Inclusion of exclusion

Inclusion of exclusion

Re “Canceled kindergarten field trip to see Santa sparks San Jose walkout” (Page 8A, Dec. 19): When I was a child, when my children were children, school was a cultural center, and we celebrated holidays together with love and joy. We celebrated Chinese New Year, Cinco De Mayo, Martin Luther King Day, Thanksgiving, Halloween, Hanukkah and Christmas.

Later, this would be called “inclusion” – although we didn’t know the word. We only knew that we could all be happy together celebrating our differences as good things. Not religious, racial or political, just good things of good people.

Now the word “inclusion” means exclusion. Now no more school celebrations, as they might offend someone.

But I wonder: When did a child sitting on the lap of a fat man in a red suit saying what presents they want become a religious rite? When did traditions of love and joy become negatives?

When did we become a society of nothing to please no one?

Cleaning up diploma mills

Re “Le Cordon Bleu schools to close” (14A, Dec. 18): The closure of all 16 campuses of Le Cordon Bleu is only the tip of the iceberg for for-profit diploma mills.

The state Bureau of Private Postsecondary Education has been delinquent in working with the U.S. Department of Education to address the issue of California diploma mills, even though it has the authority to do so. Most for-profit predatory schools soon will be unable to meet the federal criteria.

Therefore, these schools will lose their Title IV U.S. government student loans. Tens of thousands of students will be abandoned and on the hook for loans that covered their tuition.

Many will turn to the state for refunds, since BPPE is guardian of the Student Tuition Recovery Fund. But the fund may not have enough to cover the need. It also is unclear whether community colleges will be able to pick up the slack when the for-profit vocational schools close.

Sacramento needs to hold hearings on this important issue since it seriously affects the future of our children’s education.

Blame Shkreli, not karma

Re “A dose of karma for Martin Shkreli” (Editorial, Dec. 22): I don’t believe karma has anything to do with this. This is a result of Shkreli’s own actions.

If you want to bring religion into this, I think Jesus did this to Shkreli and is responsible.

This story was originally published December 23, 2015 at 4:01 PM with the headline "Inclusion of exclusion."