EDUCATION: GOP anti-literacy

Several recent events prompt this letter. First, a Republican-funded anti-levy campaign was filled with misinformation about the current crop of essential public school levies. Second, Republican representatives rejected on the grounds that it would support social justice education HB 226 sponsored by District 4 Rep. Paul Amador. This bill would have placed a nearly $6 million federal grant for preschool literacy education in the hands of local community organizations.

Many Republican politicians seem to primarily promote an educational agenda of anti-literacy. Preschool education prepares youngsters for success all along their educational pathway. Healthy public school systems, which of necessity due to inadequate funding from the state, benefit our families and communities in countless ways. (Even children whose mothers are able to stay at home benefit from preschool experiences.)

I urge you to email or call your state legislators to vote to fund early childhood education, accept that federal grant, and base their votes on facts, not ill-informed opinions.

Thank you, Rep. Amador, for bringing HB 226 forward; don’t give up.

PAULA NEILS

Hauser