Letters

Published
May 17, 2014

Letter to the editor: Student test scores are no way to grade teachers

In response to the May 14 article “In doubt: Using student test scores to measure teacher quality,” I offer the following observation. If you designed a controlled experiment (uncontrolled experiments being largely worthless) in which two teachers of roughly the same experience and education taught the same material, for a discrete period of time, to […]
Published
May 17, 2014

Letter to the editor: Crow hunt does nothing but make Maine look bad

I was taken aback May 12 when I read this story in your “Local & State Dispatches”: “Comments on proposed crow hunting seasons sought.” Gee, we have until May 30 to respond? I went to the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife website, and I could not find any listing about a “crow hunt.” […]
Published
May 17, 2014

Letter to the editor: Portland bag fee might help, but we must stop littering first

When the wind blows mightily, instead of new spring leaves on Portland’s trees and shrubs, our city’s landscaping is festooned with plastic bags, as is every chain link fence in Portland and environs. Plastic bags and every description of trash fly through the air. On one particular day, a berm between Hannaford and Back Cove […]
Published
May 17, 2014

Letter to the editor: Michaud will govern with compassion, unlike LePage

Every day, I work with resourceful health care professionals who serve people who are homeless, refugees, immigrants and others who cannot pay for their health care. Most of the patients we see have complex medical conditions made worse by their lack of health care. These are the people who have been directly affected by Gov. […]
Published
May 16, 2014

Letter to the editor: The Affordable Care Act will surely prove itself

Re: “Steve Robinson: Michaud’s support for Obamacare certain to haunt his bid for governor” (May 10): The Affordable Care Act is 906 pages long. The law is helping “us move closer to more affordable and stable health care coverage.” Mike Michaud (and Susan Collins) would “fix” the law if the Republicans would allow the bill(s) […]

Published
May 16, 2014

Letter to the editor: Hamas not worthy negotiating partner for Mideast peace

The editorial printed April 30 headlined “Another View: Palestinian accord should not end Mideast peace talks” does not consider several essential points: Hamas is an Islamist terrorist organization that seeks Israel’s destruction and attacks innocent civilians. Any Palestinian government that includes Hamas cannot be a negotiating partner unless it meets longstanding demands in U.S. law: […]
Published
May 16, 2014

Letter to the editor: Editorial page inspires sharing of views, concerns

I offer these diverse thoughts, after reviewing the May 7 Portland Press Herald editorial page: • Re: “Our View: Maine legislators wise to put FairPoint subsidy request on hold”: As a former administrative director of the Maine Public Utilities Commission, I agree 100 percent with the position taken in the lead editorial that FairPoint Communications’ […]
Published
May 16, 2014

Letter to the editor: People with autism eligible to receive GPS units

I am a behavioral health professional instructor who provides the training necessary for behavioral health professionals to provide services to youth up to the age of 21, either in their homes after school hours or in their schools throughout the state of Maine, according to Maine Department of Health and Human Services regulations. As it […]
Published
May 15, 2014

Letter to the editor: Alfond education grants, Mercy Hospital staff lauded

In response to the March 7 article “Alfond Foundation to award $500 to all Maine babies,” all of us at the Birthplace at Mercy Hospital were delighted to learn that effective retroactively to Jan. 1, 2013, the grants are now automatic. Prior to that, parents had to apply for them – and in order to […]
Published
May 15, 2014

Letter to the editor: Possible Comcast takeover of Time Warner worrisome

I have never been a huge fan of Time Warner, but for the last 10 years I have spent most of the winter in Naples, Fla., which is served by Comcast. I can tell you from firsthand knowledge that customer service from Comcast is an oxymoron. They are horrible! Time Warner is angelic by comparison. […]

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Letters