The heart-wrenching stories of the families featured in Chris Serres' June 26 article "Army of kids made to play caregivers" are symptoms of a deeper problem — the need for adequate community services for families so parents with disabilities aren't forced to turn to their children for daily care and support.

Serres alluded to this need when he mentioned the budget cuts in 2007 and the caregivers finding higher-paying jobs. When our policymakers made reforms to personal care assistance programs and slashed funding, families were the ones who paid the price through fewer hours of assistance or a total elimination of services. Families have also paid the price for our elected officials' failure to pass funding increases to raise caregivers' wages that would give Minnesotans more incentive to take and stay in these very skilled and demanding jobs.

The vast majority of the online comments about this article have directed their wrath toward the parents with disabilities for asking their children to help. Our anger should instead be channeled into changing policies and funding that will make life better for these parents and their children alike.

Steve Larson, Shoreview

The writer is senior policy director for The Arc Minnesota.

EMPLOYMENT LAW

'Ban the box' was not an opening for temp worker's attack

In his June 26 column "She trusted temp, and paid dearly," about a temp worker with a criminal record who assaulted a customer after his employer did not conduct a hiring background check, Jon Tevlin stated, "Minnesota passed a law in 2014 that prohibits employers, with some exemptions, from asking about crimes." This is an incomplete explanation, and misleading. I lobbied for the law he is referring to, known as "ban the box." It does not prohibit employers from asking about criminal records and conducting a background check. It only prohibits them, with some exceptions, from asking about criminal history on the employment application. They are free to conduct a background check after selecting candidates for an interview or at conditional offer of employment if no interview is conducted.

The policy is meant to give those with criminal records, which is estimated at 1 in 4 people, a chance to be fairly evaluated based upon their current skills and qualifications. It may give them the opportunity they otherwise wouldn't have to be hired when their criminal history is old and/or irrelevant to the position. Employers are generally not required to conduct a background check by statute, but for positions like this one where employees will have significant unsupervised contact with customers, a background check is certainly best practice.

Mark Haase, Minneapolis

The writer is an attorney.

PRESERVATION

Kudos all around for Dakota County conservation easement

In this age of so much bad news, I took heart at the June 26 story of Dakota County purchasing a conservation easement from Vance and Darlene Grannis to create a nature preserve. This couple is to be lauded for their generosity and care for upcoming generations, and Dakota County for its foresight in wanting to preserve more green space. And the people of Minnesota should be congratulated for creating the Outdoor Heritage Fund, which helped with the purchase.

Future predictions are that Minnesota will see the creation of one huge supercity stretching from Rochester to St. Cloud. How sad! Our grasslands, prairies and woods are being developed at a shocking rate, paved over for malls, highways and housing developments, to the detriment of wildlife, air and water quality, and the beauty of the natural environment. We need more people who are willing to forgo getting top price in exchange for a priceless gift to us all.

Karen Jeffords-Brown, St. Paul
MENTAL HEALTH

A tailored approach — carrot, not stick — can lead to progress

Regarding "Unwell and untouchable," the June 26 commentary that highlighted barriers to helping people who have mental illness:

While anosognosia leads individuals to deny that they have a mental illness, they often do not deny that they need help. As they come into contact with the mental health system, we can make considerable impact simply by trying to understand the ways in which they want help and targeting our treatment to meet their goals. As they receive help in ways that meet their needs, they become better engaged and may be willing to even try a medication. The medication needs to be presented as a tool to help them further meet their goals rather than a way to control what others perceive as their problem.

While it may take years to get there, hearing from someone who was once opposed to medications, and who now has an apartment and is working, that it could not be done without medications is a fulfilling moment. Sometimes we get better results by inducing, rather than forcing a person into treatment. Can we as a society find a better balance between the carrot and the stick?

Dr. Walter Rush, Minneapolis

The writer is a psychiatrist.

RACIAL MAKEUP OF ORCHESTRAS

Must everything be equal, or is circumstance sometimes OK?

The June 26 article "The color of music" laments the fact that the proportion of black Americans in orchestras is smaller than the proportion in the population. When does this craziness about demanding equal proportions in everything end? Blacks are way overrepresented in professional basketball and football, and, musically, blues and jazz bands. Asian-Americans are way underrepresented in those same sports and music genres. An ethnic group's representation within any group (athletic, musical or otherwise) is determined by many things beyond racism. Key among those is the value different parts of society place on various activities which, in turn, leads to the emphasis they place in those areas. If only a small percentage of black Americans, say, value classical music, and a very large percentage value blues and jazz, wouldn't we expect the emphasis in that culture to lead to the result we have? If minority groups want a higher representation in certain areas, they need to find a way to excite young people to focus on those areas. Plain and simple.

Doug Berdie, Minneapolis
A PROPER RESPONSE

You're welcome in advance

Somewhere along the way, common etiquette has been missed by many people — especially those who are interviewed on local and national news and talk shows. The correct response to "thank you" is not "thank you." More appropriate responses are: "You are welcome," "no problem," "my pleasure," "you bet" (Midwestern), "it was nothing," and so forth.

Jim Gale, Moorhead, Minn.