PUBLIC FORUM.

Mandatory preschool

Re ``Terminator versus Meathead?'' (Their Opinions, March 15):

Rob Reiner keeps quoting statistics on how kids turn out better if they go to preschool - Are these the same bunch of statistics that say kids are fine without a father and don't care if mom goes to work and dumps them in day care seven hours a day as long as mom feels fulfilled?

Seeing the kind of work that LAUSD does these days, I'm personally not willing to bet that dumping a whole load of new kids on this institution (which can't manage the ones it has) would mean they will stay out of the back seat of a police car (my other favorite commercial extolling the virtues of preschool). I think Reiner best mind his own house (and figure out where all that money from the cigarette tax goes) before he tries to give the government our kids one year earlier.

- Kim Greene

Studio City

PC fantasy

Re ``Courthouse shooting suspect appears before judge'' (March 16):

When I was in junior high school, I faced the fact that I could never join LAPD because officers had to be 6 feet tall, and I would never be. My self-interest and ideas about fairness had to yield to society's rational interest in having officers large enough to intimidate most criminals.

Since then, society abandoned rationality in favor of fantasies that women can do absolutely anything men can do. Last week in Atlanta, four people died for the silly premise that 5-foot-2-inch women can guard dangerous criminals as well as 6-foot men can.

- Michael J. Nowland

Simi Valley 

No surprise

Re ``Serious questions,'' (Editorials, March 14):

So the integrity of city workers is under the microscope with the possibility of vote tampering. It's no surprise that James Hahn wants to know why ballots were re-inked. Isn't this a bit of deja vu? Wasn't it Mayor Hahn who said city commissioners shouldn't be involved in campaign fund raising?

Did we ever find out if a DWP commissioner was raising campaign funds or just happened to be having breakfast at the same time and place as Hahn and his supporters? You don't seriously think the City Council will find anything wrong when the majority know they'll need union money in the next election. You can count on city workers to do whatever it takes to protect their investment.

- Jerry England

Chatsworth

Re-inking ballots

Re ``Hahn latest to ask why ballots re-inked'' (March 15):

This is not the first time the Ink-A-Vote system has been used in L.A. We in Porter Ranch used it in the November election.

Having been trained to always check for hanging chads, I was careful to check my ballot after voting. I was surprised to see that half of my votes had not printed. I carefully reinserted my ballot and re-inked my votes, pressing much more energetically this time. But I wondered how many other people were disenfranchised by this new system.

- Sharon Maguire

Northridge

Girls, math and science

Re ``Academic's sexist math remark adds up ... I think'' (Their Opinions, March 14):

The issue of why American women experience much more difficulty succeeding in technical fields than women from most other industrialized nations is a serious problem and, as such, deserving of more in-depth, nuanced, and well-researched coverage. The decision by high school students to take Algebra II is the single best predictor of their likelihood to complete a bachelor's degree and also their lifetime earnings. American girls do not receive the support and encouragement to continue in math, science or engineering that girls in other countries do.

The error that Larry Summers and Stephanie Becker make is to fail to look at the performance of women in math and sciences worldwide, where there is little evidence of any differences between male and female students.

- Deirdre Collins

Glendale

Right to life

I searched for some update of the killing of Terry Schiavo scheduled to begin Friday, March 18, but found no mention of her. Terry needs food to live. What is the judge in Florida thinking - or not thinking? We know Terry's husband has made choices for his future, as he has fathered two daughters since her accident.

Her husband's right is the freedom to divorce Terry and give up guardianship to her caring parents. He does not have the right to starve her to death. To even have allowed this possibility to come this far is unconscionable. We as a country must protect those who cannot protect themselves.

- Karen Hayes 

Sylmar

Returned suspect

Re ``Jesse James Hollywood faces judge'' (March 11):

A special thanks to Brazil for its support of the law when it returned the criminal to the United States that had been found in its country. It is among the majority of countries that do value the laws of not only their country, but of others.

Unlike Mexico, which still harbors thousands of American criminals that have fled to Mexico for the safety it provides. I feel bad about President George Bush and his relationship with Mexico's President Vicente Fox. Together they could solve this ``Third World country attitude'' of Mexico.

- Charles Dusheck

Chatsworth

A for county

Re ``A for health - County grading system has cleaned up restaurants'' (Editorials, March 14):

Really nice to see your editorial acknowledging the wisdom in the decision by the L.A. County Board of Supervisors to use market forces to clean up restaurants via an innovative letter grading system. It's simple, cheap and it works. Undoubtedly thousands of people have been spared illness and misery by this government service. Our county health inspectors get an A.

- Bruce Perelman

Los Angeles 

Rushing the budget?

Why are the Republicans in Congress in such a hurry to push through a budget that cuts programs for the middle class and poor, while at the same time giving the wealthiest Americans permanent tax breaks? (Do they fear allowing healthy debate?)

This year we will have a deficit of more than $400 billion (not including extra money for the Iraq war). Why do we stand idly by and allow this administration to cut funding for education and health care, and impose a soaring deficit that will burden future generations?

- Barbara Grell

Canoga Park

Social Security reply

Republicans keep asking Democrats: Where is your Social Security plan? Democrats keep replying: Make a simple adjustment. Yank the golden fleece out from under those who stop paying Social Security on taxable earnings over $90,000. Republican and conservative pundits must be hard of hearing

Why would President Bush risk or even consider putting millions of Social Security recipients at risk by creating private accounts based on the stock market? More than 47 million Americans count on Social Security and a few anti-tax Republicans want to throw their ideological monkey wrench in the works and screw it up for everyone. What is the real issue here?

- Ron Lowe

Nevada City

Pope's ability

Re ``Pope released from hospital'' (March 13):

Perhaps the pope's recent hospitalization can serve as a wake-up call on the pope's ability to serve as arguably the most influential person on Earth.

- Michael Linares

Arleta