Nationally, PTA is a nonprofit organization committed to improving the educational opportunities of all children. As a nonpartisan organization, PTA does not endorse candidates; but, as an advocacy group, we definitely do support issues that impact our youth.

Of paramount importance to our local PTA, and all our local public school children, is Proposition X. Proposition X is a $42,000,000 facilities bond that has been placed on the upcoming Nov. 3 ballot by our board of education. Our PTA council, which is comprised of representatives from all of the Santa Monica and Malibu public schools, unanimously passed the following resolution:

“The Santa Monica-Malibu Council of PTAs strongly and enthusiastically endorses Proposition X to improve and maintain learning facilities for all Santa Monica-Malibu students.”

National and state polls consistently show that education is a top concern for all Americans. Proposition X is our chance to make a huge improvement in the schooling of all Santa Monica and Malibu public school children – today, and in the years ahead.

Financially, this is an excellent time to support our schools. Due to remarkably favorable economic circumstances, passage of Proposition X will not increase current property taxes for residents or businesses. Furthermore, if Proposition 1A, the State School Facilities Bond, also passes, Proposition X will provide the funds required to qualify for state matching funds! And, Proposition 1A also (for entirely different reasons) will not increase property taxes!

Santa Monica and Malibu voters, with and without school-age children, have always supported our schools. This has served our communities and our children well. Once again, we urge you to reaffirm your commitment to our children, their future, and our future by supporting the improvement of our local public schools and voting for Proposition X.

Louise Jaffe

president, Santa Monica-Malibu Council of PTAs

Emily Post did a wonderful job of teaching us the proper etiquette and manners for dining. However, she did leave out driving etiquette, most importantly merging. Here are a few rules to follow while merging.

1. No lane switching. As traffic comes to a stop, pick your lane and stay in it.

2. Avoid early merging.It will only cause delays.

3. The center dividing lane is not a “special lane” for those in a hurry (unlike the rest of us).

4. Really, when you merge, it goes every other car.

5. When entering traffic from your driveway or when making a left turn, no “curb sneaking” or using the “special lane” to go around the waiting cars.

6. No need to kiss the car in front of you. They aren’t going anywhere either.

7. You must stop making phone calls, applying make-up, reading and muffin munching during the actual act of merging.

Rumor is that until we learn the etiquette of merging properly, the road will remain closed, so please practice twice a day.

Kim Vicioso

The controversy at MHS over sex education is largely about the messenger, not the message. Most opponents of the proposed speaker advocate a sex education program at the school. Those parents who oppose the speaker do not feel “ignorance is bliss,” nor are they “in fear” as The Malibu Times story suggests.

What they want is the best possible program for their children. They want the introduction of the topic to conform with national SEICUS (Sex Education Information Council of the United States) guidelines. This means a six- to 12-hour curriculum broken down into several topics, one that features support and group discussion. They want the materials and array of short brochures published by Planned Parenthood to be available to their kids.

Opponents do not feel that the one-hour talk in its current structure best achieves their common goal of good sex education. They feel the introduction to facts, and the introduction to decision-making skills that lead to responsible conduct can be better presented.

Moreover, according to the principal, half the parents aren’t convinced this is the right woman for the job. They prefer someone with an advanced degree in education or psychology. They’d settle for one who had completed some course of study in adolescent behavior or development. They’d hope for a couple school districts clearly named on the resume.

But this speaker has a bachelor’s degree. Her book is targeted for adults. Her resume notes lecturing engagements at “1000 college campuses.” Parents question the number and location of lectures actually performed for grades six through 12. They ask themselves if the owner/founder of a store that sells sexual paraphernalia in Hollywood is the speaker of choice for 11- to 17-year-olds.

They long for a more moderate approach to the assemblies. This is not to say dull or clinical. It can be frank and warm and humorous. Sexuality is the most tender of human expression. Sexuality is a lifelong learning process. Many parents don’t think the subject of intimacy needs to be delivered in the manner of a talk-show host striding up and down the aisles. But the speaker is an actress/comedienne and she does just that.

Some parents think the speaker’s MTV/Beavis and Butthead/in-your-face style of humor is the only way to reach young people. The children of those parents will attend the assemblies. The children of those who do not view sex education as “entertainment” (or of those who have deep spiritual beliefs that conflict with the assemblies) probably won’t attend.

Saria Kraft

I’d like to comment on the treatment I received at the Malibu Saint John’s Health Center. Last Friday, after suffering from excruciating pain from a rib injury, I finally decided I’d better see a doctor to find out if any of the ribs were fractured. Having sustained the injury on the previous Saturday, and seeing the pain was getting only worse, I felt I had to do “something” about it.

A week prior to that, my houseguest went to Saint John’s Health Center after contracting one of those nasty respiratory bugs, so I decided to give it a try myself. We all know what a drag it is to go to any E.R. facility the hospitals offer. If you arrive even halfway ambulatory, you are faced with all sorts of forms to fill out and endless hours of waiting in abject misery and discomfort. It’s enough to make you even sicker.

