Tobacco taxes being spent on socialistic groups

Your front-page picture of the Neighborhood for Learning Preschool/First Five event had no explanation of these dubious socialist programs.

They are funded by the tobacco tax and are part of the "nanny government" movement.

"Meathead" Rob Reiner ("Mr. Universal Preschool") was in charge of First Five until his free spending was uncovered and he was forced to resign.

He gave millions to his Hollywood friends for ad campaigns. First Five's logo--a paint-splattered handprint--is now seen all over the media.

Neighborhood for Learning is a preschool program targeted toward non-English speakers, many of them children of illegals. Bad idea. Neighborhood for Learning parents must volunteer several hours a month.

Parents Anonymous participants are ordered to participate as well, unbeknownst to the others. Bad idea. Parents Anonymous is for parents who abuse their own children.

Does Neighborhood for Learning require tuberculosis testing for their participants?

There are now four Neighborhood for Learning programs on Conejo Valley Unified School District campuses. Bad idea.

Are teachers, staff and students at risk for disease from illegals and in danger from child abusers? Huntington Beach had six teachers last year come down with tuberculosis.

CVUSD's mission statement covers adult ed and K-12 education, but not preschool. Yet our administrators have put out the welcome mat for Neighborhood for Learning, enabling their "educrat" buddies to get a nice paycheck.

Aspen Elementary School Principal Sheila Carlson even wrote a grant for Neighborhood for Learning. No surprise, as she was also on the board for First Five. This socialist program is now firmly entrenched in the Conejo, thanks to the bleeding-heart liberals in public education.

The CVUSD has no business going outside its mission to benefit illegals. Bad idea. Conejo Schools Foundation is another group guilty of skirting the mission statement, and Carlson is also on that board.

The foundation is providing $150,000 funding over three years, mostly for teachers' salaries, for a six-week pre-K summer program at Conejo Elementary aimed at non-English-speaking preschoolers and their parents. Bad idea.

In response to the backlash against illegal aliens draining our resources, Gov. Schwarzenegger proposes cutting off benefits to their children at age 5. Our immigration laws are to be obeyed, not broken. Good idea.
Cathy Carlson
Thousand Oaks