TheBakersfieldCalifornian.com

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1. INGA BARKS: Do we really need this whopping school bond?

   By Inga Barks

   Friday, May 11 2012 02:00 PM

   This week I received a survey in the mail from the Panama-Buena Vista Union School District asking my opinion of the schools. Having three children who went from K-8 in the district, I DO have an opinion. In fact, since my husband and I worked our buns off to ensure our children were in the PBVSD, I have multiple opinions! Funny thing, though: All the questions in the survey were about infrastructure. Would I like to see new roofs and bike paths? New computers and drainage systems? And of course, how do I rank green energy on my list of priorities?

   But something was missing from the questionnaire. The district apparently doesn't want my opinion on the most important thing; What do I think about my children's education? What do I think about teacher performance? Was I happy with the administration and its policies?

   As for infrastructure, I remember those swamp cooler days at Frank West Elementary in Benton Park, when we were 30 to a room, stinky and sweaty and making fans out of paper. Watching the clock until we could walk home to our A/C or swimming pool. I don't remember my parents ONCE saying, "Gee, we'd really be happier with our children's education if they just had an A/C unit." Crazy as it sounds, they wanted two things: decent grades, and no calls from the principal.

   I've often marveled that (according to television) Laura Ingalls Wilder walked miles to school, shared books, took notes on a slate board and packed her own lunch. Of course, that was TV. We all know she MUST have had a wagon that picked her up, free breakfast and lunch, stacks of note paper, her own books and the latest in academic facilities. How else could she have made it?

   So why? Why did the questionnaire avoid my opinion of my children's academic experience? Why the obsession with infrastructure? My guess?

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2. INGA BARKS: Unenamored with the primary line-up? Then I'm your gal

   I'm not sure of the count of county supervisor candidates, but I think the list vying to replace Jon McQuiston alone brings the figure to 50. OK, maybe not that many. But there are a goodly amount fighting for your vote right now.

3. INGA BARKS: Schools could learn discipline lessons from back in 'the day'

   A recent opinion piece in The Californian calls for the Kern High School District to explain the current expulsion rate in local schools. I don't know that the district has an answer that will suffice, but in the meantime, I have a few theories.

4. INGA BARKS: Kiddie condoms program lacks oversight, undermines parents

   BY INGA BARKS

5. INGA BARKS: The Arthur E. Wallace Federal Courthouse has the best ring to it

   When the Bakersfield City Council voted to name a Highway 58 interchange after Rosa Parks, I argued against it. Not because of any lack of respect for Rosa Parks. She was an undisputed mother of an era of the civil rights movement in a watershed time.

6. INGA BARKS: Long-gun ban only threatens our free speech rights

   I don't mean to brag, but my boys are awesome with a shotgun. When the twins were old enough, we took an NRA-sponsored women and children shotgun class out at Five Dogs Shooting Range.

7. INGA BARKS: Rubio earns my respect and prayers in new role

   I recently asked a friend why he got out of politics. He said, "because politics makes nice people mean." Boy, he's not kidding! In the 20 years that I've paid attention, I've seen friendships destroyed, loyalties violated and careers hurt by the ego, ambition and power that come with politics. There's nothing wrong with ambition and ego in politics. In fact, they're almost necessary for success.

9. INGA BARKS: Our statement of loyalty should only be made in English

   Usually when I disagree with Californian Opinion Editor Robert Price, I chalk his "wrongness" up to the trauma he experienced during the two soccer seasons that the poor man coached my twin boys.

10. INGA BARKS: State pay raises reek of hypocrisy

    Let me guess, this Thanksgiving at dinner tables everywhere, the conversation went a little like this:

11. INGA BARKS: Some new laws read like a nightmare, not dream

    First, a very sincere and heartfelt disclaimer:I acknowledge that many laws are written by well-meaning lawmakers, inspired by a tale of woe. Many bills that hope to become California laws begin with personal experience in which someone fell through a legal crack, and the new laws seek to remedy those loopholes.

12. INGA BARKS: Air board members don't walk the walk

    It all started when I caught sight of a billboard asking me to make a difference. I'd heard and seen the commercials by the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District about cleaning our air. I'd also heard warnings that the valley will continue to face steep federal fines if we don't curb our greenhouse emissions.

13. INGA BARKS: High-speed rail 'great idea!' -- for some

    I've been wracking my brain, trying to understand why no matter what anyone says about California high-speed rail, supporters come back with a stepford wife-like response about how great it is. How they trust in a government project, by the very government that's been working on variations of this train since the 1990s, only to come up with 190 miles of an 800-mile route, and local civic leaders who admitted this week that they can't run a dog pound!

14. INGA BARKS: There are enough Cesar Chavez namesakes already

    George Foreman seems like a good guy, with a distinguished boxing career and a grill known round the world. He also named all of his children George. Now I guess with the first child it's cute. With the second and third and fifth and even the girls, it starts getting a little weird if not obnoxious.