Our Readers Write: School masks, Senate Bills 9 and 10, ‘joyful moment’

Calling UCSD professor’s science into question

I read with mild deja vu the “scientific” justification for mandatory masking of elementary-age schoolchildren announced by the San Diego Unified School District.

August 2021: “Wearing masks is absolutely critical.” — UC San Diego professor Kim Prather (“Group wants more COVID-19 safety measures as San Diego Unified prepares to start school year,” Aug. 26, La Jolla Light)

April 2020: “I wouldn’t go in the water if you paid me $1 million right now.” — Also Kim Prather, advocating beach closures because she suspected that COVID-19 could be transmitted through the air by ocean spray. (!)

Why are we still taking advice from Kim Prather, given her track record on this topic? As a basic scientist, she seems well-qualified, but in trading off costs and benefits of precautionary measures, she is remarkably unqualified.

Jeff Holman

— — —

Inga’s right — SBs 9 and 10 are no laughing matter

In a sign of these unusual times, La Jolla Light columnist Inga has gone political! (“These bills have way too high a cost for single-family neighborhoods, traffic and parking,” Aug. 26.)

When humorists start to lobby against twin travesties like Senate Bills 9 and 10 — two measures making their way through the majority Democratic state Legislature to imminent passage and possible approval by Democratic Gov. [Gavin] Newsom — you know something more terrible than wildfire smoke is in the air.

In a show of servitude to real estate developers who finance their political campaigns, Sacramento legislators are about to make single-family residential zones disappear near public transportation routes and allow intense densification and rebuilding that is unsupported by existing water, sewer and gas infrastructure or parking capacities.

But before you say goodbye to your back patio and old olive and magnolia trees, do opine to your elected representative state Sen. Toni Atkins, who is the architect of these outrageous proposals.

And urge our governor to veto any such folly as SB 9 or SB 10 to burnish his good name.

Frances O’Neill Zimmerman

— — —

Finally, the sound of joy

While working from my home office, I heard the roar of cheers coming from La Jolla High School. I got up and went outside and stood in the driveway listening. It was an unexpected, joyful moment — a moment to remember how long these past 18 months have been without the sounds of kids cheering for their favorite team, whether it be water polo or football season or any sport.

My kids are grown and out of school, but hearing the elation in the distance brought so much hope. It reminded me to be grateful to our medical community and educators (and everyone else on the front lines) for their bravery in the face of the worst foe we’ve faced in a long time.

Personally, I’m willing to do whatever it takes to keep our kids, schools, businesses, community safe.

And I’m sincerely grateful for that moment of joy.

Neva Sullaway

— — —

What’s on YOUR mind?

Letters published in the La Jolla Light express views from readers about community matters. Submissions of related photos also are welcome. Letters reflect the writers’ opinions and not necessarily those of the newspaper staff or publisher. Letters are subject to editing for brevity, clarity and accuracy. To share your thoughts in this public forum, email them with your first and last names and city or neighborhood of residence to robert.vardon@lajollalight.com. You also can submit a letter online at lajollalight.com/submit-a-letter-to-the-editor. The deadline is 10 a.m. Monday for publication in that week’s paper. Letters without the writer’s name cannot be published. Letters from the same person are limited to one in a 30-day period. ◆