Readers’ Fforum, April 25, 2022: BluesFest group changes its tune | Letters To The Editor

BluesFest group changes its tune

Blues at the Crossroads organizers were serving a brand of hospitality that was hard to swallow. For the second time, they have said their logo will be changed. Now it will be an alley cat rather than the unpopular crow dressed as a musician with a banjo reminiscent of a Jim Crow caricature.

Kudos for finally abandoning the ludicrous fowl ploy. It was a double foul against the community in that crows are a major nuisance in Terre Haute and the derogatory image of Jim Crow seemed to be promoted.

Congratulations to the people of Terre Haute who turned out to the town hall meeting at the Crossroads to express themselves about the overall situation. They shared their feelings about racist symbolism, alternative logo ideas, and how Black musicians have not been included in the Jazz Festival. There was conversation and hopefully listening.

It is worth noting that the Blues committee had made its decision to change its tune before the town hall meeting. We can hope that city leadership intervened to avoid being complicit in their misguided project. After all, public streets are closed every year for their private, money-making event.

A truly diverse, collaborative Jazz Festival in Terre Haute could be a winning event.

— A. Theressa Bynum, Terre Haute

Saunders strong judge candidate

I am writing this letter because I believe that Jason Saunders is the best candidate on the primary ballot for Superior Court Division 1.

During my career with the Terre Haute Police Department, which spanned more than 26 years, I was fortunate enough to work with some of the best judges and prosecutors in Indiana. For the last seven of those years I was assigned as a liaison to the Vigo County Prosecutor’s Office. There I had the chance to collaborate on several investigations and criminal trials with Deputy Prosecutor Jason Saunders. Based upon those experiences, I can tell you that he is one of the most dedicated and thorough professionals working within the criminal justice system here in Vigo County.

Seldom have I worked with anyone who puts as much thought, effort, and deliberation into the cases that he prosecutes as Jason Saunders, and he does so with a sense of both justice and fairness. I have seen him log hundreds of hours in preparation for a jury trial to ensure that a murderer would not go free. I have been out with Jason at 2 a.m., the night before a trial was to begin, locating and comforting a frightened witness. I have also watched him wield both compassion and humanity while negotiating a plea offer with a defense attorney. I have known Jason to become deeply saddened when an offender on his docket succumbed to addiction and passed away. In short, I think that Jason Saunders is someone that you would want on the bench whether your friend or loved one was a victim or a defendant. Jason cares a great deal about both the cases and the people who come through his courtroom.

From what I have seen, Jason Saunders considers each case on its facts and circumstances, applying laws and sentencing guidelines proportionally and with careful deliberation, just as a successful judge must do.

Jason has 15 years of experience as a deputy prosecutor, he has worked with officers from multiple agencies, helping them obtain hundreds of successful search warrants and arrest warrants, and he has successfully prosecuted a murderer. Neither of the other two candidates on the primary ballot have that kind of experience, or anything even close to it.

I believe that Jason Saunders is far and away the best candidate for judge in Superior Court Division 1. He has served our community admirably for 15 years, and he would certainly continue to do so as our newest judge.

— Christian W. Gallagher, Ph.D., Terre Haute

School plan will advance STEM

As a community, we face the growing challenge of maintaining our educational facilities in meeting needs of our 21st century learners. Science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) learning is critical to prepare our students for future college and careers. Supporting the May 3 referendum is key to STEM achievement for high school students.

With over 10 years of experience as a science teacher at Terre Haute South Vigo, I can share details about the benefits to students with the addition of new academic spaces. Right now our classrooms and science labs are in the same space. Students participate in group projects with very little room to problem solve together or have meaningful discussions. The lab facilities lack the newest technologies and impact our students’ abilities to compete with peers across the state in academic competitions and science projects.

Safety is another factor to consider; with new facilities, our students would have improved labs built to the most efficient standards.

New facilities at the three high schools should be a priority for our community. STEM education is the future for many students who will join our local workforce.

Please vote “yes” for the school referendum on the May 3 election ballot.

— Samantha Henry, Terre Haute

Strong support for schools plan

I am a parent of four children who are attending or will attend schools in the Vigo County School Corp. I enthusiastically support the upcoming school referendum on May 3. I am excited that the School Board approved a comprehensive facilities plan for new academic facilities and renovated non-academic facilities at Terre Haute South Vigo, Terre Haute North Vigo, and West Vigo Middle/High School. I also liked that the plan would allow the elementary and middle schools to have building upgrades and improvements during the time that the high schools are being constructed.

For those parents who have young children like our family, this is a chance for us to improve the total high school experience for our children. We want our children to attend high schools that are attractive and that have the newest technologies. We want English, math, science, social studies, music, art, and Career and Technical Education classrooms that prepare our children for their chosen careers. We want high school spaces for students to collaborate on assignments and to build healthy relationships. We want these excellent facilities, not only for our children, but for all of the children of Vigo County who deserve to be well-prepared for college and the careers of the future.

Please support the school referendum on May 3.

— Megan Kirk, Terre Haute

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