School closures no reason for hatred
      Kriss Hurdle's Jan. 31 letter is way out of line. She's completely off base when she writes, "Would any parent in their right mind put their precious child in a position of language barrier, copy-cat gang behavior, a large lostinthecrowd position and overall lower test scores?
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School board should ignore emotional parents
      As a concerned parent of elementary schoolchildren in Conejo Valley Unified School District, I've been following the proposal to close two schools in our district. I watched the board meeting shown on cable TV, and I've read the data available to me on the CVUSD website.
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Disappointed in the attacks on her school
      I am PTA president of Manzanita Elementary School. I'm very proud to represent our parents, teachers and students. It's an honor I take very seriously. When my daughter started school, we began our school career at Lang Ranch Elementary. We later moved to Newbury Park, and Manzan...
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Closing schools not a good time for negativism
      This is in response to Kim Inglis of Newbury Park and others who criticize "low scoring schools.
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Stop throwing mud at Manzanita
      I've lived in this community for over 20 years. I've seen significant positive and negative changes in our community. Whatever the issue, I've always remained the silent majority, the silent minority, and sometimes just silent. I've justified my silence by telling myself that I'm raising fiv...
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Manzanita is great for kids
      Regarding school closures, it's difficult for any school district today to try and meet all the needs within a financial framework that's currently looking forward to some severe cutbacks. I'm appalled, though, at some of the viewpoints expressed by many of the concerned stak...
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Enrollment may start going up
      The local Ventura County paper reported recently that the U.S. birthrates are the highest since 1961. This, coupled with falling house prices, predicts we're headed for another student bubble.
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District should reevaluate criteria for closing schools
      In response to your Jan. 24 editorial, "It's no surprise parents are angry and upset over school closures," you do a disservice to parents who are trying to make sense of how the school closure committee has determined the potential schools to be closed by implying their reaction is s...
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Closures a reason to vote for new trustees
      Your Jan. 24 story on school closures listed eight (candidate) elementary schools that (comprised the list of two that would) be closed. Using my map reading skills, I easily lowered your original eight to three; Maple, Aspen and Ladera. Several parents addressed your Jan.
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Closing of schools is only the tip of an iceberg
      While parents are arguing to keep their child's school open there's something much more ominous on the horizon. While attending a state PTA legislation conference in Sacramento last week, I learned from Jean Ross of the California Budget Project, a nonpartisan organization, that ...
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Nearby residents prefer less intense Lang Ranch Park
      Conejo Recreation and Park District (CRPD) was to consider approval of the largest and final park to be constructed within the city of Thousand Oaks on Thurs., Jan. 17. The final EIR had been completed and the board was expected to approve at that evening's meeting.
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Community park best for Lang Ranch
      Like a previous writer, I agree that development of a community park at Lang Ranch is long overdue. Unfortunately, what's been proposed by Conejo Recreation and Park District (CRPD) doesn't meet the definition of a community park.
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City shouldn't make criminals of smokers
      I don't smoke. I hate the sensation of inhaling fire. However, I think it's entirely unfair to criminalize smoking cigarettes in public. Smokers are still human beings; it's not right to treat them as "less than" because they have a bad habit. It's hideously unpleasant when people smack t...
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Yoga classes at gyms are okay
      This letter is in response to a beautifully written article titled "How to avoid yoga injures" by Ericka Bryant. As a yoga instructor myself, I agree with most of what was said about how to prevent injury when seeking a good yoga class.
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Likes Hillary
      Years ago, I had an argument with one of my husband's college roommates that the U.S. was more sexist than it is racist. He vehemently disagreed, stating that white women have benefited more from affirmative action than any other group, and that blacks and Latinos have been more oppressed ...
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Endorsement from Ted Kennedy is highly overrated
      Although Barack Obama has been shouting from the rafters that Washington insiders cannot govern, he has enthusiastically embraced his endorsement by Ted Kennedy, the ultimate Washington insider. That move is clearly an attempt to mobilize Hispanics for Obama. Look for more utter...
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