6A
THE DAILY ASTORIAN • THURSDAY, MAY 10, 2018
editor@dailyastorian.com
KARI BORGEN
Publisher
JIM VAN NOSTRAND
Editor
Founded in 1873
JEREMY FELDMAN
Circulation Manager
DEBRA BLOOM
Business Manager
JOHN D. BRUIJN
Production Manager
CARL EARL
Systems Manager
OUR VIEW
Don’t discourage children from reading
J
ust when you think you’ve seen it
all, you read about a school district
discouraging children from reading
books.
That’s what the Hermiston School
District decided last week: Rather than
reckon with the chapter book “George,”
told from the perspective of a transgen-
der character, the district instead chose
to pull all of its students out of the state-
wide Battle of the Books competition
and re-read past titles instead.
The competition, which provides an
incentive to encourage students to read
quality literature, has been wildly popu-
lar in Hermiston in past years.
But not in 2018-2019, when third-
through fifth-grade students have been
herded away from children’s books
like “Pip Barlett’s Guide to Magical
Creatures,” “Waylon! One Awesome
Thing” and, yes, “George,” written by
Alex Gino.
It’s a bad decision on the face of it —
discouraging students from an academic
pursuit is something that would reflect
Scholastic Corp.
‘George’ by Alex Gino is the story of a
transgender boy.
poorly on any educational institution.
But the way that the Hermiston School
District announced its decision inflicted
additional harm.
The district sent out a vague let-
ter, noting only that it would not par-
ticipate in the competition because the
book “George” was incompatible with
the district’s curriculum. They could
have been more clear and open about
the issue and how they came to their
decision. They could have empowered
students and parents at the same time.
They could have said: “Here’s this book
‘George,’ here’s what it’s about, here’s
how you can check it out of the library.
Read it yourself, because we’re not sure
all parents of third graders would want
their child to do so. We want you to
know what it’s about.”
Likely many parents would have
taken them up on the offer, and some of
them would have found the book harm-
less and let their child read away and
take part in the competition. Others
would have made the opposite choice
and waited to address the topic in their
own way.
But since the reasoning was unclear,
the transgender elementary students in
the Hermiston School District will get
the worst of it. The message they likely
received from school administration:
Your story is too different. We’re not
ready to hear from you. We’re not ready
to deal with you. We’re not ready for
your students and classmates to consider
your struggles.
One of the blurbs touting the book
says: “Readers going through a simi-
lar experience will feel that they are no
longer alone, and cisgender readers may
gain understanding and empathy.”
That’s the goal of any good book.
And scientists the world over have
proven that fiction is a remarkable tool
for promoting knowledge, understand-
ing and empathy. Books can help, but
only if you read them. Libraries and
schools should promote them, not avoid
them.
We encourage all students and par-
ents to read as many books as you can
this year, including “George.” You’ll be
better for it, and so will your school.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
County waging war
on the forest sector?
I
s the Clatsop County Board of Commis-
sioners more interested in making state-
ments for Portland-based environmental
groups and political parties than representing
the county’s working families? Local media
has picked up on this and I’ve noticed the
growing influence myself, especially on for-
estry issues.
I’ve lived in the county my entire life,
and spent my career in wood manufactur-
ing. I’ve watched the board’s relationship
with the forest sector degrade from one of
cooperation and respect to disregard and
misunderstanding.
I believe the statement the board sent by
opting out of a timber harvest breach of con-
tract lawsuit, and membership on the Coun-
cil of Forest Trust Land Counties, was crafted
and pushed by Portland groups, and tied to
their long-term strategy to reduce timber har-
vests across Oregon at all costs, regardless of
the impacts to communities like ours.
This uninformed war on the forest sector
will continue unless we get more people in
office who understand we deserve better than
to be a pawn in a larger political campaign.
We need thoughtful, independent leadership
that brings people together to find solutions
that benefit everyone. I’m glad some of the
candidates running for the commission this
year seem to fit that bill.
MICHAEL MOORE
Warrenton
Vote ‘yes’ for
health district levy
Y
our support of Clatsop Care Health Dis-
trict operating levy Measure 4-192 will
help continue and enhance the quality care
many have and will receive in our community.
The financial turnaround the district is
going through is a direct result of dedicated
employees, along with community, client and
family support.
Please join me in voting “yes” on Measure
4-192.
