Sept. 2 issue:
Guest commentary:
CCA student’s Zoom call with school in Kabul, Afghanistan: ‘We fear for our lives’
By Jack Shi
It was surreal to sit in class during the first week of school, listening to the terrifying events in Afghanistan. My history teacher, Mr. Timothy Stiven, had spent the last few weeks working day and night to get exit visas to coed students of a Kabul school. The students and teachers wanted someone to talk to, and my history class was at the exact time they could connect: 9:35 a.m. PST, or 9:05 p.m. GST in Kabul, the middle of their night to avoid internet traffic.
The classroom was still. We collectively turned our ears to the feeble voice floating from the phone propped up on the desk, connected to dial-in audio. The sullen faces of the Afghanistan girls painted a picture of sorrow on each of our computers. A teacher’s voice broke over. He was NY, (we are not using full names in this publication for their safety), the head professor of the Kabul school. His students are members of the oppressed Hazara ethnic group, a minority discriminated against even before the Taliban take-over. Their school was bombed in 2018, with more than 60 student casualties. As professor Y. explained in a matter-of-factly tone about the danger they were in, he said one thing that stuck in my mind: “We are stuck. We can only think of survival.”
Just from the first few days of history class, I had already learned enough to understand what he truly meant. History shows us that education is what keeps human society evolving, technologically and socially. I learned about the Agricultural Revolution, a turning point that mitigated the worry about food, shelter, and basic survival, therefore becoming the first driving motion for advances in human thinking. I concluded that sexism and class inequality are rooted in agriculture as well. As humans saved time not worrying about staying alive, those that had the most time to establish leadership rose to the top of their societies first. Those first were the men, who biologically had a slight advantage. Today, that advantage is irrelevant, but the mindset still endures in modern culture, especially in Afghanistan.
When Professor Y. said that survival was their only concern, it sent indescribable fear into my heart. The Taliban rule was halting education, the only opponent against sexism, racism, and all other inequities. The girls of the Kabul school explained fearfully how almost all Taliban fighters were uneducated, making them exponentially more dangerous. Only education had the power to prove that these injustices were pointless.
Only two weeks before, the older students had taken the Kankor, their equivalent of the SAT. They found out just days ago they would not be getting their results. The students were in emotional turmoil, many spending the night before crying. In addition, college students took involuntary leave, and teachers could not perform their jobs. Chemistry teacher M H J expressed his grief, “It feels empty to have so much to say, and have no one to listen”. They said they would see us in another two weeks, but the reality is that they do not know what will happen by then. When Professor Y. said in his calm, composed voice that they feared for their lives, that was exactly what he meant.
Despite these grim outlooks on the future of Afghanistan, there was still hope in their new generation of heroes. S. J. is a high school student whose Kankor results were lost, but that does not change that he worked on solar panel technology for his community for months. He is already fulfilling his dreams of becoming an engineer. Z. M. is another student who studied computer engineering at Kabul college. She is a sophomore in her fourth semester and loves math. F. M. is a student with a passion for history and literature and studied at the University of Afghanistan. She expresses her talent through her poems. “These students need someone to talk through their feelings and opinions”, teacher M. J. said. “We are extremely thankful and happy you can talk to us. We will never forget it”.
Just before the video ended, one of my classmates asked the Afghanistan school what they would like the students of America to know. They told us: to appreciate the opportunities we are privileged to have in a democratic country and use the fullest extent of our knowledge to help others. The Taliban might have the power to oppress these students for now, but they can never take away the knowledge they have worked for.
— Jack Shi is a sophomore student at Canyon Crest Academy
Letters:
Why the unanimous Del Mar council vote on Winston School’s lease?
The Winston School has been part of Del Mar for 30 years — first through a lease with the Del Mar Union School District, and then, since 2008, through a lease with the City of Del Mar. The lease went into effect when the City purchased the Shores Park property from the school district for $8 million. Winston raised $3 million of the purchase price.
The lease terms included reimbursement of the $3 million at the rate of about $200,000 per year as rent credit from 2008 through a date in 2023. After that, they will have to start paying rent again going forward. About $2.6 million has been repaid to date with two years to go.
