Letters to the Editor | Aug. 2, 2024

Would anyone else welcome a bumper sticker stating: “I don’t care what George Clooney thinks”? I was deeply respectful of how our city’s Inquirer — the winner of 20 Pulitzer Prizes — avoided the public, mean-spirited pile on urging Joe Biden to withdraw from the presidential race after his disastrous debate performance. Instead, the Editorial Board bravely offered readers the truth: “No option is worse than a second Trump presidency.”

We will never know if Biden was correct in his fierce belief that after the dust of both conventions settled, the American people would evaluate each candidate carefully, and once again elect him. That they would recognize his hard-won accomplishments, against great odds, and contrast his character with that of a corrupt, disingenuous megalomaniac. What we do know is the 46th president’s courage to let go with grace and dignity showed a far stronger power than any office he has held. It is the power of putting the well-being of others before his own fierce ambition. Undoubtedly, this legacy will teach and inspire through the ages.

SaraKay Smullens, Philadelphia

Opening Philadelphia schools year-round is an idea worth exploring, but it will never happen unless the buildings have a reliable cooling system. Recently, I volunteered to help set up the library at Morton McMichael School in West Philly, but the session was canceled because the window air conditioners were broken, and the heat index was headed for 99 degrees. Even when functioning properly, window ACs are inefficient and costly to run.

At the same time, the school district’s Office of Capital Programs has budgeted more than $4 million to replace two boilers at McMichael, a fossil-fueled technology that, if purchased, will be locked in for decades, and will provide only heat, not cooling. Instead, a geothermal system would provide very low-cost heating and cooling (plus water heating) for a century or more. It is quite expensive to install, but the systems generally pay for themselves in about eight years in cost savings. Philadelphia Gas Works currently has an allocation of $500,000 for a geothermal pilot project that is sitting idle, and federal funds (such as the Renew America’s Schools program) are available for such climate-friendly projects. Instead of new boilers, why not invest in a geothermal system at McMichael?

Carolyn Klepser, Philadelphia, pjcritter@yahoo.com

Is “Dancing on My Own” the soundtrack of success, or is it the sound of second place? After falling short in the World Series and the National League Championship Series to the Houston Astros and Arizona Diamondbacks, respectively, a rift was torn in Philadelphia fandom — as if the playoff anthem determined the team’s fate. Fans went back and forth, wondering if it was time to look for a new song. As a Phillies postseason takes shape, the discussions will only intensify. Should the Phillies keep dancing?

Despite talks of retiring the song after the World Series loss, it still blared at the Bank as the Phillies made a trip to the NLCS a year later. Clearly, the players enjoy it, so why try to fix what isn’t broken? If this song helps bring the team together, the fans should all be on board. After all, we’re trying to win baseball games, and most importantly, we’re trying to raise trophies. English pop star Calum Scott, who sings the cover version of the Robyn hit tune, caught wind of the song’s popularity in the area, and embraced it fully. Scott even went as far as saying that he would perform at a potential Phillies championship parade. In its short presence in Philadelphia, “Dancing on My Own” has already become a staple of the culture in this new era.

With grand expectations and a disappointing collapse to the 2023 season, people were grasping at straws to try and pin down where this team went wrong. This whole battle over a song has been majorly blown out of proportion. The answer will be revealed to us when Red October arrives. Does the teams’ music taste determine their fate? I guess all we can do is sit in the corner and watch.

Cole Betham, Philadelphia

Columnist Jonathan Zimmerman adds to the lengthy list of prescriptions for “what Democrats should do to save democracy,” writing that Kamala Harris should choose a Republican as her running mate. Why is the onus always on Democrats to make a grand gesture that could compromise their policy goals? There is a much simpler and more reasonable solution: Republicans could choose to not vote for a convicted felon. They could choose to not vote for a candidate who was found liable in court for sexual abuse, defamation (twice), and business fraud. They could choose to not vote for a candidate surrounded by corruption (at least eight Trump associates have been convicted or pleaded guilty to criminal charges, and at least 10 attorneys have suffered or face criminal charges, civil suits, or professional consequences for their work in support of Donald Trump’s false stolen election claims). Where are the calls for Republicans to “put aside partisanship” and take this simple step to save democracy?

Bob Leipold, West Chester, rjleipold@verizon.net

The Inquirer buried the lede in the recent article, “Center City vehicle break-ins are latest in a series of similar crimes, police say.” Indeed, you need to read almost to the end to find out there were 3,000 fewer incidents of vandalism of vehicles this year than last. Yes, the media plays a role in stoking the GOP narrative that cities are dangerous places when the data say otherwise.

Susan Henick, Wyndmoor

Leaders in higher education stand at a pivotal moment to reassess the traditional metrics of student potential, including standardized tests like the SAT and ACT. While some colleges and universities have abandoned standardized test scores in their admissions process, others recently reinstated them, so we’d like to suggest ways they can be used to benefit all applicants — especially underresourced students. This is critical given the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision that colleges can no longer consider race a criterion for admissions.

Standardized test scores offer valuable insight into a student’s readiness for college. However, they often favor students who can afford test preparation and/or multiple test attempts, and those who attend schools where the strength of the curriculum aligns with college success. As we have long recognized, standardized tests are not designed to capture the full range of a student’s abilities, as many students excel in areas tests do not measure, such as leadership, creativity, resilience, hands-on lab and making skills, and innovation.

Overreliance on scores risks overlooking the diverse talents and contributions students from varied backgrounds bring to our campuses. If institutions are to use standardized tests, they should limit comparisons to students within similar socioeconomic groups rather than between them. Furthermore, they should seek out other metrics to identify promising students whose high school curriculum strength is low and opportunities for enrichment, such as Advanced Placement courses, are absent. Through such context, the scores can help identify students who — despite the limitations of their precollege educational experience — have significant potential for academic excellence.

A diverse student body cultivates a learning environment that fosters creativity and experimentation, where students gain intellectual benefits from peers with different backgrounds and perspectives. For that reason, standardized test scores should be used judiciously to “affirm” students they would otherwise not affirm. And that is a good thing for everyone.

Robyn Hannigan, president, Ursinus College

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