The importance of public education cannot be overstated

Regarding “Can a Team Stabilize SF Schools in Chaos?” (San Francisco, front page, September 29) I celebrated my 80th birthday in September and one of my fondest memories of my 50-plus years in San Francisco is the time I I actively support my two daughters in public schools in SF. Working with parents, teachers, administrators and students has been an enjoyable and rewarding experience.

I learned that one of the greatest attributes of American democracy is free, high-quality public education. Schools are more than just classrooms, they are a matrix for building communities, friendships and lifelong learning. The importance of public education cannot be overemphasized and reflects the essence of our country's ideals and goals.

The current crisis in SF schools is tragic and complex, with many contributing factors and issues. It has been developing for years and will require a long-term, dedicated effort to resolve it. The coordinated actions of Mayor London Breed, her rescue team and officials are a start that recognizes and addresses these challenges.

Your plans may not be perfect and may need to change or change over time, but “the plan may change, the goal may not.”

Steve Abney, San Francisco

Regarding “Several California gubernatorial candidates won’t say how they will vote on crime measure” (SFChronicle.com, Politics, Sept. 29), please vote “no” on Prop 36. The proposed changes to the health and safety code are extreme and frightening . I was in trouble 20 years ago. It ruined my life. If this new proposal becomes law, it will ruin the lives of our young people and the most vulnerable.

This new law also brings back priors from 20 years ago. If I were caught with an ecstasy pill or a tiny bag of cocaine, I would go straight to jail. I would not be eligible for release from prison and would not be allowed to participate in a program.

Theft and drug use are out of control, but Prop 36 goes way too far.

Kudos to Soleil Ho for an in-depth analysis of Alice Waters' Edible Schoolyard (“Insiders say one of the Bay Area's most famous nonprofits is in 'pure chaos'”), SFChronicle.com, Opinion, Sept. 21, it's shaky finances and their derailed mission.

Again, we are dealing with an organization whose board members seem to prioritize being photographed with celebrities and giving each other consulting assignments, while the frontline staff selflessly do the day-to-day work required of public service .

Tom Weverka, San Francisco

As for “Giants fire Zaidi, put Posey in charge of baseball operations” (SFChronicle.com, Sports, Oct. 1), I generally like the hiring of Buster Posey.

I expect it will energize fans and can help with both player retention and free agent recruitment.

But I worry that it violates the first rule of hiring: never hire someone you can't fire. How will his co-owners break the news to him if the experiment doesn't work? This will be a very unpleasant partnership meeting.

Emmett Stanton, San Francisco

The San Francisco Symphony Board set the bar pretty high for destroying institutional goodwill and angering supporters and donors by driving away Esa Pekka Salonen (“Exclusive: Esa-Pekka Salonen on the San Francisco Symphony's Future and His Legacy” , SFChronicle, Arts & Entertainment, Sept. 15).

The Parks Conservancy took one look at the Golden Gate Raptor Observatory and said, “Hold my beer” (“Bay Area Environmental Center closes at critical time,” SFChronicle.com, Bay Area, Sept. 24).

Siobhan Ruck, San Francisco

Can anyone remember a more transparent candidate than Donald Trump? His use of projection is the most obvious lens. Everything he knows he is guilty of, he tries to pin on his opponent, thinking it will even the field.

Try to steal an election. What is he doing? He shouts: “Stop the theft.” Guilty of corruption, what does he do? Criticism of the Biden crime family. That's why it's so fascinating that he's now questioning Harris' mental health. He knows it.

I recently visited the Pier 24 Photo Museum to see the latest Turning The Page exhibit (“Exclusive: Sale of major Bay Area photo collection announced for fall,” SFChronicle.com, Datebook, August 1)

I thought about what an unfortunate loss the closure of this wonderful museum will be to San Francisco and its visitors.

The mayor and the supervisory board could have saved this wonderful photography museum.

I'm sad that this great space at Pier 24 will no longer display great photography.

I hope the space isn't used to sell sweatshirts and novelties.