Viewpoints

To the Editor:

I write to encourage my fellow rural Allamakee County residents to vote “yes” in the March 5 Local Option Sales and Services Tax (LOSST) election. If approved, this would extend a current tax for an additional 10 years. The county retains 60% of the funds collected in the rural areas, the remaining 40% is used by the townships for their needs. The county uses its share for secondary roads and other rural services.

Currently, townships get funds only from LOSST and property tax. If LOSST is discontinued, property taxes would have to be raised to offset the LOSST money.

To the Editor:

I am writing in response to last week’s letter to the editor on the topic of homeschooling. I was homeschooled myself (grades 5-12), have homeschooled my own son and the children of friends, and have tutored for homeschool families for over 20 years.

For those who think parents choose to homeschool because they don’t think education is important, I’d encourage you to get to know a homeschool family personally, and see for yourself if that is the truth. Parents who choose to homeschool invest thousands of dollars into their child’s curriculum, including textbooks, hands-on activities, online classes, and private tutors when necessary.

To the Editor:

Iowa AEAs are still under assault by our governor and her legislative supporters. AEAs provide educational, occupational, psychological, auditory and speech, and vision services for all Iowa students from birth to graduation (this includes private schools which now receive public school tax dollar vouchers).  The AEAs provide curriculum resources for science, literacy, social studies, math, computer science including books, manipulatives, science items, and so much more.  They provide training for teachers and administrators.

Scripture Alone

Last week I shared with you one of the important teachings from the Lutheran Reformation. The teaching of Grace Alone - that we are saved entirely by God’s grace alone, apart from works, through faith alone in Jesus. Today I want to talk to you about another fundamental teaching from the Lutheran Reformation. The teaching of Scripture Alone.

A man once asked me, “There are so many different churches, and they all teach different things. How can we know what church is right? How can we know which church follows the teachings of Jesus?”

To the Editor:

Do you think all parents are competent educators? Would over $1550 per kid encourage you to homeschool your children? Who would know if you decided that history isn’t important, math is too hard, and kids could learn what they needed by working? Since there are no tests, no curriculum checks, or no home visits, what could go wrong?

Bill IAHF 2369 continues to divert public money away from public education. This bill pays public money to parents to homeschool their kids.

That’s right. The state would pay 20% of the regular program state costs per year per student for each homeschool kid. And parents can homeschool four non-related kids, as well.  A third party will be hired to administer the program, taking more money from the state’s budget.

The funds that will support this private homeschooling bill are coming from the Department of Education’s budget, leaving less public money for public schools.

Grace Alone

Sometimes people ask me what Lutherans believe. That’s a good question. I normally begin by saying, just as there are many different types of Christians, there are also many different types of Lutherans. Our church is a Confessional Lutheran church, which means that we hold to the teachings expressed and confessed during the Lutheran Reformation in the 1500s. Yet these teaching were nothing new even at that time. They were the same teachings taught in the Bible and believed by the Apostles. A good summary of the Lutheran Confessions could be made with three important teachings from the Reformation - which are sometimes referred to as the three Solas. They are: Grace Alone, Scripture Alone, and Faith Alone.  Today, I want to talk to you about what it means to believe that we are saved by grace alone.

To the Editor:

Some of the arguments on speed cameras are mostly nuts. There are two sides to every story, but in this case, I think there’s only “one good side.”

First off, the issue of cities making too much money on speed cameras doesn’t hold water. The companies that provide them are making money and that’s what this country is about - capitalism. The state short-changes cities in numerous ways and this revenue helps fill that void.

The unfortunate side of this story is those drivers breaking the law by speeding and running stop signs. Make it the law whereby tickets exceeding a certain number cause a license suspension. No need to speed if you can’t drive. The humane aspect of this issue respects those who are now free to get on with their real jobs thanks to the cameras.

The conclusion is “one good side” while the other side is bluster​​​​​.

John Carver
Decorah
 

To the Editor:

Generosity throughout Waukon​​​​​ contributed to a successful shoebox gift collection season at drop-off locations for the Samaritan’s Purse project Operation Christmas Child. Across the U.S., the project collected 10 million shoebox gifts in 2023. Combined with those collected from partnering countries in 2023, the ministry is now sending over 11.3 million shoebox gifts to children worldwide, including many who are suffering from war, poverty, disease and disaster.

To the Editor:

I once had a colorful poster of a little bunny rabbit in a beautiful wooded area. On the poster was written the words, “Life is fragile; handle with prayer”.

Life is indeed fragile, and the daily news proves it. Even in our own town there is a murder, which follows another one not so many years back.

It is so easy to do great damage. A simple click of the trigger finger can end a precious life. An act of vandalism can destroy what had taken years to build. An unkind, angry word spoken to a child can damage the child’s psyche for the rest of his or her life.

In my recent past I had worked at two different factories. At each place of employment there was a man who took his own life. One was age 22 and the other middle-aged. I knew these men on a first-name basis. I can only trust that I did all I could to be a positive influence in their lives when I was with them.

To the Editor:

Iowans share a history of valuing our children’s education. We believe every child has a right to a public education regardless of race, religion, or ZIP code and all children deserve a quality public school education. Unfortunately, Gov. Reynolds and her supporters do not share these values and instead, have chosen to weaken our public schools.

For years, Gov. Reynolds and her supporters have underfunded public schools. Then last year, Gov. Reynolds and her supporters passed vouchers (Educational Savings Accounts, or ESAs) which gives our public dollars to private schools. Vouchers draw money away from public schools in the amount of $7,635 per student.