Letters to the Editor: Trump’s attacks on Head Start antithetical to administration’s ‘pro-family’ rhetoric

To the editor: It is mind-boggling that an administration that claims to be so pro-family, pro-children and pro-fertility would even consider making the care of children more expensive and burdensome for parents (“With Head Start in jeopardy, Trump administration threatens child care for 800,000 kids,” April 23).

As a concerned member of our community, a passionate advocate for children and families and a new mother in shock at the $30,000-plus a year I’m now paying for child care, I know these attacks on child care and Head Start will have devastating long-term consequences for our children, families, economy and the future of our country. I urge our members of Congress to stop the Trump administration’s devastating attacks on child care and Head Start by rejecting any cuts to these vital programs. Our children’s future and our economy depend on it.

Christina Hoffman, Santa Monica

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To the editor: If President Trump thinks doing away with Head Start will make him look good, he has another thing coming.

In about 66% of American married-couple families, both parents are working. This situation creates a desperate need for child care. If Trump wishes to raise prices with tariffs, how does he think these working families can afford the costs that come with these inconsiderate moves?

Aleen Moreland, Apple Valley, Calif.

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To the editor: As a retired public school teacher and former single mom in need of child care, I know how important the Head Start program is to families across our country. Head Start should be expanded, not terminated.

Our country needs Head Start so parents can work, kids can thrive and child-care workers can stay in their profession. We know that children who have positive and engaging interactions in their earliest years, such as those provided by Head Start, are more likely to enjoy good physical and mental health over their lifetimes. They are also better able to experience, regulate and manage their emotions — key skills for later school readiness. As a retired teacher, I understand the value of that for later success in the classroom.

Anne Zerrien-Lee, Los Angeles

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To the editor: Seventy-one percent of women with children under 18 are in the waged workforce, and many others are volunteering for no pay in community organizations and classrooms. The U.S. needs to invest more in child care and Head Start and less in the military and war industries.

Head Start and Early Head Start are particularly important to our nation’s welfare. They help kids thrive, give child-care workers the chance to stay and grow in their profession and enable parents to work or go to school. Head Start is not only important for kids — it uplifts the financial sustainability of families and our economy.

As an elementary school teacher for 20 years, I saw firsthand the value of quality child care and preschool. Quality child care experiences for young children pave the way to success in elementary school and beyond.

Sylvia Gentile, Santa Monica