The editorial “The Shedd Aquarium did all it could to save the beluga whales” (Sept. 25) reads more like a statement from the Shedd’s public relations department than an actual look at the facts by the editorial board of a major newspaper.
As a veterinarian, I recognize that relocating medically vulnerable animals carries serious risks. The necropsy indicating chronic gastrointestinal disease in two of the dead belugas certainly raises questions about their condition before transport. But a Shedd news release summarizing the necropsy doesn’t establish whether or not transport, acclimation to a new environment, or the veterinary and husbandry care provided at the Shedd contributed to their deaths. The Shedd should release the complete necropsy reports, including histopathology findings, along with pretransfer veterinary assessments and treatment records. That is how these deaths can be independently evaluated.
The editorial also says that Marineland’s closure in 2024 was due to the pandemic and the founder’s death. That is incorrect. Marineland says that its collapse was primarily because of Canada’s 2019 “Free Willy” law, which phased out whale and dolphin captivity after the public demanded an end to it. Mexico passed a similar law in 2025. The Tribune Editorial Board notes that Canada rejected the whales’ transfer to China because it wouldn’t commit to a breeding ban or promise not to display the whales, but the board doesn’t mention that the U.S. aquariums also gave no guarantees against breeding or displaying the belugas for entertainment.
The editorial describes the Whale Sanctuary Project as an “activist group” with a conflict of interest since it lobbied to bring the whales to its Nova Scotia sanctuary. I agree the Sanctuary Project has its own interests. So do the aquariums. Belugas are worth millions of dollars for their public entertainment and breeding value. Why does the editorial board question the sanctuary’s motives but not the Shedd’s? It should apply that standard to both.
The board shows sympathy for Shedd employees affected by these deaths. I wonder about the staff members at Marineland of Canada who cared for these whales for years, some for more than a decade, only to learn they had died within weeks of arriving at the Shedd. The Shedd is an institution that depends on public support, from ticket sales to donations, and owes the public a full accounting of the circumstances surrounding these whales’ deaths.
The Tribune Editorial Board owes its readers editorial judgment based on evidence.
— Alicia Anderson, doctor of veterinary medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
Gratitude for the Shedd staff
With the deaths of the beluga whales at the Shedd Aquarium under undue criticism, it’s notable that the Tribune Editorial Board headlines the important fact that the Shedd did all it could to save the whales. The editorial praises the Shedd for trying to save the whales in this time of crisis, even though the animals had a record of previous poor living conditions and dubious care. Moving these animals possibly added to their stress.
But the true story is that the Shedd knew the risks involved in taking these animals, and the dedicated staff worked long hours caring for them. The animal rights groups that are critical of the transfer should now focus, with gratitude, on the tremendous care given the whales by the professional staff of the Shedd.
— Mary Ann McGinley, Wilmette
Upgraded fare gates for the CTA
As the Tribune reported in July, the CTA under the leadership of acting President Nora Leerhsen “is seeking proposals for improved fare gate technology that could help deter fare evasion” by turnstile jumpers. This is an encouraging development.
Transit agencies in other major U.S. cities, such as Washington and San Francisco, have already upgraded their fare gates and are reaping the rewards of their prudent decision-making. For example, Washington experienced an 82% drop in fare evasion in 2024 after installing more secure fare gates on its rail system.
Chicago is only in the beginning stages of learning what vendors may have to offer. At this rate, the city may not see a similar result for years.
Pointing to the need for fare gate technology that is compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act to explain Chicago’s go-slow approach does not hold water since the fare gates installed in Washington and San Francisco comply with ADA standards.
Why is the CTA so slow in catching up to what others have succeeded at?
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The stakes in Chicago could not be higher. The city is lagging compared with major cities in terms of ridership on its public transit system, when comparing pre- and post-pandemic periods. A major barrier deterring people from using the CTA to get around Chicago is crime committed on the CTA, either while riders wait for a train or a bus or while they are riding on a train or a bus.
The benefits of having better fare gate technology go beyond collecting more revenue. “A system with fewer fare evaders tends to be safer,” the Illinois Policy Institute reports.
It’s bad enough that CTA train riders are subjected to “go-slow” zones at various times of the year due to construction and maintenance of the train lines. When it comes to best practices responsibly adopted elsewhere in the country that can lead to safer rides for all and a boost in ridership, do we really need to go slow in our decision-making? For what purpose?
— Mark Grenchik, Chicago
Youth sport coaches need support
In the op-ed “We can fix youth sports in America. Here’s how” (Sept. 29), Daniel Preston makes a compelling case that fixing youth sports in America requires changing the system around kids — reducing barriers to participation, limiting excessive travel and specialization, and putting development and joy ahead of winning.
One critical piece belongs on that list: providing support for coaches.
Tens of millions of young people participate in organized sports in the U.S. each year, supported by coaches, many of them parents and volunteers. Yet many coaches don’t receive training in youth development practices. We routinely ask adults to take responsibility for a formative part of children’s lives without preparing them to build belonging, create a positive team culture or understand how young people develop.
Preston rightly points to Norway as a model. What makes its approach powerful isn’t simply that sports are local and affordable. It’s that the system is intentionally designed around children’s development — including expectations and support for the adults responsible for their experience.
Chicago is already showing what that can look like. The Center for Healing and Justice through Sport has worked with the Chicago Park District and Nike for a decade to train and support recreation leaders across the city, while Positive Coaching Alliance is expanding coach training and access to positive youth sports experiences throughout the region. And Laureus USA Sport for Good Chicago has helped establish common standards for coach training across a network of 140 local organizations serving more than 120,000 young people.
Together, efforts like these show how communities can strengthen coaching locally while contributing to broader national progress through initiatives such as the Million Coaches Challenge.
That brings me to Preston’s coach in Portugal, who suggested prohibiting parents from coaching competitive teams. The problem isn’t that parents coach. In many communities, youth sports depend on them. The problem is expecting them to know how to coach children well without giving them the preparation and support to do so.
If we’re serious about rebuilding youth sports around kids, coach development should be treated as essential infrastructure, right alongside fields, leagues and affordable access.
— Haviland Sharvit, executive director, Susan Crown Exchange, Chicago
Note to readers
With Halloween coming, we’d like you to share your most memorable experience related to the holiday, either as a child or as an adult. A costume that you’ve never forgotten? A trip to a haunted house that scared you silly? Neighbors who went above and beyond to make things fun for the kids? Send a letter, of no more than 400 words, by Friday, Oct. 23 to [email protected]. Be sure to include your full name and your city/town.
Submit a letter, of no more than 400 words, to the editor here or email [email protected].
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