It Makes Sense Not to Trivialize the Issues

As a mother of two school-age daughters, I am appalled and frustrated by articles like “The Death of Common Sense?” (Nov. 8). Nowhere in this diatribe against too-rigid applications of sensible rules is there recognition that the problems of sexual harassment and violence in our schools are very real and need to be taken seriously.

Of course we all want common sense to prevail in schools, courts and everywhere else. By whining endlessly about political correctness only trivializes the challenges our schools and children face.

BONNIE K. SLOANE

Los Angeles

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Regarding kids taking Midol or steak knives, or as Dole says, whatever, to school: Deal with it, but please stop calling every youngster caught in politically correct cross hairs an honor student. Or is that politically correct too?

JOAN MARTIN

Wooodland Hills

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It is true that the extreme reactions cited in the article show a lack of common sense. It also shows a lack of common sense and history in general to think that things were so much better in the past. True, maybe children weren’t expelled for kissing other children, but there were examples of extreme punishment.

I’ve talked to people who went to religious schools, and some of the things they describe, the whipping and shaming, were more violent than any of the punishments you describe.

There can be no doubt we have to make changes, but we can’t make the mistake that Newt Gingrich and his ilk have made in thinking that things were really so much better in the past.

DANIEL McVEY

Los Angeles