I’d give the Wake school system an ‘F’ on its handling of COVID

Wake schools

As a mom and founder of the Facebook group WCPSS: COVID Safety & Support, I believe the Wake school system’s approach to this pandemic has been a nightmare.

The Wake County Public School System joined the NC DHHS school testing program late and testing is still not in place. Outdoor eating doesn’t exist for all schools, and air filtration units are only in some schools. The inequity is inexcusable.

While we do have a mask mandate, that’s all we have. The district failed our children and community. Their inability to plan ahead and lack of urgency is apparent.

This pandemic is not over and the district is ill-prepared for what may come next. The school system must do better.

Kira Kroboth, Raleigh

Protecting life

Regarding “Police, firefighters threaten legal action over vaccine rules,” (Oct. 15):

I simply cannot understand why so many local police and firemen pledge their lives to protect me against assault and fire but cannot pledge to protect me against death by COVID by accepting immunization against infection themselves.

Lewis Woodham, Chapel Hill

Vaccine lawsuit

More than 100 Raleigh police and firefighters are planning to sue the city over COVID vaccine requirements. Let them bring the court case. Getting the vaccine is a requirement for employment and if you do not agree, then quit. I am sure they will lose, and then the city should bring a counter suit for compensation for legal and court costs paid by the city. The taxpayers should not have to pay this cost. This is the only way to stop,this type of behavior.

Apan Basu, Durham

Graham statue

I couldn’t agree more with ”Billy Graham statue in DC won’t represent all in NC,” (Oct. 18 Opinion). And I am not Jewish, as is writer Sherri Zann Rosenthal. I don’t understand why it is so difficult to remember that our country was built on the wise notion of separation of church and state — that government should remain neutral in all ways toward religion. We have wandered and our nation’s founders would be disappointed.

Charlie Welch, Durham

Mark Robinson

In his online bio on the state government website, Lt Gov. Mark Robinson claims: “He looks forward to working for all North Carolinians to make their lives better, and to help continue to lead the state to new heights.”

How does an individual who calls LGBTQ North Carolinians “filth” work for “all North Carolinians”? These two things cannot co-exist.

According to the Brookings Institute, “Incendiary rhetoric from political leaders against their political opponents, minority groups, and other targets is often quickly magnified.” If you preach intolerance and hate, it can lead to violence against a community that is already marginalized.

Any individual who does not treat others equally should not be the N.C. lieutenant governor.

Patrice Brown, Louisburg

Not a choice

Please stop using the term “sexual preference,” as the editorial board did in “Lt. governor’s rants about fake issues do real harm,” (Oct. 13 Editorial). I prefer chocolate over vanilla. I prefer The New York Times over The Herald-Sun. It is not a preference. Preference implies choice.

Ask any LGBTQ person, and I believe they would tell you that they didn’t wake up one day and “choose” to be LGBTQ.

Renee Rauch, Durham

Redistricting

Right now, the legislators in the N.C. General Assembly who control redistricting are planning only one public hearing in Raleigh following the release of draft maps that could determine our representation in North Carolina for the next decade.

This one event will not be accessible to the majority of people in our state.

This is unacceptable.

We need public hearings that are accessible — in-person and online — to every North Carolinian, regardless of whether they live in a large city, small town, or tribal territory.

I call on the Joint Redistricting Committee to ensure that the public has accessible, safe opportunities to comment on draft maps. Without doing so, there’s no way they can claim this year’s process was truly transparent.

Rev. Lisa Garcia-Sampson, Durham