Reading that the Friday snowstorm resulted in 51 car accidents before 11 a.m., as commuters rushed to school and jobs, makes me question the judgment of Santa Fe Public Schools to hold classes in such conditions. I was in stand-still traffic for more than an hour on N.M. 599, trying to get my kid to school. It was treacherous at best. I should not have been there. The police should be the ones deciding whether school is in session, delayed or postponed. They are on all the roads. They know if it's safe, not the schools. The schools are putting my and my kid's lives on the line every time they decide school is on.


Judge to the rescue

While trying to get my children to school (no two-hour delay??) on the morning of Feb. 3, I became stuck on St. Michael's Drive just spinning my tires along with several other cars. To our rescue came Judge [Richard] Padilla, who towed me to Galisteo Street. Thank you, Judge Padilla!


Solid ice

It is appalling how the city of Santa Fe has no regard for the citizens of this town considering the way the roads are maintained in bad weather. It has been bad in the past, but Feb. 3 was the worst -- solid ice and no hint that crews had been out trying to do something. Old Pecos Trail and St. Michael's Drive were moving at a crawl and St. Francis Drive was a solid sheet of ice. Just to remind them -- Old Pecos Trail and St. Michael's Drive are the routes to the hospital. I hate to think that an accident victim, emergency or a woman in labor would be subjected to stand-still roads. Come on Santa Fe ... get with the program.

 

Decision risked lives

Last Friday, public schools in Santa Fe were on a regular schedule. The Catholic schools were canceled because of snow. Santa Fe Preparatory School had a two-hour delay to re-evaluate the weather conditions as they unfolded. The Catholic schools and Prep err on the side of caution. They won't endanger the lives of students or staff. However, SFPS risks lives often. The schools deemed it safe enough to put children on street corners waiting for buses. In fact, officials announced via their phone system that it was "just slushy" out.

They couldn't have been more wrong. I certainly believe it is important to have kids in the classroom, but not at their peril. Days always can be added to the school calendar, but a life can never be replaced. School officials should be ashamed for jeopardizing kids' and their employees' lives. Why will someone have to die until this changes?


It's not just a spat

It was disappointing to read an editorial page that denigrates the discussion of a critical news story (the defunding for many Planned Parenthood centers) by calling it a "funding spat" (a petty dispute). Listed in the same article is much of the factual evidence for the lobbying against giving money to Planned Parenthood.

The article implies that we should retreat from the "heat" of the debate because there might be a financial backlash and we should speak softly because it's just "politics." Of course it's political, and the political is very personal (i.e., in our bedrooms, clinics, between patients and doctors). It's political that the wealthy, and those who can afford to seek services from a "private practice" have health care options that the working poor, unemployed and some young people cannot access. This is about class, race, gender, poverty and religious fundamentalism (forcing one's opinions on others).

It's not a "spat!" It's an intelligent, loud and forceful fight for justice and health care for all. Peace, with resistance.