PUBLIC FORUM WORMY APPLE.

Re ``Valley parents feel betrayed on bonds'' (Dec. 8):

Only Roy Romer, most of the LAUSD and probably James Hahn would want the last bite of an apple so full of worms. Simply put, each voter-approved bond is a hole in the apple. Each voter-approved bond that was never used as intended is a worm coming out of that hole.

As the taxpayers funding these worms, would you want the fourth bite? We need new leadership from the mayor on down, as they have all proved they are not capable of managing this city or the money we have entrusted them with. No more bonds, no more tax increases, and no more job until you can prove you have the ability to handle our money.

- Vonnie Harper

Van Nuys

Teacher shortage

Re ``Teacher shortage looming'' (Dec. 8):

As a teacher, I'm not surprised that there is a shortage. I really don't know how much longer I will remain working as a teacher because of the way we're treated by the LAUSD, politicians and the general public. We're often portrayed as the sole cause of educational failure. This is nonsense; school failure is far more complex than teacher-caused.

I've found that neither parents nor students are willing to make any effort to work with me. Another silly thing is President Bush's ``No Child Left Behind,'' the expectation that all our children, including special education, will miraculously all be at grade level by 2014. I love the kids, I love teaching; but when I have administrators, politicians and the public constantly implying we have failed our students, I think of moving on.

- Steve Martin Del Campo

Los Angeles 

Not taking the stand

Re ``Mother pleads for Peterson'' (Dec. 9):

I, like so many other people, have been watching the Scott Peterson trial on cable TV and I think I will have withdrawal when it is over. My only comment for Scott Peterson is, if I was innocent, you can bet I would be on the stand stating I am not guilty and that only time will tell when the real murderer will be found.

To just sit there fairly well convinces me he really is guilty. I cannot understand anyone doing this, but it looks like he is a spoiled brat and he got tired of his toy (wife) and wanted another new toy.

- Frank Jacobs

Sylmar

Slow learners

Re ``City's costly trash talk'' (Dec. 4):

The screwballs that run this city need help badly. In order to do my part, let me offer this solution: Fire those two individuals responsible for racking up those out of sight phone charges. Punish or demote those in management; they seem incompetent, anyway.

Prosecute those two for grand theft. See problem solved. Now watch what these nitwits come up with after a couple of years of studies.

- George Timko

West Hills

Salvation Army bells

Re ``Bring back the bells'' (Editorial, Dec. 8):

Growing up in small-town rural America, I recall bells calling workers from the fields for meals, bells calling the people to worship, to weddings and to funerals. They called us to school, to town-hall meetings and brought the volunteer firemen on the run.

I can't remember a Christmas without the Salvation Army bells and kettles in front of our favorite stores. When I was called to service in World War II, there was the Salvation Army on the front line. When there was a break in the action, they were there with coffee, delicious little doughnuts and free cigarettes. Remembering the good the Salvation Army does in the community, I will never pass a kettle by; I may just have to pass the stores by that bar them and head for where the tradition still lives on.

- Philip Wilt

Van Nuys

Litigious society

Re ``Bring back the bells'' (Editorials, Dec. 8):

I agree with the editorial. However, I am surprised that an editor can be so unaware of the temper of our current litigious society. Since the Salvation Army is a Christian-based organization, if the stores allowed them to solicit on their property and not other groups, the ACLU would have them in court for religious discrimination faster than you could say ``Merry Xmas.''

- Leonard E. McGinnis

Granada Hills

Who is offended?

In 1950 when I was a student at Brooklyn College, the annual winter festival was known as ``Christmas Capers.'' Suddenly in 1951 it became ``December Daze.'' Now over the past 50 years, I have seen many more examples of how Christmas was dropped by name from many former places - including greeting cards (``Happy Holidays''), signs on businesses (``Season's Greetings''). and even on private homes all aglitter with blinking lights, Styrofoam polar bears, wooden reindeer, and Santas - but no ``Christmas.''

Who is offended by the word? Why is it now almost taboo?

- Sol Taylor

Sherman Oaks

It's Christmas

This time of the year is given the name ``Holidays'' by the Daily News and other newspapers. Holidays by definition ``are days in which custom or law dictates a halting of general activities to celebrate a particular event.''

The event is Christmas. Why don't we call a spade a spade instead of giving Christmas a generic name such as holidays?

- Robert Peterson

Woodland Hills

And the winner

Re ``City investigations dominate first mayoral debate'' (Dec. 3):

Sen. Richard Alarcon at the mayoral debate - clearly a winner with a vision for Los Angeles.

- Marilyn Robinson

Winnetka

Loaded term

Not to belabor a point, but Fred Coble's dismissive reply (Your Opinions, Dec. 3) that only a few ``collaborators'' were executed, tortured or sent to re-education camps when South Vietnam fell is disingenuous at best.

``Collaborator'' is a loaded term, mostly associated with elements of France and other nations the Nazis conquered in World War II who actively worked with the conquering armies. To label all the South Vietnamese as collaborators is an insult to those brave Vietnamese who fought communist oppression and died in an attempt to give South Vietnam freedom and democracy. Bottom line is when the North came in, a bloodbath resulted.

- Jeff Zimmer

Sherman Oaks

Don't have sex

Re ``Just the facts'' (Your Opinions, Dec. 8):

Josh Rivetz says that abstinence has no business being taught in school. He is saying that ``beliefs,'' i.e. Christian values, should not be taught in school. Well, Josh. the fact is if you don't have sex you won't get pregnant. That, my friend, is Sex Education 101.

- Steve Duhm

Woodland Hills

Sticking to the facts

Josh Rivetz says that the schools should stick to the facts only and not beliefs in sex education (Your Opinions, Dec. 8). You're right. The fact is that the only 100 percent way to avoid getting pregnant or contracting sexually transmitted diseases is by not having sex.

If the schools would have stuck to teaching human reproduction like they used to, so kids understand what is going on with their bodies, that would be one thing. But when they teach 13-, 14- and 15-year-olds that oral sex is an acceptable alternative to intercourse, they aren't sticking to the facts. There is way too much social engineering going on in the schools and it has nothing to do with beliefs.

- Keith Gurian

Granada Hills