Schools need money, not guns

President Trump, our weapons dealer in chief, has declared that teachers should be armed with guns. He says he’ll use federal tax dollars to carry out this lunatic plan. Never mind that our nation’s public schools for decades have been forced to play the role of supplicant for federal aid but have been refused it. The federal government has left to this to the states and local governments. What has resulted is a de facto apartheid system where poor kids go to poorly funded schools and wealthy students go to state-of-the-art model schools such as New Trier.

Forget the guns, Mr. President. Arm our schools with needed funds.

Edward David Juillard, West Beverly

Schools are not military camps

As a retired military veteran and retired Chicago Public Schools teacher, I strongly opposed President Trump’s view that schools should have armed teachers. As a young soldier, I became proficient with various weapons, including the M-16 rifle, .45 caliber pistol and M-60 machine gun. A school is not a place for any kind of weapon carried by an educator. When we arm teachers, we are sending the wrong message to students. Schools are suppose to be places of civil discourse and the free exchange of ideas. Teachers with weapons convey the idea of a military camp.

Peter V. Grafner, Forest Glen

How to solve pothole mess

Chicago’s streets are full of potholes because of a continuous nine days of snow in a row, during which the freeze-thaw cycle tore them apart. The city should wean itself from asphalt, looking into using concrete instead. Asphalt surfaces just don’t provide longevity, and with global climate change, the problem will continue.

Fred J. Wittenberg, Evanston

Gun control not assessor’s issue

Cook County Assessor Joe Berrios is running a TV ad that is essentially in support of gun control. What the devil does gun control have to do with the job of the assessor? This is obnoxious pandering. Berrios is obviously kowtowing to a vulnerable segment of the population with this non-issue in the assessor’s race.

Mike Koskiewicz, Portage Park