Family leave is unpaid
Re: “Biology was destiny” (11/28/2019): The article mentions both the Wisconsin Family And Medical Leave Act of 1998 and the federal Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993, which guarantee six and 12 weeks of leave, respectively, for the birth of a child. However, I just wanted to point out that the family leave under both laws is unpaid. In fact, according to a 2019 report on gender equality from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, the United States and Papua New Guinea are the only countries left in the world that do not guarantee paid maternity leave.
— Chris Smithka, via email
Underserved in literacy
Re: “A loopy idea” (11/28/2019): Pedagogy is the only thing that can possibly explain the entire one school year difference in reading achievement between our state’s fourth graders and their Mississippi counterparts. Our K-12 bureaucracy refuses to acknowledge this, which means the Legislature hasn’t been completely informed about what teachers need in order to improve literacy outcomes for children so underserved in literacy. This situation has been ongoing for years, so how can you fault the legislators for giving up on public education? What a terrible mess.
— Robert Meyer, via isthmus.com
Get rid of Common Core and special education. We need to stop segregating students by perceived differences. Wisconsin once excelled in education; now students can’t read or understand the Constitution/articles etc. Unions have failed us too. Teachers know why we are failing and they remain silent or play victim.
— Dianne Carey, via isthmus.com
Piece of the pie
Re: “Preserve quiet on public lands” (11/21/2019): There are so many places to snowmobile and so few left to cross-country ski. Please leave us the only place left in the Madison area where we can enjoy our sport without the noise and fumes. Yes, I have to get in my car to drive out there, and it burns gas and makes some noise. But when I arrive, I can enjoy the best that Mother Nature has to offer without bothering anyone else. Snowmobilers, I ask you, “Can you say the same?”
I know that the snowmobile industry and lobby is strong in Wisconsin. Can’t we just have a small piece of the pie?
— Steve Hoffenberg, via isthmus.com
