LET TERS
POISONING THE WELL
Weyerhauser is planning to aerially
spray a witches’ brew of toxic herbicides in
an area that is uncomfortably close to the
main intake for drinking water for Eugene
and its associated canal.
The details speak for themselves: Aerial
spray of 24.3 acres near Deerhorn Road
and the drinking water intake and canal
for Eugene with atrazine, hexazinone, sul-
fometuron methyl, oxyfluorfen and penox-
sulam, glyphosate, 2,4-D with ester, 2,4-D
with acid, 2,4-D with amine, 2,4-D with
choline, clopyralid, fluroxypyr, No Foam,
Crosshair, Grounded, Epoleon N-100 and/
or Epoleon N-7C.
The last two chemicals are odor mask-
ers, which raises some other serious ques-
tions. See ODF notification 2017-771-
01491.
But fear not, good people of Eugene:
The industry assures us that these chemi-
cals are safe and that their distribution into
the air from flying machines poses us no
risk of harm to health or property.
In fact, I’ve seen a top industry spokes-
man show a slide that ranks caffeine as
more toxic than atrazine. Or was it glypho-
sate? Either way, we have a coffee shop on
every corner and we’re still OK.
So why not have atrazine in our water?
With a splash of clopyralid for good mea-
sure.
Drink up, Eugeneans!
Rob Dickinson
Cottage Grove
FARM HARM
I’ve always believed that maintaining
the farmland around Eugene was a high
priority. Lately, though, the hazy skies,
unhealthy smoke and sickening odor from
field burning make me think concrete, as-
phalt and houses aren’t quite so bad af-
ter all.
DEMOCRACY IN EDUCATION
I can think of some things I’d like to
do to those inconsiderate and lazy yahoos
fouling all our air, and hugging them is not
on the list.
Karl Stout
Eugene
NARCISSIST IN CHIEF
Though the (Republican) U.S. Senate
and Congress were, and still are, unable
or unwilling to fully grasp the meaning
of “clinical diagnosis of Narcissistic Per-
sonality Disorder” (with a likelihood of so-
ciopathic tendencies), they “knew he was a
snake when they let him in.”
I did finally just hear Bernie say that out
loud. Of course.
Marilyn Marcus
Eugene
DIRECT VS. INDIRECT ACTION
In regard to your article titled “Activ-
ism 101” from the Feb. 9 issue, I believe
you have misled your readers as to the
distinction between “direct” and “indi-
rect.” Direct, in this context, means with-
out intervening factors or intermediaries,
whereas indirect means conducted through
intermediaries.
Perhaps some examples would help il-
lustrate the difference. A direct action that
addresses homelessness would be to pro-
vide free medical services to the unhoused
every Sunday in a park downtown. An in-
direct action that addresses homelessness
would be to vote for a mayor who supports
establishing more rest stops.
A direct action that addresses climate
change would be to attempt to stop the
construction of a new pipeline by using
your own body as a blockade for the exca-
vators, but an indirect action that addresses
climate change would be to donate funds
BY C.A. YOUNG A ND C A RLOT TA MEGINE
A Message from Teachers
in the Era of Trumpism
THIS YEAR AT SCHOOL, KIDS ARE SCARED
A primary object should be
the education of our youth in
the science of government.
In a republic, what species
of knowledge can be equally
important? And what
duty more pressing than
communicating it to those
who are to be the future
guardians of the liberties of
the country?
― George Washington
W
hat do kids typically experience
the first day of school? Nerves.
Will I make friends? Will my
teacher like me? Where is the
bathroom? These are the typical
concerns that you’d imagine.
But this year at school? Fears. Will my parents get
pulled over after they drop me off? Is it really fair to
ask them to risk their safety? Will my family be there
when I get home? Will other students shame me for
4
February 23, 2017 • eugeneweekly.com
my political choices? Will I get beat up because of
where my family comes from? Will I get to see my
stepdad now that my parents are getting divorced,
and he might have to leave the country? Will Donald
Trump really kill all the women? Are we going to have
a nuclear war?
The last three questions were actually posed by lo-
cal fifth graders. These are the very real, all-consuming
fears that are plaguing many of our students this year.
THE IMPACT IN OUR SCHOOLS
As teachers, we can see it in our students, in how
hallway behaviors have changed. There is a charge
that wasn’t there before, an undercurrent of anxiety.
Students are feeling unsafe. They are warier of each
other; they are scared of what will happen to their
families; they are scared of what is happening to their
country.
Why aren’t we talking about this with each other
and with our children? They are absorbing the fear and
division we face as a nation and as adults, yet we are
expecting them to compartmentalize it. Students are
doing the best they can to manage their anxiety, but
the energy required is preventing many of them from
being able to fully focus on learning.
WHAT WE CAN DO
What is a healthy and appropriate response from
local schoolteachers, staffs, teacher unions, school
boards and district administrators?
• School staffs need to have regular discussions
about these issues and examine the best responses.
• Teachers need time to share teaching ideas and
curriculum with one another.
• School districts need to organize high-quality
professional development that utilizes the cultural
wisdom and perspectives of impacted communities.
• Teacher unions need to step up and play a serious
role in such professional development.
• Community panels and forums need to be orga-
nized by individual schools, by school districts and by
teacher unions that feature the voices of those most
impacted.
• District leaders need to encourage staff to take a
pro-active stance in supporting families and students
without fear of reprisal from administrators.
If the goal of education is to teach democracy in
all of its meanings, educators must have the courage
to establish and facilitate safe places for conversation.
Public schools must be the place where students come
to understand the many perspectives of others, as well
as how to respond to each other civilly, with the un-
derstanding that everyone has something to teach us.
We must learn to find the common ground upon which
compromise can occur.
C.A. Young is a local language arts and social studies teacher middle
school teacher for 12 years. Carlotta Megine is the pseudonym for a local
teacher out of concern over whether a teacher's views meet or don’t meet
official district policy and what expressing those views could mean to the
teacher, principal and school. Both are members of CAPE, the Communi-
ty Alliance for Public Education, a coalition of parents, teachers, profes-
sors, students and community members who challenge the many assaults
on public education and who believe in a strong public education as the
foundation for American democracy. We meet most Mondays at 4:30 pm
at Perugino in downtown Eugene. For more information, visit CAPE’s
website at oregoncape.org.