The following is what our readers sounded off about this week:
The right thing to do
I applaud the Geneva School District 304 school board for responding to the teachers union demands with a scathing letter to the union's last best offer. As a taxpayer in Geneva and an employee at a neighboring school district in the Tri-Cities, I feel respect each day that I walked into school, knowing that I accepted a two-year complete wage freeze without burdening the district with mediation and negotiation costs. I certainly hope the Geneva teachers will do the same, as this is the right thing to do to avoid a stressful situation for Geneva students, parents and taxpayers.
Top 25
First of all, I am a fan of reporter Brenda Schory. [Regarding] her article "Can't fire striking teachers, but they can be replaced" – I agree you cannot replace all teachers, but you can replace the top 25 and 25 more next year. When you go on strike in the name of helping kids, what you really want is more pay, pension and benefits. Nothing benefits the kids. When a teacher gets too big for their pants, it's time for a reality check. Top 25, get out, and get a job in the real world.
Teacher salaries are generous
This is in response to the Geneva parent who supports teacher raises in Geneva. She is concerned they will lose good teachers if they are not competitive with their salaries. First of all, Geneva is competitive. They are paid a little bit more, on average, than St. Charles teachers, and a little bit less than Batavia. Tenured teachers don't usually leave their school district. Then they would lose seniority. What she really should be worried about is how she and her kids are going to pay all the taxes to pay all these teachers and these unrealistic pensions. They're salaries are plenty generous, and they ought to cut the pensions in half.
Replace the teachers
I'm calling about the impending Geneva teacher strike. I get so sick of these teachers claiming that they put the kids first, and here they are talking about striking in the middle of the school year. Do they think at all about these kids who are trying to play their sports, so they can get their scholarships or be able to compete for academic scholarships? This is the middle of a kids' school year. They have put in all this time and effort, and you are going to screw it all up for them. You are greedy, and you don't think you make enough money for working eight months of the year and sitting around all summer, getting a tan? Give me a break. If teachers care about the kids, negotiate with the school board and agree that when the school gets out in June, that you will meet every day, through the whole summer, until you get an agreement. But don't hurt the kids this way. It makes us all disgusted. We know you don't really care about the kids. You care about your summers off and your teacher institute days. Give me a break. We don't buy it anymore. I hope they replace every striking teacher. They don't care about the students.
Who would vote for Obama?
I'm responding to the person who lives in Kane County who is a Democrat and also is voting for Obama and says to watch the movie ["Fahrenheit 9/11"], saying that Obama came into a huge mess. But it's a huge mess now. How many people in Kane County have lost their jobs? How many people are paying for their own health insurances? Gas prices are high. Do you honestly think Obama is doing such a good job? And if you are voting for him, here, we're unemployed. And as for food drives or helping the church, we're done. I can't see who would vote for Obama.
It's not about the unions
Geneva School Board, a union has never taught a child. Decertify the union. Hire the teachers back, with a normal contract. The practices of the Geneva Teachers Union [have] been long, and now we can no longer afford them. Let the union go. Keep the kids in school. It really is all about the kids, not the unions.
Table for one
I am a senior citizen, and a lot of times in the paper it shows for dinner for two, a lunch. But how about the seniors who eat by themselves? My husband passed away. My kids don't live around here, and all the people I'm used to from being in Kane County moved or live in a nursing home. They should cater to single people who eat by themselves. They cater to the ones who have somebody, and that's well and good. But when you're left alone, it's not so good.
Optimism on Fishermen's Inn
We're so happy someone finally bought Fishermen's Inn. We just hope they do not make it an a la carte restaurant. Elburn is not an Oakbrook or a city like that. That is why we never went back to Fishermen's Inn before it was changed for the worse. We had so many fond memories there. Hope and pray the new owners take this into consideration and make it the restaurant that it was years and years ago, and everyone will have fond memories, too.
We've suffered enough
Big thanks to Mayor DeWitte for addressing the abomination at 605 Prairie St. Hope he encourages the next mayor to continue enforcing code or tear down that monstrosity. We've also suffered long enough with that dangerous eyesore.
Nasty politicians
This is something for everybody to really think about. These politicians do so much bad-mouthing about each other. What do you think they really say about the people who vote for them or vote against them? I bet that's really nasty.
Bullying and politicians
Bullying is a very serious problem. You see it all over. And it all starts with the adults. They've got to stop the bullying that the politicians are doing to each other, and maybe it'll filter down to where the children won't be such bullies. But I think they are picking that up from adults, who are bullying each other. It's really sad. The election will be over really soon, and maybe it will stop for a while.
No love for roundabouts
Why would Kane County want to experiment with over $2 million of taxpayer money on these roundabouts? They've tried doing this. Stop signs and traffic signals work fine. If you have more congested areas, that's why they have bridges with on and off ramps. People go the wrong way on these roundabouts and there's more accidents. That's why they're not very popular in the United States. Route 47 has been closed long enough for all the construction, and they don't need to close it anymore.
Unions to the rescue
I'm calling regarding all of the workers who are going to the East Coast to help out after the storm. I hope all of you who are so against the union will notice that most of these people who are going to repair things and rescue people are all union workers, putting in many, many hours away from their families to help everyone. Another thing I'd like to say is the woman who called in and said she questioned the intelligence of any woman who votes for Romney … I question the intelligence of any woman who is blind enough to fall for Obama's rhetoric. I guess now we're even.
Watch 'Obama 2016'
I would like to encourage everyone, before you vote, to turn your TV on to HD and to watch "Obama 2016." It is not political at all. It is simply a documentary about his life and his family. You hear Obama speaking, in his own words, about his agenda. I will let you make the decision for yourself, once you see we are his blind followers.
President and the critics
I'm getting so tired of hearing from these people who are dissatisfied with our president and saying that he hasn't done anything. The reason he hasn't gotten through all of the good things he wanted to do is because Congress wouldn't cooperate with him. I think it's terrible the way they put those ads on the television. It's so cheap, and it's untrue. I'll be glad when it's over.
• You can sound off, as well, by calling our Sound Off line at 630-845-5240 or by sending an e-mail to soundoff@kcchronicle.com. Calls must be limited to 1 minute or less.
