Readers’ comments: December 16, 2022

The enduring reach of the Claremont Colleges
Dear editor:
I have some additions to add to the two news releases in last week’s December 8 COURIER. The first has to do with the announcement of the new president of Harvey Mudd College, Harriet Nembhard.
Because the article appears on page 7 under the heading of “Our Town,” I wish to add that soon to be president Nembhard is a graduate of Claremont McKenna College, and a recent alumna trustee. And, Harriet follows two other CMC presidents who were both Pomona College grads. Now we have another of the Claremont Colleges, Pitzer, about to announce its new president. When that announcement is made, please let your readers know from where he or she graduated.
Also in the December 8 edition, under “Our Town” on page 11, is an article on Claremont McKenna’s float in the Rose Parade for all to see on Monday, January 2. The theme of the parade is “turning the corner,” and the grand marshal of the 2023 Rose Parade is none other than former U.S. Representative Gabby Giffords, who is a Scripps College alumna.
What an amazing coincidence that for the first time ever, two colleges in our very own amazing town will be featured in a parade seen by millions around the world.
Merry, merry to all.
Jil Stark
1958 Scripps alum and CMC honorary alum
Claremont

How about a water saving reminder when it rains?
Dear editor:
At the south entry to the city, on Indian Hill, an electronic trailer mounted sign reminds us to water only once a week. The message never changes, so it could be a permanent sign placed on posts in the ground. I think most permanent residents of Claremont know what their watering days are.
I have noticed that folks are still watering on rainy days, and days right after a rainy day, because they forget to turn off their sprinkler system. It would seem more logical to me to have the sign remind people to turn off their sprinkler systems when rain is imminent, or during and after a rain event. For example, “Rain expected for tomorrow. Turn off your sprinklers, save water and money.”
Paul Ochsner
Claremont

Llanusa controversy: reader alleges pattern of abuse of power
Dear editor:
Like many in our community, I was stunned to hear about school board member Steven Llanusa’s holiday party at which Claremont High School students were invited into his home and had alcohol readily available to them, violating school district policy and California Education Code. He failed those students, their parents, and the entire Claremont community with his appallingly bad decisions.
Mr. Llanusa’s resignation is for the best because, unfortunately, this was not his only instance of abusing the power of his position for self-serving purposes. The Daily Bulletin has more than a decade of articles outlining an ongoing pattern of this behavior. I personally had to face the abuse of his power this past spring when I was volunteering for a nonprofit’s fundraiser. He decided that he didn’t approve of a change we made to the event’s programming which led to weeks of relentless bullying and harassment by him toward me and other parent volunteers. When we pleaded for it to stop, it was indicated to us that, because of his position as president of the school board, he could do what he wanted and that he had the power for us to lose donors and other needed support.
While my hope is that we can heal and move forward, we must collectively agree that it is unacceptable for anyone, but especially for someone who makes major decisions that affect the educational, social, and emotional lives of our children, to be allowed to repeatedly abuse their position of power and that it is our responsibility to ensure it never happens again.
Deborah Kekone
Claremont

Llanusa controversy: God save us from the moral ambiguity of the righteous
Dear editor:
I lived in Claremont for over 42 years. For 22 of those years my wife and I were neighbors to Steven Llanusa and his family. I watched him and his husband raise three fine young men. I am appalled at what is happening to him. God save us from the moral ambiguity of the righteous.
Dan and Eunice Randal
South Pasadena

There’s no excuse for medical mistreatment
Dear editor:
The story shared by Kathryn Mora in the December 8 COURIER [“Senior speaks up against alleged medical mistreatment”] regarding her healthcare experience was enraging but unfortunately, not uncommon.
Her story and others like it are the reason I became a patient advocate, and the reason why the field of patient advocacy is growing exponentially. Mora’s experience was one of ageism, or age bias. This, together with a phenomenon known as “medical gaslighting,” can be very detrimental to patient care, as she obviously experienced with her misdiagnoses. This behavior is also most commonly directed at women and minorities.
Unfortunately, most people who experience these situations do not speak up. Kudos to Mora for doing so. Any healthcare provider who treats you with disrespect and/or dismisses your valid complaints and brushes them off as “due to your age,” or, “it’s all in your head,” should be reported to the proper state enforcing authority. In the case of Mora’s nurse practitioner, that would be the California Board of Registered Nursing at rn.ca.gov. Different medical providers are licensed by different entities, such as the Medical Board of California for physicians, at mbc.ca.gov.
Experiences such as these should also be reported to the facility where your provider is employed. If we, as empowered patients, want to be listened to, heard, and treated with respect, we all must speak up and put an end to the behavior Mora experienced. There is just no excuse for it.
Lori Bleich
Claremont