Letters to the Editor for June 9, 2022

Speakers' behavior at WSD school board meeting 'disturbing' Well, that was a disturbing evening at last night's (May 23) Washougal School District School Board meeting. The meetings are currently taking place on Zoom because some parents in our community refuse to follow rules, whether it be to wear a mask or act civilly in a public meeting. The current "drama" is over the District's comprehensive sexual education (CSE) curriculum. I will start with an actual fact: any parent can opt out at any time. All you have to do is opt your student out of the lessons. It's really simple. One of the problems is that those opt-out parents do not get to do that to other people's children. The curriculum is age appropriate and gives children agency and voice. Some parents have spread lies about the curriculum in order to fan the flames of their personal vendettas. They try to call school staff groomers and pedophiles for teaching education voters passed in the state of Washington by a two-thirds majority. Ironically, the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee just released a report about church sexual abuse over the last couple decades. It's ironic because groomers and pedophiles are everywhere, and these parents want to take away all CSE and let parents do it at home. That's great for them, but that's not what many of us choose. We teach our children at home and they also learn in school, collectively. But, do not despair. The real reason they have manufactured these 'dramas' this year is because they really want to destroy public education. K-12 teachers don't teach CRT (critical race theory), but these parents demand they stop. These parents don't want to wear masks, so they say it's child abuse to make them wear masks at school even though it was a state public health mandate. Now, it's CSE. It's all over their social media: "Get your kids out of public schools and bankrupt them!" and "Pull your kids out of these rape camps!" I have never seen people so obsessed with sex, who then complain about CSE, which can stop children from being victims. The letters sent to the board last night included cussing out board members and were with threats. One speaker said it was inappropriate to teach fifth-graders about anal sex - no one is doing that. Yes, this is what happened last night and it happened after a request to be careful how commenters spoke because we had student representatives listening. They just don't care about anything except for what they want. They don't care about other parents or their kids or rules or laws or civility. They only want their voice listened to and to hell with the rest. The hate they are filled with and sense of entitlement is beyond the pale. It's shameful and disgusting and our community deserves better behavior out of supposed adults. Wendi Moose, Washougal Herrera Beutler's opposition to gun reform 'cowardly, unprincipled' Jamie Herrera Beutler's continuing opposition to measures to stem gun violence, including a ban on assault rifles, is cowardly and unprincipled. There are about 400 million guns in this country, many of them appropriate only for combat. According to a recent government report, annual domestic gun production increased from 3.9 million in 2000 to 11.3 million in 2020. In 2021 alone, police recovered 19, 344 homemade, untraceable ghost guns. What facts will move Ms. Beutler to action? And when? Ellen Sward, Vancouver Washougal Memorial Day event was inspirational Thank you to all involved in organizing and presenting at the Memorial Day observance at the Washougal Cemetery. The grounds looked great and the program was inspirational. Remembering those who made the ultimate sacrifice for the freedoms we enjoy today should always be remembered. Mike McCrary, Camas

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