Speaking for the San Francisco Unified School District, it appears that they have been living with a bare-bones budget for a long while now. At what point does a sustained bare-bones budget turn into an irreversible case of osteoporosis brought on by inept politicians and empty suits and skirts in the SFUSD’s administrations office?

It is unfortunate that students, teachers and principals are going to be asked once again to do more with less, while the talking heads spout out “across the board cuts” from one side of their mouth and “No child left behind” from the other. Perhaps the public schools should start flying the Jolly Roger from their flag poles since a skull and crossbones may be all that is left after yet another fiscal diet is foisted upon them.

Matt Mitguard

The City

Respect U.S. military

In response to Denise D’Anne’s Jan. 23 letter objecting to the ROTC participating in the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday celebrations, she should be reminded that it is the past and current sacrifices made by America’s men and women in uniform that preserve the very rights that we celebrate on that holiday.

If it hadn’t been for the sacrifices made by the U.S. military, there would have been no freedom to start a civil rights movement, no freedom to celebrate a holiday honoring the leader of that movement and no freedom to write a letter to editor objecting to the same military that preserves those rights.

It would be nice if just once anti-military professional America-haters such as D’Anne would acknowledge that sacrifice. But they are too caught up in the hatred of their own country to do so.

E.F. Sullivan

The City

Oust military from schools

I share letter-writer Denise D’Anne’s chagrin at the ludicrous spectacle of the cadets of San Francisco’s JROTC, our own child soldiers, parading their militarism around on the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

This organization exists to promote military recruitment. It is not some sort of benign social program, as its adherents would have you believe. It is an entrenched anachronism to be rooted out. Its “troops” are dupes.

The military does not belong in any public school system anywhere in any way, shape or form.

Barry S. Eisenberg

The City

Seminar Newsom missed

Mayor Gavin Newsom attended meetings on health care, urban renewal and growth at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, but I’m disappointed he missed attending Zhongshan, China, Mayor Li Quhong’s seminar on potholes.

Bill Nuerge

The City

Help on financial front

Hats off to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger for launching Bank on California, announced Thursday.

United Way of the Bay Area has been in the business of empowering people to achieve long-term financial stability for our entire 80-year history. Thanks to the governor’s new initiative, we will be able to accelerate our local efforts to help low-income families and individuals access mainstream financial services.

Research tells us that families with savings and assets are less likely to divorce, have lower rates of domestic violence, experience fewer chronic illnesses, and have better overall health. Clearly, it makes sense for business, government and nonprofit leaders to collectively engage and advance programs such as Bank on California, which get residents on the path to financial stability.

The end goal is more families and individuals who have not only averted financial crises, but have established savings, long-term assets and other resources that open them up to future success, including homeownership, small business development and a stable retirement. Bank on California is a very important platform for achieving this goal.

We also recognize San Francisco Treasurer José Cisneros for his vision and leadership in creating Bank on San Francisco, which has already signed up 11,000 individuals, who previously had no bank account. The relationships that Treasurer Cisneros has already established with the 15 banks and credit unions that participate in Bank on S.F. undoubtedly will be critical to the success of the new statewide effort.

Anne Wilson,

CEO, United Way of the Bay Area

The City

Bush’s rebate folly

President Bush’s tax-rebate scheme should be called a “re-bait” rather than a rebate. Bush is still trying to pull himself out of the fire and establish a legacy. Bush has done nothing to date correctly, so why should anyone think he will do so now?

James L. Nix

Hartselle, Ala.

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