DeSantis’s ‘toadies’ should support superintendent | Letters to the editor – South Florida Sun Sentinel

Re: Is Broward schools chief’s job in jeopardy? DeSantis’s ‘reform board’ is weighing her future

After reading the Sun Sentinel article about Vickie Cartwright’s possible termination as Broward school superintendent, I realized once again that Floridians elected a governor but instead got a dictator.

Following recommendations of a grand jury he created, Gov. Ron DeSantis removed four women from the School Board and replaced them with four men, his Tallahassee toadies. He didn’t let all of us in Broward have a say. Just another DeSantis decree to be followed — or else.

Now we hear Cartwright might be terminated. One of the most egregious of her sins apparently is that she supported mask mandates when “Top Guv” was saying they didn’t work, even if science said he was wrong, and surgeons wear them while operating to reduce chances of infection (No, I don’t believe just about anything his surgeon general says).

DeSantis suspended a state attorney who dared to say he would not prosecute women for going against the male-mandated Republican abortion laws, but says nothing about sheriffs (who support him) saying they would not enforce stricter federal gun laws.

He won his election by 0.4% against a very weak candidate and now assumes all the trappings of an imperial governor who makes us “Don’t Say Gay” and tells women they don’t own their own bodies. Vote blue if you value democracy and freedom of dissent.

Ray Belongie, Sunrise

I get many mail pieces from the Republican Party, bragging about their approach to Florida’s future. What a joke. Nazi sympathizers appear at DeSantis rallies, but there’s nothing from him on how wrong this was.

Misappropriation of funds for a political stunt, sending immigrants, who are here legally, but not in Florida, to Martha’s Vineyard, Mass. The only difference between people is the color of their skin.

How is he allowed to run? DeSantis voted against aid to help other states after Sandy but he’s accepting it now. Total hypocrite.

Rita Aitken, Pembroke Pines

I am a newbie to Fort Myers, having moved here in 2020. I’ve observed a certain brashness from South Florida natives when I express fear that things might not come back as they were because of Hurricane Ian. Their attitude is one of, “We’ve been through these many times before (and you haven’t), and we will recover just fine.” As a new resident, it makes me wonder, who am I to worry?

In 1900, Hurricane Isaac, a category 4 storm, struck Galveston, Tex., and the city’s status as a premier port was lost to Houston. I believe Fort Myers can come back better than ever. Hopefully, south Florida natives who treat a hurricane as just another day at the office will recognize that this time, a very special effort will be needed.

Larry Kaplan, Fort Myers

Don’t be outraged about the Parkland verdict. Inmates don’t like prisoners who hurt kids. Nikolas Cruz’s life will be hell and possibly short at the hands of his fellow inmates. That will be punishment, justice and retribution.

Audrey Frieman, Pembroke Pines

Reading the high school football scores on Oct. 15, I wiped my reading glasses repeatedly and went online to confirm what I’d read. Chaminade-Madonna won 90-0. Avant Garde Academy won 68-0. Coconut Creek won 50-0. Who are the coaches of these teams? How do they still have jobs?

It’s embarrassing to see coaches run up the score week after week. No one cares that they annihilated their opponents, but they should explain why it’s necessary to humiliate kids on the opposing team. Having coached basketball for years, I made sure I never did this despite being able to do so. My teams once won 43 games in a row, and won 25 of 26. These games are excellent opportunities for substitute players to gain experience and for the team to learn humility.

What has happened to sportsmanship? Coaches are also teachers. How does the FHSAA not have rules in place to prevent this? The coaches should be suspended for at least one game to think about what they did. To win is fine, but this is disturbing. Hopefully, players on the losing teams will continue to want to play sports.

Jason Brodsky, Boca Raton

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