A student and his flashcards; Supt. Cortines’ money from Scholastic Inc.; Meghan Daum on the ‘R-word’

Too much security?

Re “Flashcards flash point,” and “Language classes funded,” Feb. 12

How interesting that The Times should have an article demonstrating the difficulty one student had with the TSA, the FBI and local police over flashcards of Arabic/English words, as well as a report that the U.S. government has provided $2.88 million to a Cal State program that trains students in specified foreign languages, which includes Arabic.

Paranoia over anything Arabic or Muslim is rampant in this country. President Obama is aware that this is part of defense spending, so he needs to make sure that students taking these languages can travel unmolested by the TSA. We need better targeting of potential terrorists and not students.

Suzanne Brugman
Whittier

I’m not sure what’s worse, the way Nicholas George was treated by the TSA for carrying Arabic flashcards or the utter waste of taxpayer dollars meant to fight terrorism.

I’m no expert on terrorism, but I am a veteran and an Arab American, and I’m fairly certain most Al Qaeda affiliates aren’t going to carry Arabic flashcards on their way to hijack a plane.

Omar Masry
Thousand Oaks

I’m a firm believer in the rights afforded in the 1st Amendment, but perhaps George was pushing his luck when he boarded a plane with the words “terrorism” and “bomb” written in Arabic on his flashcards.

His ACLU attorney might have a tough time, especially when it is commonly known not to joke around with the TSA or flight attendants about anything that could be misunderstood or taken out of context.

George should learn from this lesson, especially if he is considering being a U.S. diplomat someday.

Don Geller
Irvine

Cortines’ ties to Scholastic Inc.

Re “Cortines works for L.A Unified supplier,” Feb. 12

As an elementary school library aide in the Los Angeles Unified School District for more than 15 years, I invite Supt. Ramon C. Cortines to use his windfall to pay back the librarians who currently must take furlough days.

And perhaps he could also fund those of us who run the in-school Scholastic Book Fairs that pad his pocket.

Laurie Sisson Pisano
Rancho Palos Verdes

“I’m tired of the selfish attitudes of some,” says Cortines, as he collects $151,186 this year from his side job on the board of Scholastic Inc., which, according to The Times, has received $5.2 million from the LAUSD since Cortines’ arrival.

Maybe Cortines needs to return to school to learn the meaning of the word “hypocrisy.”

Tim Hanson
Santa Monica

Your article about Cortines appears to infer he is up to some sinister act, but goes on to explain his full disclosure and continued efforts not to overstep his boundaries.

Los Angeles is fortunate to have this very capable individual handling what must seem like a completely thankless job -- and he is attacked for being ethical. I just don’t get it.

Richard Rood
Pasadena

Re “LAUSD may cut 6 days,” Feb. 13

I don’t understand why Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa doesn’t just advocate cutting six days’ pay out of each teacher’s salary and keeping the present length of the school year.

Teachers want to be perceived as professionals. As professionals, they must realize the work required for a full year of education doesn’t magically shrink to fit a mayoral edict.

I am a faculty member at a private university, and as we are experiencing cuts in finances -- including salaries -- I am still expected to teach the same number of classes, hold the same office hours and so on.

I can’t help feeling the sense of entitlement felt by teachers is antithetical to their being perceived as professionals.

Richard Cornez
Redlands

Meanings of the ‘R-word’

Re “Wronged by the ‘R-word,’ ” Opinion, Feb. 11

Shortly after the term “developmentally disabled” came into use, I attended a meeting where a psychologist, “Mr. Jones,” used the term while talking to a student, a 17-year-old I’ll call “Johnny.”

Toward the end of the meeting, Johnny raised his hand. “Mr. Jones,” he said, “you keep saying I’m developmentally disabled. You do know I’m retarded, don’t you?”

Though undoubtedly we want people to refrain from using the word “retarded” in a pejorative sense, this current furor about White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel strikes me as the proverbial tempest in a teapot.

Pretending that elimination of this word through federal law will result in its nonuse further strikes me as legislators putting their heads in the sand.

Then again, they seem to be good at that. Perhaps that’s the best we can expect from them.

John Snyder
Newbury Park

I am confident that Meghan Daum would not have attempted to downplay the situation had Karl Rove used the word “retarded” in the same manner Emanuel did. In all likelihood The Times would have promptly written an editorial condemning him.

Daum mentions that Rush Limbaugh also used the word “retarded,” but she never notes that Limbaugh is a radio talk-show host -- not the president’s closest advisor.

Sam Chaidez
Mission Hills

The expletive use of the “R-word” is particularly offensive to parents and those of us who teach children with developmental disabilities.

The Americans with Disabilities Act and the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act have their roots in Brown vs. Board of Education. Replace the “R-word” with the “N-word” and you realize the impact of these words.

Sunnye Tuch
Los Angeles

Healthcare and profits

Re “Anthem rates draw anger from D.C. to Sacramento,” Feb. 10

The only solution to Anthem’s and the rest of the medical insurers’ greed is to make them nonprofit organizations.

Blue Cross used to be nonprofit. But now its managers see the money we send them not as our money that they are managing for us but as their money.

They have the hubris of pre-revolutionary France. Perhaps they need a similar solution.

Robert Miller
Sherman Oaks

Criticism of publicly traded healthcare companies’ profits is unfair. These companies’ purpose is to make money for shareholders.

This is Blue Cross, not Red Cross -- a corporation, not a charity. Cutting costs is a way to increase profits. Reducing payment of claims reduces costs. So does dropping people who develop costly health problems. Let’s stop criticizing, and let’s enact healthcare reform that requires healthcare companies to focus first on providing care.

Don Culp
Rancho Cucamonga

Upset by photo

Re “Tragedy strikes swiftly,” Feb. 13

I was dismayed and appalled by the front-page photo of Georgian Olympian Nodar Kumaritashvili after his tragic crash on the luge course. Just because it’s news that needs to be reported doesn’t mean the photo was necessary.

Placing that picture on the front page of your newspaper was disrespectful to the athlete, his family, his country and the Olympics, and was in poor taste. Please encourage integrity instead of degradation to sell your paper.

Marra Williams
Lakewood