Enough with the bashing — Rahm deserves credit on schools

I know it is vogue to bash the mayor, but we should give credit where credit is due.

Five years ago, Mayor Rahm Emanuel backed full-day kindergarten for all kids and made it happen. Then on Wednesday he announced a plan for full-day and free nursery school for all 4-year-olds, starting next year with poorer families.

And yet the Chicago Teachers Union responds, predictably, by bashing the mayor’s educational record. The mayor could find a cure for cancer, and the union would bash him.

Enough is enough: Emanuel deserves credit here. As a mother who sent her kids to Chicago public schools, the union is too political. It should applaud and work with the mayor on this one.

Veronica Williams, Hyde Park

ERA vote takes us closer to protect equal rights

On May 30, the Illinois House joined the Illinois Senate in gaining the needed vote to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, making Illinois the 37th state to do so. The League of Women Voters of Illinois has long supported the addition of these 22 words to our Constitution, the document that unites us as a nation under the rule of law: “Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.”

Our LWVIL members, both women and men, agree with Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg when she said, “Much has been done through legislation to advance the equal rights of women, but legislation can be repealed, it can be altered. So I would like my granddaughters, when they pick up the Constitution, to see that notion — that women and men are persons of equal stature — I’d like them to see that is a basic principle of our society.”

The LWV Illinois thanks the legislators of Illinois who voted to take our country one step closer to ensuring our granddaughters and grandsons will see that basic principle enshrined in our Constitution.

Bonnie Cox

President

League of Women Voters of Illinois

A few words on Blago the man

When Northside College Prep High School’s inaugural ceremony took place, I was the Chicago Police sergeant in charge of the security detail responsible for safeguarding Gov. Rod Blagojevich and Mayor Richard M. Daley. There was an individual that day who was intent on disrupting the ceremony, and we made the governor’s security team aware of this.

I placed an officer on either side of this man as the dignitaries were leaving the building. Officers lined the paths to their waiting vehicles. The mayor exited first, eyes straight forward, briskly walking to his vehicle and quickly driving away. But the governor, even after being informed about the possible threat, walked up to each and every police officer on that detail. He thanked each officer for providing security and shook their hands.

I do not form any opinion about Blago the politician. I do respect and admire Blago the man.

Larry Casey, Forest Glen

Enough whining, Blago

I wish former former Gov. Rod Blagojevich would quit whining and serve out his prison sentence like a big boy.

Mike Rice, Jefferson Park