Reply to ‘A real history lesson’

I am sorry to take so long to reply but I have been laughing every day since receiving your last attempt at writing and teaching.

First, some corrections: I am not Mayer Arizona. I am Franklin Keiper. It is disrespectful not to address someone by their name. Secondly, Mr Evilsizer, if you were joking when you invited me to attend your history class, that is no problem. If you were trying to talk down to me or insult me you should apologize to me in the letter to the editor section. I am a master teacher, certified in Arizona until 2014. My certification authorizes me to teach 11 different subjects from grade 5 to 12. In 1997 I came to Saipan for the first time, as a retired teacher, and they gave me the same certification.

You made your statements from “local history.” Local history is not always correct. An example, your highly respected professor, now retired from your local college, taught in a seminar that “the first white men who came to Guam shot and killed some local Chamorros.” The ship’s captain, he said, was Magellan. I corrected him, saying this captain and his crew were Portuguese. They are brown-skinned men, like the Spanish and Chamorros. Local history may or may not be correct. If that is all you are teaching your students, you are not giving them a full account. You also need to study state, federal, and world history to get a full picture of people and events.

Now you want to separate the CNMI from America—I say go for it! Get the local people to go up to Capital Hill and demand that the governor and the Legislature end their association with America immediately. Several things would happen, Mr Evilsizer. The U.S. government would take the U.S. Army reserve off Saipan. Perhaps those big American planes would no longer come to the CNMI or people would need a visa to get into Saipan from Guam, etc. However, that would not be the most terrible thing to happen. The PSS budget, Mr Evilsizer, the PSS budget received $16 million last year from the USA to pay half of the PSS budget. If you separate from the USA, half of PSS’ budget will not be there next year. Your salary would be cut in half. Utility and maintenance would be cut in half. School buses would only run every other day. One half of CNMI teachers would have to be laid off and half of the schools closed down. Perhaps sports and music would have to be cut as well. Remember, I told you in my first email to look into the waters before you jump out of your ship! By all means, if you get your wish, don’t go to Tinian. Since 1945, Tinian has received $12 million rent every year for the old WWII bomber base. Tinian would lose all of that money. The US would sure save a lot of money. Are you sure you want to depart?