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Readers Write: Perry is in big trouble; blame over faulty intelligence; schools need to teach subjects for longer

Letters to the Editor for September 8, 2014 weekly magazine:

Freidenrich: Gov. Rick Perry in trouble for political bullying.

Bloustein: Americans shrug off faulty intelligence in attempt to rescue James Foley.

Pape: To fix education, schools should students should learn subjects for longer. 

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Jenna VonHofe/The Daily Texan/AP/File
Gov. Rick Perry makes a statement at the capitol building in Austin, Texas on Saturday, Aug. 16 concerning the indictment on charges of coercion of a public servant and abuse of his official capacity. Perry is the first Texas governor since 1917 to be indicted.

| Laguna Beach, Calif.; Cincinnati; AND Granville, Ohio

Gov. Rick Perry is in real trouble

In regards to the Aug. 16 online article “Texas Gov. Rick Perry indicted: Real trouble or partisan snit?” (CSMonitor.com): Oops, as Governor Perry is fond of saying. Despite his public protests to the contrary, Perry is in trouble. No matter how he spins the political “farce” as he puts it, being indicted on two felony counts of abuse of power and coercion of a public servant will never look good on his résumé.

Denny Freidenrich
Laguna Beach, Calif.

Faulty intelligence 

In the Aug. 21 online article “Why US special forces failed to rescue James Foley” (CSMonitor
 .com) I learned that an attempt to rescue Americans held in Syria failed because of faulty intelligence. This brings to mind the failed raid at Son Tay prison camp in 1970 designed to rescue American prisoners of war captured during the Vietnam War. In both cases, intelligence indicating that Americans were being held at a specific location was wrong. Most of us just shrug our shoulders at these well-intentioned failures because, well, mistakes happen.

So it is curious indeed that when intelligence from multiple sources indicated that Iraq had an active weapons of mass destruction program, President George W. Bush and his cabinet were accused of lying. And still are. Repeatedly. 

Paul Bloustein
Cincinnati

Continuity-based education

The detailed Aug. 18 & 25 cover story, “Education: How we got here,” about education reform was comprehensive but lacked one important component: continuity. The number of subjects is limited by the typical daily schedules, which allow a maximum number of subjects at any given time. A weekly schedule would allow more subjects to be continued during high school. For example, it is more important to continue studying Spanish, for instance, for many years rather than the couple of years that is currently required in most states.

Jurgen Pape
Granville, Ohio

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