Continued: South metro letters

Arts school would be more waste

Per an article in the Star Tribune regarding the Burnsville, Eagan, Savage school district:

"The board gave school staff the go-ahead to plan for science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) schools... The staff will also plan a fine- and performing-arts school that will be a collaboration between Nicollet Junior High, Burnsville High School and the city of Burnsville's Performing Arts Center, which is under construction. The district intends to hire four staff members to start the planning, and the final decision to open the schools will be put before the school board this fall."

Remember the referendum that narrowly passed in November, to "sustain existing and necessary program funding"? Now ISD 191 is hiring new staff to plan for a program that would affect what percentage of the student enrollment? The city of Burnsville, against significant objection from the majority of its citizens, pushed forward with the construction of a $20+ million Performing Arts Center and a parking ramp. Now the school district administration is spending what the recently retired superintendent referred to as "critical budget resources" creating a program to use this facility which has little use.

Is there no accountability with Burnsville officials other than some sort of ballot every few years?

MARK A. HAUGEN

BURNSVILLE

The Shakopee School system Sex Education program should be applauded and not critiqued because of the honest, unadulterated look at the changes male and female bodies undertake. Keeping boys and girls together is appropriate and needs to be encouraged. As the instructor informs the sixth grader of the changes both the male and female will expect to experience the children can have open dialogue which can lead to breaking down barriers between the sexes.

CHRIS LUND

HAMBURG

Ever since the release of "An Inconvenient Truth," it seems that the nation is undergoing a sea change regarding the importance of environmental sustainability. Everywhere I look, I see articles about "being green." And, people seem to be listening. I tried to buy a push reel lawn mower today at Sears, but was told that they were sold out. This, I take to be a hopeful sign for our environment. Companies will follow sales. However, it seems to me that if we really want to "be green," another consideration, often overlooked, has to do with our financial investments. Environmentally and socially responsible investing seems to be rarely discussed in the media and among individuals and even more rarely practiced. Most mutual funds, for instance, invest in companies that are not sustainable (e.g., big oil). Imagine the pressure that could be placed on less sustainable companies if large numbers of ordinary investors started shifting their assets to companies more committed to the greater good and lobbying for change in these ways. Further attention to environmentally and socially responsible investing by the Star Tribune also would be helpful. Buying green may be good, but green investing might be even better.

ANDY TIX

HASTINGS

Perhaps liberal environmentalists will ask Congress to impose windfall taxes on renewable energy profits. After all, addressing global warming is all about our children, grandchildren and planet's health -- profit motive has no bearing, whatsoever, on the scaremongering. Therefore, renewable energy profits should be capped with excesses being redistributed to homeless shelters and bridge repairs. Any liberal environmentalists care to put your money where your mouths are on that?

JOHN RAUSTADT

PRIOR LAKE

I would like to know why the candidate that talks about change won't leave me any. Sen. Barack Obama indicated this week on television that he supports higher gas prices for Americans; he simply doesn't think the price spike should have happened so suddenly.

Regardless of how and why the spike occurred, Senator Obama, as a leader in Congress and a presidential candidate, should at least offer some leadership on how fuel can be made more affordable in the near term. Sen. McCain offered a plan to suspend the federal gas tax from Memorial Day to Labor Day and Sen. Obama has criticized that proposal.

Well, Sen. Obama, what is your plan to ease the costs on American families? Is it possible you don't have one since you think higher gas prices are a good thing?

NATHAN KRAHN

EAGAN