Editor:
Our 2006-07 County of Los Angeles Civil Grand Jury assayed the status and intent with regard to sustainability, enveloped within a questionnaire to all 88 cities within the county and the county itself.
Findings evinced the City of Santa Monica to be exemplarily far ahead of all. Most cities were doing little or nothing except awaiting a hoped-for future federal or state government grant. As Chairman of that Committee report, and a private citizen, I again praise Santa Monica for its strong continuing sustainability position and action in encouraging the Mayors and President of our nation.
James Corbett Tasker
Santa Monica
PYFC debate
Editor:
At the heart of this debate over funding of the Pico Youth and Family Center lies the fundamental question: How do we turn lives around? Is it through isolated skill training on how to fill out a job or college application, or is it through a more familial setting in which young people are given those resume-writing skills while also encouraged to become leaders in their community, challenge the status quo, and rock the boat?
The City wants a gang intervention model that is more sanitized, less politicized, and teaches skills separate and apart from issues related to equity and ethnic pride, poverty versus privilege, but this begs the question: Can such a model, one devoid of social action, ever succeed with the most disengaged youth, those with the greatest need for relevancy?
Doubtful.
Young people most likely to drop out of school and into the criminal justice system need a strong anchor, and there is nothing stronger than a sense of self-efficacy.
I can do this. I can change the world.
Marcy Winograd
Santa Monica
