- February 4, 2025
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Dear Editor:
I'm an immigrant.
I was 6 years old when I arrived from Cuba and a "drain on taxpayers" when I attended public school. That education springboarded me into college and eventually the classroom where for 40 years I taught science, 28 of them in Volusia County. It's quite likely I taught you or someone close to you, and I taught you quite well. That would not have happened without the taxpayer subsidized public education for me, an immigrant.
My wife, the daughter of two immigrants, was a doctor in Volusia County for over 30 years. It's quite likely that you or someone close to you feels better thanks to her medical skills. She too "drained the taxpayer coffers" with her public-school education.
Our sons, born in the U.S., of "immigrant parentage" attended public schools. The oldest immigrant son is now a local physician. The younger is helping John Deere engineer robot tractors. Some of you are feeling better thanks to the former. Many of you are eating better and cheaper, thanks to the latter.
All this was possible because we were fortunate that the country our parents fled from was conveniently in an adversarial relationship with the U.S. This granted us a fast-track to citizenship. Had Cuba been just another dictatorial nation, our lives would have been significantly worse.
And the U.S. would have one less engineer, teacher and two fewer doctors.
This past election screamed for immigrant reform.
Fine... Fix what’s broken, but please do it without vilifying folks who are trying to come here to work.
Hard workers make this country better. That was true back when Ellis Island funneled immigrants from Europe. It was just as true in San Francisco when boatloads of Asians filed through. It's just as true now at the U.S.-Mexico border.
We immigrants are as proud to be Americans as the most vehement MAGA voter... Maybe a bit more because we know what the alternative is.
Robert Hernandez
Ormond Beach
Dear Editor:
As a real estate agent, I felt obligated to give a disclaimer to clients looking to buy in Ormond Beach that, although Ormond Beach is the best place to live work and play, the city puts fluoride in the drinking water.
Written on a tube of toothpaste is a warning keep out of reach of children under 6 years of age. If more than used for brushing and accidentally swallowed, get medical help our contact poison control center right away. Usually these instructions are not translated into other languages.
Barbara Sandberg
Ormond Beach