MIKE AHO
Warrenton
Kujala very involved
in the community
I
met Mark and Alana Kujala while work-
ing with the Scandinavian Festival. Both
have been very involved in the community,
and I enjoyed working with them. Mark was
a Warrenton city commissioner for 12 years,
and mayor for five, and that experience will
be good on the Clatsop County Commission.
Mark listens.
BRUCE T. SMITH
Seaside
WBA not involved in politics
I
n response to “Will Kujala have time for
county issues?” (The Daily Astorian, May
4): In this letter, the writer states that, “Mark
and two other candidates were grouped
together and supported by the Warrenton
Business Association.” The writer also goes
on to describe a sign erected in Warrenton that
leads a reader to believe the sign was sup-
ported by the WBA.
I want to set the record straight that the
WBA is an organization that supports War-
renton business and livability in the War-
LETTERS WELCOME
Letters should be exclusive to The Daily Astorian.
Letters should be fewer than 250 words and must include the writer’s name, address
and phone number. You will be contacted to confirm authorship.
All letters are subject to editing for space, grammar, and, on occasion, factual accu-
racy. Only two letters per writer are allowed each month.
Letters written in response to other letter writers should address the issue at hand
and, rather than mentioning the writer by name, should refer to the headline and date
the letter was published. Discourse should be civil and people should be referred to in
a respectful manner. Letters in poor taste will not be printed.
Send via email to editor@dailyastorian.com, online at dailyastorian.com/submit_
letters, in person at 949 Exchange St. in Astoria or 1555 North Roosevelt in Seaside, or
mail to Letters to the Editor, P.O. Box 210, Astoria, OR 97103.
renton area. We are not an organization that
is involved in local individuals running for
offices.
The WBA was not involved in the activ-
ities that the writer has stated, and was not
involved in any way in the erection of a sign
on a highway in Warrenton. The WBA is a
group of business men and women who have
a common goal of making Warrenton a great
place to live and do business.
MIKE MOHA
Chairman, Warrenton Business Association
Warrenton
business owner, which requires hard work,
dedication and focus — especially while
maintaining elected office and volunteering
with local nonprofits.
I am confident he is the right person for the
job, and I hope you will join me in voting for
Mark Kujala this May election.
ERIC PAULSON
Warrenton
Vote Kujala for
county commissioner
I
M
ark Kujala has worked hard to promote
the Warrenton-Astoria region. He has
the most experience of all the candidates run-
ning for Clatsop County Commission Dis-
trict 1. Over the years, he has proved to be an
attentive listener to the public, a strong advo-
cate for our local industries, and someone
who works well with a team.
He also knows what it’s like to be a small
Vote Orr for
state representative
’m not voting for Tim Josi. He, through a
political action committee, takes money
from the company that clear cut the watershed
and poisoned the drinking water of Rockaway
Beach.
Today, I theoretically agree with
Tiffiny Mitchell’s position statements, but
what happens next time around, when she
takes money from an entity that is actually out
to do us harm? What happens when the inter-
ests of the entities she takes campaign money
and elite campaign staff from conflict with the
interests of the poor, the unrepresented, the
weak or the voiceless?
I support John Orr because he’s competent
and experienced. I know he’s been fighting
on the side of the people since we fought to
save the Little Beach estuary from the Sahalie
condo development back in the 1990s. I sup-
port John Orr because he’s independent. He’s
not taking money from corporations or special
interests. He’s only taking contributions from
individuals (you).
He’s not desperately striving to be a part of
the neo-establishment like Mitchell, and he’s
not a part of the rapidly fading order that was
once Tim Josi. We need to get the money out
of politics. John Orr is competent, and that’s
what matters.
MICK TAYLOR
Manzanita
Thanks for donating
furnishings to seniors
T
he Clatsop Care Health District would
like to give a huge thank you to Holiday
Inn Express in Seaside for donating furniture,
art, lamps and home décor to our Memory
Care and Retirement village.
The residents are extremely grateful for all
the new furniture, and how cozy their home
looks. Families are even more grateful to have
little nooks around the buildings to sit and
visit their loved ones. We couldn’t achieve
this without Brandon Kraft and his crew at
Holiday Inn Express.
Clatsop Health District is a not-for-profit
serving our elderly population in Clatsop
County. We have four entities in the health
district: Clatsop Care Center, Clatsop Retire-
ment Village, Clatsop Memory Care as well
as Clatsop Home Health.
Thanks a bunch from the bottom of our
hearts here at the health district.
JENNIFER WHITMYER
Clatsop Memory Care