Readers Write: Teacher pay, accountant licensing, water, emerald ash borer, Trump’s ‘bloodbath’

Opinion editor’s note: Star Tribune Opinion publishes letters from readers online and in print each day. To contribute, click here.

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The problem with education is that everybody, having once been a student, considers themselves an expert on the topic. Thursday’s letter to the editor “Fewer hours, lower pay” about teacher wages really missed the mark. The writer considered that Minnesota teachers only work 165 days a year, and as such, tried to make a case for teachers receiving low pay. (Opinion editor’s note: Minnesota law requires a minimum of 165 days of instruction.)

However, when an argument starts with faulty statistics, it’s bound to fail. Here in Minneapolis Public Schools, teachers work 196 duty days. That’s six weeks longer than the writer argued. Additionally, those 196 days are pretty intense. As a high school teacher, I see an average of 150 students in and out my door each day. Those students vary in reading abilities and English language levels, and a good teacher meets their needs as individuals. This requires extensive time for planning, yet there is little time in the school day for lesson planning and grading. Most of these duties occur after school hours.

The profession of teaching is widely disrespected, and whether that stems from ignorance, misogyny for a profession that’s largely female or, perhaps, just anger for a job perceived as easy, I am not certain. But please, get your facts straight before spouting off. Teachers earn every penny they are paid and deserve more.

Maureen Mulvaney, Minneapolis

The writer is a Minneapolis Public Schools teacher.

The AICPA has been pushing hard to stop this legislation in Minnesota in order to protect what it believes is required to be an effective CPA. In order to protect its legacy, it even resorts to threats and innuendo, such as the lack of mobility across state lines for Minnesota CPAs. Zaniewski also cites an organization that calls this proposed legislation “an opportunity to land a blow on professional licensing.” This legislation is not an anti-licensing proposal. It is a proposal to allow more pathways to become a licensed CPA. To our friends at the state Legislature, please pass this legislation.

Bruce E. Olsen, Blaine

I was pleased to read Jack Uldrich’s commentary “A little true love for our lakes” (March 17) asking people to conserve water. There is so much more we can do to save water.

Watering lawns so people can have green grass all summer is so wasteful, especially the automatic sprinklers that water streets, sidewalks and sometimes grass. And often we see them running while it’s raining. Some of the worst offenders are retailers watering more parking lot than strips of grass. Some people without an automatic system place their sprinklers in such a way that they too water driveways and streets.

Green lawns are nice to look at, but it would be so much better to plant drought-resistant grasses and plants and to let your lawn go dormant during dry spells. In my neighborhood most of us do not water our lawns and, yes, they turn brown when it’s dry, but when it rains, they turn green again.

Water is precious, people; we can’t live without it.

Diane A. Hiniker, Duluth

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I do appreciate what the writer of “A little true love for our lakes” is concerned about, but his advice for action is a drop in the ocean.

This is much more than a short-term drought, my friends, so we should do something that actually addresses our long-term challenge, i.e., the warming climate. My advice: Elect someone who understands that our climate is harmed by humans burning fossil fuels, and then press them to more quickly shift our energy economy to renewables. That’s how you can help every lake in the land of 10,000-plus lakes.

While I appreciate the Star Tribune’s ongoing coverage of the emerald ash borer (EAB) infestation since its discovery in the Twin Cities 15 years ago, I’m disappointed that most articles focus on the loss of trees instead of emphasizing best management practices for cities (”Voracious ash borer threatens North Woods,” March 17).

For example, the Star Tribune’s most recent article on this subject states that “Minneapolis has condemned about 16,000 trees since its discovery — and another 12,000 infested trees will likely follow over the next five years.” As other cities have shown, this doesn’t have to happen. Minneapolis and St. Paul irresponsibly chose the failed, myth-based strategy of destroying their public trees.

But it’s not too late for other cities.

I have worked with experts and scientists to prepare science-based, management plans for 18 Minnesota cities and found that a healthy ash tree can be protected with a bee-safe treatment for more than 20 years for less than it costs to remove and replace it, and the cumulative tree benefits can be two to four times greater.

Delay is deadly. I analyzed a city that began implementing best practices before detection of the infestation and another that waited until the infestation had many years to spread like a plague and kill. The costs for the city that acted early were 60% less than the city that delayed, and every dollar the proactive city invests will generate about three times more tree value over the 20-year study period.

Michael Orange, West St. Paul

The writer is an environmental consultant and co-author of the Minnesota Model Emerald Ash Borer Management Plan.

In Tuesday’s letters, a writer talked about bloodletting as it relates to a statement former President Donald Trump recently made (”If you think Biden’s divisive ... " March 19). The letter implies the bloodletting would be real blood flowing from those living in America, legal or illegal. What Trump said was that China is building large automotive plants in Mexico and planning to flood the U.S. market with autos. He said that when he becomes president, he will put a 100% tariff on the cars made in Mexico. And, if something, such as tariff, is not done, there will be a real bloodletting — referring to what would happen to U.S. auto industry. Check the facts.