Don’t turn Grand St. into Shoreline Dr.; Consider the funding for mayoral campaigns; Inclusion of AUSD SDC students makes a difference
Don’t flip on Grand
To the Editor:
Regarding the extension of barriers on Grand Street—on Tuesday, at the last Council meeting, the correct decision was voted in by Mayor Ashcraft and Councilmembers Spencer and Daysog regarding Grand Street having crosswalks clearly marked and with blinking lights. Clearly marked bike lanes would be beneficial. Should the Mayor choose to change her vote, Grand Street would look like Shoreline Drive and be just as dangerous. A real danger would be for property owners backing out of their respective driveways. Delivery vans blocking the roads. The correct decision was made. Go with it. Mayor Ashcraft—don’t flip your vote.
Jeanne Allen,
Alameda
The Alameda Post received a copy of this letter sent to the Mayor and City Councilmembers.
Follow the money
To the Editor:
Before making your decision on the Mayor’s race, please take time to look at the endorsements and who has made contributions to their campaigns. Trish’s campaign, which has half the money than her opponent, is funded and endorsed all by Alamedans with a few exceptions for those who have lived here in the past. Her opponent’s campaign has funding from special interests, unions, out-of-town elected officials, and individuals who do not live in Alameda, some with very deep pockets. For endorsements please go to Trish’s website and her opponent’s site. You can see where the money comes from at a Campaign Disclosure Statements website page for the City of Alameda.
Please do your research before making this very important decision on the direction you want this wonderful city to go. Thank you.
Karen Miller,
Alameda
LaLonde supporter appreciates son Lucien’s inclusion
To the Editor:
Our son’s educational journey with the Alameda Unified School District has been challenging, to put it mildly. While some individual classroom staff were great, our district experience overall has felt adversarial. With our son having been placed in a segregated “special day class” (SDC) from the outset, it was rare that he or our family felt included in “regular” school life on campuses.
But for two years, a local parent went out of their way to make sure our special day students were a part of the school community. And if you haven’t been following local politics. That same person is running for Alameda School Board – Ryan LaLonde. His qualifications and track record place him so far above the other candidates that it’s almost ridiculous.
Ryan taught art in the special day classes while also serving as Edison PTA President, and he made sure all the students in the SDC’s were included in assemblies and field trip experiences, sometimes chaperoning. He wrote a specific curriculum that met the students at their ability levels and pushed them to explore art in creative ways.
Every year, the families from the SDCs would attend the end of the year open house and see walls of art in the multi-purpose room done by all the other classrooms. Because of Ryan, our students finally had a display — in fact, the first display you saw upon entering the school multi-purpose room. The students were so proud to show off their work, and their parents were delighted to have an experience that is fairly mundane for many, but was absolutely extraordinary for them. Ryan did that.
I am writing to say there is nobody I’d rather see on the Board of Education than Ryan. He has already committed to the betterment of our schools with his active roles with the SpEd Strategic Plan, LGBTQ+ Roundtable, the PTA Council, and probably other committees that I don’t know about. He has worked with developmentally disabled students in multiple capacities – camp counselor, IEP surrogate parent and Court Appointed Special Advocate for foster youth. And he has the lived experience as the parent of a student in AUSD’s special education system — he has legitimately walked the walk (and still does).
When I told my son Lucien (now in 10th grade) that Ryan was running, he was incredibly excited to go to Ryan’s campaign kick-off event. It had been years, but Lucien couldn’t wait to see him. Upon arrival, Lucien sought Ryan out and, via the letterboard that he uses for communication, spelled “Thank you for helping my class. I know you will be an amazing advocate on the board.”
Vote for Ryan, and tell your friends to vote for Ryan. This is an absolute no-brainer for anyone who values experience, thoughtfulness, competence, and a proven commitment to inclusion and equity.
Suzy Clement,
Alameda
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