My experience at the health center was a revelation. The waiting time was minimal, the attention and care given made me think that’s how health care must have been decades ago, before HMOs and huge medical conglomerates, when the patient was treated and viewed as an individual rather than a biological cipher.

The attending physician, Dr. Gillingham, couldn’t have been more solicitous and reassuring and I’d like to express my sincere thanks for the excellent care I was given. I just hope the center will always be there and I think we who live in Malibu and have the need for such a facility should make sure it remains where it is.

Erna Segal

Of all the decisions any of you are going to make this election year, the most important by far is the Congressional race in which the incumbent freshman congressman Brad Sherman is being challenged by software mogul Randy Hoffman. The race transcends the two men involved. It really is a plebiscite on the question of the impeachment of President Bill Clinton.

A vote for Hoffman is a vote to impeach Clinton. A vote for Sherman is a vote to continue Clinton in office. That’s the way the vote is going to be understood and read in Washington D.C. The vote in our Congressional district and a few other similarly situated swing districts will send a message to both the House and Senate, and most certainly they’ll use it to help themselves decide the impeachment question. As for me, I wish Clinton had resigned, but I think it would be a disaster for the country if he were impeached, which is the reason I endorse Sherman.

There is another race, a local race, in which I wish another incumbent had decided not to run. Our sheriff, Sherman Block, is a man who has served this county long and well, but he never should have run for re-election. His health is failing rapidly, the department is drifting and it needs newer, younger leadership. The only way to get that is to vote for former chief Lee Baca.

Proposition 3.

I got this wrong last week. This is actually a proposition to restore the partisan primary, but I still have the same opinion. If Sen. Burton and Bruce Herschensohn can agree, it’s probably a good idea. Vote Yes.

Proposition 4 — Trapping Practices

While most of us who wish to protect wildlife abhor the use of leghold traps and poisons, this proposition would do little to ensure more humane methods for the licensed trapping of fur-bearing animals, currently permitted under state law, and the management of rogue animals.

State Fish and Game officers currently use cage traps wherever possible to remove and relocate bears, mountain lions and other predators that have killed livestock, domestic animals or that threaten humans. Landowners are permitted to shoot any such animal that poses a threat. Wildlife experts say this proposition would ban tools needed to conserve threatened and endangered species and force cruel alternatives to control problem predators, including traps that kill. And the cost to taxpayers of enforcing this law is prohibitive. Vote No.

Proposition 6 — Horses

This is another unneeded measure sponsored by animal rights activists with good intentions. It would ban the transport of horses to slaughterhouses where the meat would be used for human consumption. California has no such plants. There is no law prohibiting the use of horse meat for pet or human consumption, nor should there be, even though most people find this repugnant. Vote No.

Proposition 7 — Air Quality Improvement

If we want clean air, we’ve got to be prepared to pay for it, so this rather modest proposal sounds like a sensible proposition to me. Vote Yes.

Proposition 8 — Public Schools

This is the governor’s proposition, and he absolutely hates the California Teachers Association. This rather convoluted measure is an attempt to make their lives miserable. It is nasty, badly thought out and takes power and authority away from the local school districts and centers it in Sacramento where it doesn’t belong. A definite No.

Proposition 9 — Electric Utilities

This one is so confusing, I certainly can’t figure out its impact. So follow that old adage, “When in doubt, vote ‘No.'” This is absolutely the kind of very complex issue we shouldn’t have to deal with on a ballot proposition.

Proposition 10 — State & County Early Childhood Development Programs

This is the Rob Reiner proposition, and I think the extra money from cigarette taxes will do wonders to help the children of California. The proposition could be better written, but the opposition arguments are typical tobacco industry palaver. Vote Yes.

Proposition 11 — Local Sales & Use Tax Revenue Sharing

Hopefully, if this passes, cities will get together and jointly share revenue from the “Big Box” retailers, and those same retailers won’t be able to play the cities off against each other quite as easily. No one knows if it will work, but it’s worth the try. Vote Yes.

Proposition A — The MTA

This is Zev Yaroslavsky’s proposition to stop the subway. The MTA has become just about the largest pork barrel in the history of Los Angeles and is rife with corruption. It’s got to be cleaned up and stopped, and this is the only way to do it. Vote Yes.

School Elections. I must confess I have a terrible way of evaluating school elections, since I frequently don’t know very much about the candidates. I want board members who at least know that Malibu exists and then consider us in their decision making process. I look to see who advertises their candidacy in the local Malibu papers. I don’t care which paper. I just want to see that Malibu crosses their radar screen and the best measure of that is where they put their money. Based upon that rather primitive analysis, I calculate:

For Santa Monica Community College Board of Trustees

Joe Girard

Carole Currey

Herb Roney

Dorothy Ehrhart-Morrison

For SM-Malibu Unified School District

Karen Paris

Tom Pratt

Pam Brady

Julia Brownley

Most of all, get to the polls, and make certain to vote Yes on all the justices.