Features

PLACEMENT TESTS 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

I would like to respond to the commentary by Toni Martin (“Private School Students Face Bias In Math Placement Tests,” Daily Planet, March 23-25). Regardless of nasty sniping by a “Senior, Berkeley High,” I thought she made many valid points. The math department at BHS is not good. My daughter took Honors math there and was very disappointed by the quality of the teaching. She finally took calculus over the summer at UC to avoid taking it at BHS. 

I also encountered an African-American girl who had been encouraged to leave the Honors Geometry class. She was obviously very bright and could have succeeded in the proper atmosphere. I think that minorities who show interest in honors and AP classes should receive support, not the heave-ho. 

Jenifer Steele 

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BARRIERS 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

Thanks for publishing the piece by Toni Martin about bias in math placement tests at Berkeley High. I also have a daughter who did not pass the Honors Geometry placement exam despite getting A’s in eighth grade algebra at a local private school. She spent ninth grade in regular geometry when she could have learned the material in significantly more depth, had she not been denied access to Honors Geometry. 

While this issue may be a small one on Berkeley High’s list, shouldn’t the high school be encouraging students who want to take more challenging classes rather than putting up barriers?  

Thanks for running stories on Berkeley school issues. 

Tish Brewster 

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POLICE DOGS 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

I believe that reasonable people can agree or disagree as to whether or not police dogs in Berkeley are a good idea. However, recent comments in the Daily Planet (“Police Dog Plan Moves Toward Possible PRC Approval,” March 23-25) regarding the “shamefulness” of the PRC to consider police dogs in Berkeley by Commissioner Jaqueline DeBose, I feel, are ill chosen. 

DeBose invokes the infamous Commissioner “Bull” Connor and his vicious use of police dogs and water hoses against African-American civil rights demonstrators in Birmingham, Alabama as an incident analogous to the situation in Berkeley.. 

This, I feel, is tantamount to calling the Berkeley Police racist Klansmen. 

I, for one, find this an unreasonable and unfortunate comparison. 

John Herbert 

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QUALITY OF LIFE 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

I love the “Berkeley quality of life.” Why? In part: We have a wildly democratic city with a top-notch public university, accessible and varied entertainment, good restaurants, parks, bikeways, good schools, good local shopping, and clean streets. Berkeley is noticeably and measurably different (and better!) than other nearby cities. I feel very fortunate (and even proud!) to be able to afford to live and work here. 

Think about it: Why do you choose to live in Berkeley, and not Concord, Oakland, or El Cerrito, for example? 

I believe we need to pass a measure in November that will maintain city services so that Berkeley can continue to remain an attractive place to work, shop, recreate, and live for everyone. There are many people—seniors, children, youth, people who are disabled or without a home—who are less fortunate than many of us and who need lifeline services. 

I also believe we must use the energy, commitment, enthusiasm and innovative thinking of local community members and city workers to manage our city into the 21st century. We’re not there yet.  

The city needs structural, organizational, and technological changes that have not yet been broached in the current budget discussions. We need proposals that can increase revenue and that will positively, rather than negatively motivate remaining workers. Before we move to cut city services or our public servant’s paychecks, let’s work together to come up with creative and viable longer term approaches to sustaining Berkeley into the new millennium. 

Iris Starr 

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UNIVERSITY AVENUE 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

University Avenue neighbors are trying to use a subterfuge to get around state law. They want to radically downzone University Avenue by passing two- and three-story height limits, one story less than the limits in the University Avenue Strategic Plan, so the heights will still be three and four stories after applying the state density bonus for affordable housing. (“Neighbors, City Split Over University Avenue Rezoning,” Daily Planet, March 26-29). 

There is a reason this law was passed. Local governments tend to think about the local impacts of their policies, so they tend to zone for very low densities to push traffic problems away from themselves. They do not think about the regional or global impacts of their policies, so they overlook the fact that their low density zoning creates housing shortages and sprawl that harm the entire region and the global environment. 

That is why the state has to step in and pass laws, such as the density bonus law, that protect the region and the environment. 

We have a government of checks and balances, with different levels of government looking at different interests. Berkeley should zone University Avenue with three- and four-story height limits, in keeping with the University Avenue Strategic Plan that was developed to protect local interests. And it should allow the density bonus in addition to these height limits, in keeping with state law that was passed to protect the entire region and the environment. 

Charles Siegel 

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PEACE, CIVILIZATION 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

I wonder if everyone was as astonished as I was when Michael Rennie got shot as he stepped out of the alien spaceship. Sent to order the earth to be peaceful and civilized, he is given wonderful powers by his home world. Yet when he lands, he is shot and nearly killed, putting his mission in jeopardy. One must assume that he was chosen in order to get him out of his galaxy, and that his career had had some problems before this mission. 

In 1996, the citizens of Berkeley sent the City Council on a mission to bring peace and civilization to University Avenue. They were given all the power that the people can give. It has taken the council eight years to arrive at University Avenue, having traveled at impulse speed, and now that they have just arrived, their mission seems to be in jeopardy. 

The council has not brought peace and civilization to University Avenue, nor have they laid out a vision different from the University Avenue Strategic Plan. What exactly is the difficulty?  

Why do they not order that: “All plans for development on University Avenue shall conform to the University Avenue Plan in addition to all zoning laws, and that current buildings that are not in conformance with the plan shall apply to the zoning board for a variance.” I believe that Michael Rennie could have done as much. 

Martin Gugino 

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BUSHWHACKED 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

I can’t help noticing how the Bush White House tries to smear every one of its critics who have resigned their post and then reveals some ugly truth about how Bush and Cheney are running our government. The latest man of integrity to be smeared as “disgruntled” is Richard Clark, former anti-terrorism advisor to four presidents. He joins the ranks of Paul O’Neil, former secretary of the treasury, Joseph Wilson, former U.S. ambassador, David Kaye, former CIA weapons inspector, Scott Ritter, former U.N. weapons inspector, Hans Blix, recent U.N. weapons inspector. The smear-jockeys even went after that Medicare cost analyst who found that the Bush proposal to Congress was underestimated by $ 140 billion. 

How many people with integrity need to resign from their jobs before Bush’s supporters realize that their trust has been abused? Are there any people of integrity still in the Bush administration? 

Bruce Joffe 

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JOHN CURL 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

We are active members of a West Berkeley neighborhood association and in this capacity we have watched John Curl, as a member of the Berkeley Planning Commission, demonstrate unwavering clarity and vigorous energy in supporting the interests of those of us committed to protecting our neighborhoods’ character and supporting the light industrial/artist friendly zoning that characterizes the best of West Berkeley. His clarity of purpose and leadership on the Planning Commission will be sorely missed. Our hope is that John will find another venue to put his considerable experience and leadership skills to use in continuing to protect and shape our community. 

Thank you John. You will be sorely missed. 

Paul Shain, Barbara Getz, Rolf Williams, Ed and Sigrid Allen, Carrie Adams, Marc Mathieu, Elaine Eastman, Ruth Knapp, Dale Anania, Michael Duenes, Pam Ormsby, Kimberley Kline, Hopper Branam, Alice Jorgensen, Joe Michael 

Members, Hearst-Curtis-Delaware Neighborhood Association 

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