To stem the shortage of school nurses in CMS, change the requirements
School nurses
In North Carolina, an RN with a two-year degree can assist in brain surgery, transplant surgery, be in the Emergency Department when gunshot wounds, motorcycle accidents or drug overdoses arrive... But because (s)he lacks a four-year degree, even though taking the same licensing exam, N.C. law provides that nurse is disqualified from being a school nurse putting ice on Johnny’s knee when he falls on a playground.
And simultaneously, we have 44 vacant, fully funded, school nurse positions in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. So lacking any nurse, such medical care is now being provided by — say, the math teacher? Really?
This is gross incompetence on every bureaucratic level. Heads should roll over this — but won’t.
Jeremy Stephenson, Charlotte
Ella Scarborough
Regarding “Mecklenburg leaders debate Scarborough’s mental fitness,” (May 30):
Over two years ago it was obvious to some attending Mecklenburg County board meetings that Ella Scarborough was having difficulties. It was also obvious then, as it is now, that Scarborough is found in great and respectful regard by the residents of Mecklenburg County.
However, great regard does not translate into effective representation if her abilities are declining.
Scarborough’s family should help her make the hard decisions necessary to insure the continued high regard for this icon in our community.
Barbara Schafer, Charlotte
Michael Flynn
Michael Flynn has once again demonstrated his contempt for our laws, government and Constitution by suggesting the military should declare martial law, the 2020 presidential election invalid, overthrow the current administration, and install Trump as president.
He did this at the recent QAnon-affiliated conference in Texas.
Is it time to finally declare Flynn a seditionist, strip him of the any vestiges military honor, his pension and benefits, and put him where he belongs, prison, before he does any more damage to our country? And this time he won’t have Attorney General Barr as his guardian angel.
John Maiolo, Indian Land
US border
We have a continued border crisis as daily thousands of immigrants continue to pour into the country and many are not caught and travel anywhere they choose.
Do we not deserve to know who is coming into the country and why, and make sure that criminals do not get in to harm Americans?
Do we not deserve to have the president, or at least the vice president, travel to the border to see for themselves what some in the border patrol are complaining about?
Dick Meyer, Charlotte
Ban dogfighting
It was disturbing to read of arrests related to a dogfighting ring in Gaston County. (June 3)
Unfortunately, the most disturbing part of the article was this: The N.C. House recently passed a bill to prohibit minors from attending dogfights. Minors! Seriously?
Do our elected representatives not know what century this is?
John Walsh, Charlotte
Yard waste
Regarding “No more plastic bags for yard waste collection in Charlotte,” (May 5):
Instead of cutting down thousands of trees to make biodegradable paper bags for yard waste, why not install vacuums on the collection trucks and let the public blow their leaves and yard waste to the curb?
Margaret Martin, Charlotte
Meat consumption
Jane Goodall’s comments in the May 30 Observer give us the best reason yet to stop eating meat: This could help save our planet.
As she noted, growing grain to feed the animals we kill wastes land that could be used for other crops and wastes fossil fuels used to move the grain and animals around. Meanwhile, their digestive systems release tons of methane, a greenhouse gas that speeds up global warming. We’ve known for decades that humans live longer and healthier lives as vegetarians. Now the harm that meat-based diets do to the environment is just as obvious. It’s time to give up meat for the good of the animals, ourselves and the Earth.
Debbie Medves, Waxhaw