The lease also included Winston school’s commitment to redevelop all of the buildings on their leasehold property and bring them up to current building code.
The first milestone deadline listed in the lease for the required redevelopment was in December 2019, which Winston did not meet. Since then, the City has given many extensions over the past two years for Winston to complete their application fully. The deadline was first extended to October 2020, and then to January 2021, then April, then June, and finally July 23, 2021.
The Planning Staff to date has always found each plan submitted by Winston to be incomplete and therefore unable to be approved. In February of this year, they were given notice that the lease would be terminated effective in 2023 if they did not meet their redevelopment milestone. When July 23 arrived and their plans were still incomplete, the Council had no other choice than to terminate, and that is why the Council vote on August 11 was unanimous.
Terry Gaasterland
Mayor, City of Del Mar
Tracy Martinez
Council member, City of Del Mar
This letter was submitted by Terry Gaasterland and Tracy Martinez on behalf of themselves, not on behalf of the City or the Council.
The house next door?
Taking away housing oversight from our elected city representatives and discarding public hearings where we can voice any concerns is an unexpected betrayal. It’s the reverse of democracy.
SB9 and SB10, bills likely to soon become state law, allow building developers rather than locally-elected officials to make housing decisions. You will have no voice.
SB9 removes checks and balances that protect our interests, leaving us no recourse if the single family home next door morphs into housing for four or five families instead of one.
Up to five housing units can be created per single family lot. Where there’s now a house with an internal (JADU), and external apartment (ADU), a duplex can be added.
Infrastructure planning? None. Roads, schools, water, utility services, public safety resources, recreation? Funding for new infrastructure as traffic builds and schools become overloaded? None. Solutions for increased pollution, noise, disputes, crime? No. Will cities collect enough revenue from the increased housing to cover these costs? Imagine the consequences.
Emergency evacuation planning for increased numbers of people squeezing in to flee a fire? Not the state’s concern. Not funded, not even addressed.
Affordable housing requirements? None. Focus on residential housing vs. vacation rentals? Barely. Up to 11 occupant changes a year, every 31 days. Why, in a bill focused on residential housing, is the serious loss in our state of residential housing inventory to vacation rentals and unoccupied homes being ignored? Why is the focus on construction and so little focus on use?
What are the forces at play? I don’t know but I’m concerned.
SB 10 is also troubling, actually allowing city councils to over-rule local voter initiatives by a two-thirds vote.
This is not about partisan politics. These bills have support on both sides of the aisle. This is about Sacramento mandating housing policies for all California cities and silencing local input.
In 1978, Californians voted to protected our homes through Prop 13. If Governor Newsom fails to veto SB9 and SB10, perhaps we must again protect our homes and neighborhoods by voter action. Sacramento appears intent on usurping local input and regulation through state mandates. Should we allow the state to silence our voices and remove our control over our neighborhoods? Imagine the result.
Marjory Williams
Solana Beach
‘County joins coalition to move nuclear waste from San Onofre’
It’s always gratifying to see the San Onofre Generating Station get play in the press (title of last week’s story above) and reading that some local and state officials are finally becoming involved. Finding, funding and opening a consent-based, permanent repository is a must.
However, forming this coalition doesn’t mean Edison is now dedicated to doing all it needs to do to ensure the safety of the 3.6 million lbs. of nuclear waste, stranded on the beach indefinitely. In fact, they have been doing just the opposite, by applying and receiving waivers and exemptions from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and permitted by the CA Coastal Commission which continues to allow them to put profit above safety.
These waivers and exemptions extremely weaken the NRC regulations and allow for a nominal monitoring system, less inspections and practically eliminate inspectors onsite. There are no armed guards or security in place to deter terrorists. Edison has been allowed to remove the warning sirens from San Clemente and the emergency plan is now nonexistent.
I see this coalition as a PR stunt and fundraiser for Edison. They received a donation of $100,000 of our taxpayer money from the County Board of Supervisors on Aug 17.
Yes, moving the fuel is essential, but Edison keeping it safe while it is stranded here is even more vital.
Edison only wants to see the waste moved, so they can wash their hands of it.
Alice McNally
Del Mar
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