Former NC school board chair: Wake school board acted courageously on masks

Masks in school

The Wake County Board of Education is to be commended for its courageous, common sense, science-based decision to retain the mask requirement for students, faculty and staff.

I don’t know anyone who “likes” masks, but with the growing numbers of COVID-19 cases the board had no other reasonable choice.

As a Republican, I value individual decision-making, however, in this case too many have made the wrong decision. We would not be where we are today had more people received the vaccine. Experts say 99% of COVID deaths in recent months were unvaccinated people.

Without masking, I’m afraid we would find ourselves with all students eventually returning to virtual learning, which no one thinks is an ideal solution. Our students need to be in school and to be protected.

Following the CDC advice, not political pressure, is the right and necessary approach to hopefully get us back to normalcy sometime soon.

Phil Kirk,

Chairman emeritus, State Board of Education

Cooper must act

If hospital beds are filling and COVID cases peaking again, why is Gov. Roy Cooper not taking the same precautions he did before? Why are masks not mandated? Why are bars and gyms open? We need to rein this in with mask mandates, a lockdown, and whatever else is needed. What is Cooper waiting for? A mutation of the virus that isn’t protected by the vaccines? He needs to do his job and do it now! There is no time to waste.

Kathleen Repass, Cary

Personal choices

One argument that people have advanced against mandatory vaccinations by employers and others is that it should be a personal health choice, that the government should not be making decisions about their bodies. Can we count on these people to agree that a woman should be able to make her own decisions about her reproductive health without interference by the state?

Helen Wolfson, Durham

UNC police chief

Regarding “Audit reveals misspending and more at UNC police department. It was ‘secret’ until now,” (Aug. 2):

It is outrageous to have been paying the UNC-Chapel Hill police chief, $225,000. Does that position have more responsibility than the town’s police chief or the Durham police chief? The internal audit report should have placed a “red flag” on this salary rate.

Jack R. Stone, Zebulon

Walter Hussman

I’ve never met Walter Hussman Jr., but I took journalism classes from the same professors he did. I understand his concerns about Nikole Hannah-Jones, especially in these politically charged times. I believe the decision of UNC Journalism Dean Susan King and her faculty was politically naive. How could they not be aware of how divided America is and who controls expenditures in N.C.?

Please keep in mind Hannah-Jones was awarded a Pulitzer for commentary, not reporting, and the New York Times felt compelled to issue a clarification after The 1619 Project published. There’s no doubt the British took advantage of the slave trade to colonize the South and Black people helped give American its start. However, there’s also no doubt that Hussman’s concern about impartiality being “the greatest course of building credibility” also matters.

Mark G. Rodin, Morrisville

Affordable housing

Regarding “NC mobile home residents face eviction deadline after opposing redevelopment plans,” (July 31):

I’m wondering why folks like Richard Branson and Elon Musk, or others who have the financial resources, don’t have an interest in purchasing the Wellington Mobile Home Park in Wake Forest to help preserve truly affordable housing. There are many places similar to Wellington that need help to keep residents in place. Tossing these residents out is cruel and heartless. This is neither compassionate capitalism, nor compassionate conservatism. It’s simply a case of money talks and the residents walk.

Robert Mulder, Raleigh

Burr and Tillis

All North Carolinians should be pleased and proud to see that Sens. Richard Burr and Thom Tillis are among 17 Republican senators who are supporting the infrastructure bill. This is good for America.

Robert G. Harrison, Durham