MorganHillTimes.com | Letters: Renew Sobrato football coach Dan Brown's contract next year

OPINION > LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Letters: Renew Sobrato football coach Dan Brown's contract next year

Apr 25, 2008
By The Community

Renew Sobrato football coach Dan Brown's contract next year
Dear Editor,
The Morgan Hill Unified School District and Sobrato needed to do whatever it took to at least keep our "Coach of the Year" winner, coach Dan. He has done a wonderful job leading Sobrato's football team to a winning year and helped put Sobrato High School on the map for the Bay Area. (i.e. Sports Focus debut).

Coach Dan and his volunteer staff put in countless hours beyond their paid workday reviewing films, refining plays, and planning the entire year for the football team. Who would have thought so much could be accomplished in just two years by our coaching staff. Of course parent support was key, but with a dedicated head coach it motivated more parents to get involved. Our football stands were always full and that meant more money for the school.

Coach Dan's leadership has made a huge difference for our kids - especially after the fiasco with coach Patterson.

Our boys had to endure ridicule after Coach Patterson indiscretion made Bay Area headlines.

Now that our kids have a coach to be proud of; MHUSD is taking it away without any accountability to the parents.

Not all teachers who received pink slips will be let go. Some will be notified soon to return in September. I do not know what the MHUSD's reason is for saying it doesn't want our coaching staff back, but I find it hard to believe the reason is worth losing the "Coach of the Year" for Sobrato and our kids.

We will lose kids to the PRIVATE INSTITUTIONS next year because of lack of experienced coaching for our kids. Our varsity team will be at a disadvantage next year having to adjust to new coaching. I have heard that whoever comes in to replace our coaches will be asked to run the football program as it is (being it was so successful).

Why ask new coaches to emulate our current coaching staff when we can keep who we have in place.

MHUSD needs to reconsider and renew at least Dan Brown's contract for next year, and beyond.
Jose and Teresa LeVell, Morgan Hill

The values of homeschooling
Dear Editor,
What happened to our rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Homeschoolers are being told that it is illegal to educate our own children. This is the LIFE we have chosen for our family. It should be our LIBERTY to do so in our PURSUIT of HAPPINESS. We do it because we love our children and want what we think is best for them. Why does the government think they know what is best for our family or any family. We want our children to learn, have understanding of the world around them, to grow and be productive citizens. I want them to know that success comes from hard work and diligence in whatever they endeavor to do with their life. When I teach them I don't just go over a subject then move on, we go over it until they know it. In traditional schools they are limited with schedules. They have to get so much done in a certain time frame. In our home learning is an everyday event. When we're at the grocery store, at the doctors office, or wherever we go I try to turn it into a learning experience because being their teacher I know what the children are studying. It is our lifestyle, and in this day and age aren't we being encouraged to accept different lifestyles. Don't you think that parents who love their children know what is best and want the best for their children.

One last thought, with all the budget cuts involving schools and teachers being laid off, what will happen if homeschoolers are forced to put their kids into the public school system. Aren't schools already over crowded enough. There is a balance in our nation with public, private and home schools. Let's not off set this balance.
Debra Williams, Morgan Hill

No funding for U.S. 101 connector
Dear Editor,
Regarding the new freeway "East-West Connector" formerly "3-in-1."

Falsehood being circulated: "VTA will pay for it even if it is built in San Benito County."

Reality check courtesy of Gilroy Dispatch archives Sept. 29, 2005: "Santa Clara County Supervisor Don Gage said he does not believe the cash-strapped VTA - or any other agency in his county - should foot the bill for road improvements long sought by officials in San Benito County."

If the burden falls on SBC to build it, then we will wait 10 centuries at SBC's current rate of receipt of tax dollars from Sacramento. So, if VTA gets its way, and it is pushed south of the SCC-SBC line, you can expect to see the Tenth Street-U.S.101 interchange worsen without hope of improvement.

IMO the only county with the bucks to build this highway is SCC, but of course, VTA has higher priorities than curing traffic gridlock in Gilroy. Can you say: "BART to San Jose"?
Joe Thompson, Gilroy

South Valley Pregnancy Care Center is anti-choice
Dear Editor,

I am writing in response to the April 11 column by Chuck Flagg.

The South Valley Pregnancy Care Center is actually an anti-choice center that doesn't give vulnerable women true and accurate information and options regarding pregnancy, adoption and abortion. This type of clinic appears to support women but it actually uses women to push its own religious anti-choice agenda. The complete scope and agenda of the center should be published along with the plug to support it.

Just as other anti-choice centers in the Bay Area have, the reason for wanting an ultrasound machine has nothing to do with proving prenatal care - it is about forcing women to undergo ultrasound in an attempt to convince them to continue a pregnancy. The worst part is that this is done under the guise of providing care to women when in all actuality it does not provide any care or appropriate referrals as the article states. It is also a religious center but the name doesn't seem to imply that and makes no mention of the religious intent even though the executive director even states that they are "serving God through this ministry."

I have seen the after effects first hand of such a clinic and know that it confuses women and it angers the health care providers who truly care and attempt to give women unbiased and COMPLETE information so that they have the ability to make a fully informed and responsible choice, whatever that may be.
J. Thompkins, Morgan Hill

Celebrate 'Be Kind to Animals Week' next month
Dear Editor,

How do you plan to commemorate Be Kind to Animals Week, May 4 to 10? If you need ideas, here are three simple things you can do this week - and all year long - to help make life better for animals:

www.GoVeg.com

For more ideas, visit www.PETA.org or read Ingrid E. Newkirk's inspirational book Making Kind Choices: Everyday Ways to Enhance Your Life Through Earth- and Animal-Friendly Living.
Heather Moore, Norfolk, Va.

The Community
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