Letters: 'Children are not widgets.' Taking them off-campus will disrupt school day.
Uninterrupted learning necessary
As a retired educator, I am depressed about the continued attacks on public education.
We have a shortage of teachers and professional certified staff and schools lack proper funding. We want educators to deal with the many issues that children bring into their classrooms. However, the public wants to dictate which books they may read or how they are discussed.
Our school day is already too short and now we will interrupt it to transport children off-site for religious education. To some readers, the disruption might seem small; however, to an educator, it will require another shift in planning and coordination to the detriment of continuous learning.
Children are not widgets that you can move from point A to point B without consequences. As a young child, I attended religious education classes but they were held at my church on a week day evening. My parents also provided my religious upbringing every day in our home.
Once again, we will criticize educators when our students do not perform to our expectations. However, the focus needs to be on teaching and learning without politics, without special interests.
Ann Heffernan, Columbus
Grocery prices will soar
Without taking sides on the possible Kroger strike (Sept. 20 article, "Kroger reveals details of offer"), there is one sure fact: If you think inflation is especially bad in the food industry now, just wait until you see it after this situation is settled.
Jack E. Willer, Columbus
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Bill would support farmers
With regard to the Sept. 22 article "OSU, Nationwide unveil ag tech hub amid climate change": Climate change is continuing to have a negative effect with our agriculture industry. We need to take various approaches to mitigate this.
Ohio State University is doing just that with their recent announcement of their innovation hub. They will promote more research and collaboration between growers and scientists to create a more robust and strong food supply. Another step by farmers is the practice of regenerative farming,
More:Ohio State, Nationwide, unveil ag tech innovation hub to adapt to climate change
The conversion from traditional fertilizing farming takes a few years to produce abundant crops, but is a more sustainable approach. It employs cover crops to protect the soil. The soil absorbs more water in heavy rains, but also survives dry spells better. Microorganisms in the dirt make this a living soil, as they feed on carbon, and nourish the crops.
One great outcome is that this environmental approach will remove carbon from the atmosphere, while enhancing our food supply per acreage.
More:Reducing carbon emissions is good business for Ohio farmers
Our Congress is also close to financially supporting such farming approaches like this with the Growing Climate Solutions Act. It was passed by the Senate last year, but still sitting in the House needing more supporters.
I urge our House of Representatives to pass this and add additional support to our farmers.
Jonathan Light, Laguna Niguel, CA
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Letters: Off-site religious education will interrupt school day
