Letters to the editor: May 28, 2021

Restoring professionalism

By sponsoring HB 3130, Rep. Ron Noble has again shown his concern for constituents. He has helped lead the way toward restoration of professionalism, including the opportunity to earn benefits, to local substitute teachers who have been outsourced by their school districts.

The substitute teacher shortage that caused districts to begin outsourcing in 2015 has ended in most districts, but continues in some because career and long-term substitutes are moving to districts that don’t outsource. As a result, temp agencies are flooding schools with substitutes having restricted licenses and no teacher training.

School boards say that kind of outsourcing has saved money. But they don’t count the cost in terms of education.

Thanks to Rep. Noble for recognizing the importance of substitute teachers being able to work closely with their colleagues and school principal to provide that better education Oregon has promised to all students.

Sally Sue Cellers

McMinnville

Vaccination coercion

So, let me get this straight.

The federal government sends money it doesn’t have to the state of Oregon. Gov. Kate Brown sets up a lottery-type coercion program to entice people to get the unapproved experimental COVID injection with this money, somehow qualifying this lottery as COVID relief.

Meanwhile, business owners continue to permanently close their doors. And landlords’ bills go unpaid because people aren’t required to pay rent due to the hardship caused by COVID.

Seriously. Am I the only person who sees how wrong this is?

Loretta Johnson

McMinnville

Commissioner oversight

Regarding County Commissioner Mary Starrett’s statement that minors should have the oversight of parents when considering the risks involved in receiving “experimental” COVID vaccines: Let me suggest the county commissioners should have the oversight of scientists when considering the risks involved with passing directives based on undocumented claims of vaccine injuries. Ms. Starrett and fellow Commissioner Lindsay Berschauer have shown an unwillingness to utilize facts or data in making the decision to implement this directive, and will further exacerbate their poor decision by requiring the county to share these undocumented claims with prospective clients. Thank goodness Commissioner Casey Kulla brings a different perspective.

Chuck Morrison

Amity

Unfair attack

Having spent a major portion of my professional life investigating the physical and sexual abuse of young people, I am keenly aware of what real abuse and genuine victims look like.

I can say with the clarity of significant experience that an unwelcome hug delivered in a crowd of people most definitely does not make the cut. At the very worst, it is merely a social faux pas.

And by the way, I am so sorry that the News-Register failed to report in its extensive coverage the fact that Mr. Haugeberg’s wife was standing next to him at the very moment of the hug in question.

Of course there are people who are uncomfortable with physical contact. This is to be respected, absolutely.

However, there is no way to know this about someone short of being told as much. So I think that the remedy here may be two-fold.

Yes, it is probably best practice in these times to request permission to give a hug to anyone outside one’s immediate circle of friends and family. It is equally incumbent upon anyone who is uncomfortable with physical contact to give feedback about this in the moment — certainly not anonymously years later.

Worse yet, this incident has been used to denigrate a man who has served his community with a lifetime of integrity and kindness.

The discomfort of any individual should be distressing. It should be equally distressing to see a genuine gesture expressing praise and support to be turned against the one offering it.

Assuming wicked intent without evidence, and saving up grievances for a grand gotcha moment years after the fact, is unfair and ugly. It is the devious weapon of the passive-aggressive, not the characteristic of the confident and assertive.

Erma Vasquez

McMinnville

Nearman a disgrace

I am ashamed to have Mike Nearman as my state representative. But this is not about political views, policies or legislation.

Nearman now has been charged with crimes based on his activities at the Capitol last Dec. 21. Security cameras clearly show he let hostile protesters into the building, which had been closed to the public due to COVID.

Prosecutors have indicted him for his conduct. He was arraigned May 11.

Nearman has been stripped of his committee assignments, and his comings and goings at the Capitol are now being closely monitored by the Oregon State Police. Without committee assignments, there is no work for him to do. He seems to just vote no, if he votes at all, on everything — without regard to the effect on his constituents.

He has taken no responsibility for his actions and has refused to apologize. He’s holding representation of the people of House District 23 hostage by refusing to step aside.

If he leaves office before the end of his term, his replacement for the remainder will be a Republican chosen by Republicans —  someone who hopefully can effectively represent those of us in House District 23. If he won’t resign, he needs to be expelled or recalled.

EJ Farrar

Amity

Different picture

Just read The Wall Street Journal op-ed piece of May 22 on the recent Linfield kerfuffle. Two things:

First, wow! McMinnville is mentioned in The Wall Street Journal.

Second, the piece paints quite a different picture, much more favorable to President Davis and much less so to Dr. Pollack-Pelzner and his liberal arts supporters at Linfield than what I’ve read in these pages.

The context and background presented regarding Dr. Davis’ efforts to revitalize the university by focusing on the more remunerative nursing and business departments, and the threat that posed to the liberal arts folks prior to their campaign to have him removed, was enlightening.

Tom Canales

McMinnville