Letters

So Many Questions

Re “Gompers Takes a Bow” (Cover Story, December 10).

Excellent article. As a person who attended Gompers in the seventh grade, I understand the landscape in which these kids must survive. I think that a follow-up story is in order; more specifically, one about the principal, Vincent Riveroll. Where did he grow up? Where did he go to college? Where did he learn his methods? What has happened to previous schools he has changed? On the other side, can more information be given about the previous principals that allowed the lawlessness at Gompers?

This article gave great insight and concrete evidence into what the motivation behind the teachers’ union is. Can the author follow up with other charter schools and reveal their struggles with the school district as well as the teachers’ union?

I like the numbers as it pertains to the special-ed students and cost. I would be interested to know how much of the $5.5 million the district receives.

If the amount is in the order of 20 percent, then I can see why they would fight it so much. It would be interesting to see how much they receive versus how much they spend, i.e., overhead and administration (as opposed to construction).

All in all, a great article about a success story.

• Name Withheld
• by Request
• via email

Take A Boo

Re “Gompers Takes a Bow” (Cover Story, December 10).

What a load of crap. I worked at Gompers from 1990 until it closed in 2007. They had to drag me out of there. I loved that school, the teachers, some of whom were there for 30 years, and especially the kids. At some point, Vince Riveroll needs to try to champion his success on something positive instead of his superhero act — it just doesn’t play.

• Name Withheld
• by Request
• via email

Citizens Unite!

Congratulations to Gompers on defeating the bureaucracy (“Gompers Takes a Bow,” Cover Story, December 10)! They tried all of their tricks to keep the same old broken system filled with fat paychecks for the school elite, but Gompers prevailed anyway. The set of rules and regulations for schools could fill a large office, and the rules are all made to keep the same broken system in place — that includes the teachers’ union. Citizens, unite; we must change this education system where our kids are not safe in school. We must change the expectations where our kids believe they are doomed to failure because the bureaucracy is a failure. Thank you, Gompers, for showing us that there is hope for our children.

• Gene F.
• via email

The True Segway Way

Re “Get Outta My Segway, Mayor” (“Stringers,” December 10).

The staff recommendation was to require parental supervision of anyone who rented a Segway in Coronado who was under 16. My suggestion was to require parental supervision of any Segway renter who was under 18. I did not suggest the prohibition of Segway rentals to all minors. I just wanted to clarify that point because a person reading this story could falsely conclude that I want to ban Segways to all minors, which is not my position.

This meeting and the discussion about Segways can be seen online at the link below.

http://coronado.12milesout.com/ClientWebApp/Coronado/Video.aspx?VideoId=05c142d5-723f-4002-b6b3-ed3dee0bab9e

• Casey Tanaka
• Mayor of Coronado

He’s A — Begins With J

I would like to complain about that journalist of yours, Patrick Dougherty, that article he wrote on page 15 (“Sporting Box,” December 10), specifically, where he is referring to this athlete Charles Barkley. The paragraph begins, “December, 2008. Barkley is pulled over for running a stop sign in Scottsdale, Arizona.” And he uses a vulgar, trashy word that begins with a b, and I won’t repeat it. I think this guy Patrick Dougherty is a jerk and that you should edit his writings. What journalism school did he go to, the one on skid row? I think he’s completely unacceptable. It ruined the whole article — the article was very interesting except for that. It ruined the whole article, and I feel like throwing it away.

Paul Lang

San Carlos

Good To See Ya

This is regarding the “Blurt” article December 10 (“Rock and Roll Survivor”). As a six-and-a-half-year breast-cancer survivor and a former rock bassist, I want to wish good luck to Bianca Batti and Laura Roppé, and it’s good to see so many women in the music business nowadays. It’s been just about exactly 30 years since I was a professional bassist, so it’s good to see the girls rockin’.

• Dale Anne Thompson
• Clairemont

Community Flees

They say that all press is good press. Well, perhaps not everyone says that (insert Tiger Woods reference here). I am more of the mind-set that responsible press is good press.

I must say, I found your December 3 article on Chris Cantore on the slightly less-responsible side (“Friend of Shamu,” Music).

Factual inaccuracies aside, when highlighting a local individual starting a grassroots community movement, it would be helpful if the article content was both timely and relevant.

Community is a vital yet rapidly fleeting concept in our daily lives. If the Reader is truly about the San Diego community, publish another piece on Chris with real-time information regarding his internet radio site (legitradio.com) and social media management firm (cantorecreative.com).

We will all be the better for it.

• Kristyn Carroll
• via email

Beyond Rock

Why is your music section mostly all about rock, not everything? I would like to see different types of music and artists.

• Ashanta
• via email