment.
Government doesn’t need to do much to start an economic recovery, basically just get out of the way and the free market will take charge.
The social conservative agenda is one of the reasons Republicans lost power in the first place. Even our two Democrat Senators and Democrat Congressman need to realize that their agenda was a failure and the only path to economic success is the free market, less government intrusion in the market, completely re-vamping Medicare and Social Security, and an intelligent approach to how our military should look and it’s mission.
 
Todd Welch
Lake Stevens

State should not try to get rid of teachers

Dear Editor,

I teach fifth grade in Lake Stevens. I am not in favor Senate Bill 5399 and House Bill 1609.
On February 7 I had the opportunity to go to Olympia and talk with lawmakers about this bill. I was very disappointed to realize that someone who is named on the bill truly didn’t understand the impact of the bill that he was trying to get pushed through.
These bills do nothing to prevent teacher layoffs. Ultimately these bills will result in severely overcrowded classrooms. This bill would just compound the problem. Our focus should not be in trying to get rid of teachers, but help them do better.
Principals, superintendents, support professionals, school boards, and teachers are opposed to the teacher layoff bills. We are focusing on the wrong issue at the wrong time. We need to be looking at ways to make schools better and stronger not find ways to break them apart.
The teacher layoff bills would let Olympia impose a one-size-fits-all mandate on local teacher staffing decisions. Staffing decisions should be left up to the local districts. Why should Olympia have a say in staffing when they have no direct contact with individual employees?

Mrs. Heidi Finley
Lake Stevens