Glad to see NC DHHS secretary issue a warning to Union County schools over COVID

Union schools

Regarding “Cohen tells Union school board to follow COVID requirements or face possible legal action,” (Sept. 15):

Kudos to NC DHHS Secretary Dr. Mandy Cohen for bringing the Union County school board in line with the rest of us in protecting our children and our teachers.

I have been a lung specialist in the Piedmont of North Carolina for most of my life and my daughter is a pediatrician in the Bronx with COVID-19 ICU experience. Children with COVID-19 on ventilators is avoidable.

My daughter-in-law is a teacher in Charlotte-Mecklenburg, and there is no reason any school board should willingly deal death to children and their families.

Dr. A. Gray Bullard, Concord

School shootings

As a CMS parent, I see my children living with the fear of school shootings that Isaac Barsoum poignantly described (Sept. 14 Opinion). I share the worries Isaac’s parents have. To keep our children safe, we must do what is necessary. This means lawmakers and school boards must implement common-sense policies that make schools safer.

School shooters are overwhelmingly current or former students who obtain guns from home; thus, educating gun-owning families about secure firearm storage is essential. Secure storage must be paired with increased funding for counseling in schools. With mental health issues skyrocketing during COVID-19, this is critical.

Just as importantly, lawmakers must pass red flag laws and background checks on all gun sales. These efforts could save many from gun violence and help students and parents breathe a little easier.

Stefanie Groot, Charlotte

Biden’s promise

Joe Biden’s campaign promise was: “Nobody making under $400,000 bucks will have their taxes raised, period, bingo!” He was elected on that promise. One year later he has proposed a plan raising taxes for couples making over $450,000. Promise made. Promise broken!

George H.W. Bush lost a second term due largely to a viral comment by the Clinton campaign; it’s the economy, stupid! This president’s linguistic skulduggery may be his and his party’s Waterloo.

To paraphrase: “It’s the tax lie, Mr. President.” Shame on you.

Ken May, Charlotte

GOP, Afghanistan

Republican Sen. Josh Hawley is demanding the resignation of the Secretary of State and Republicans in the House and Senate are criticizing President Biden’s withdrawal from Afghanistan — a president who promised to end a war that has lasted 20 years.

The reaction of Republicans is incomprehensible. Where were they during the four years of the Trump administration? They were not trying to help the Afghan people or help translators and American citizens in the region while President Trump was making a deal with the Taliban. I do not think these Republican critics can throw stones.

Marita Lentz, Charlotte

Less Trump

No former president has made news on a daily basis the way former President Trump has. President Biden and top Republican leaders should ask Trump to stand down. He will not, of course, but he will be less dangerous if government leaders will take him on. Our country must shift against the radical, right-wing drumbeat of the Republican Party. Our democracy requires us to stand for authentic Constitution principles and law.

Sam Roberson, Fort Mill

Sorting out truth

When the polio vaccine was distributed in the ‘50s I stood in line and received my sugar cube. As a child, I suffered through measles, mumps and chicken pox. My children received those vaccines as required to enter school. At no time did I think the government was putting a control “chip” into these vaccines.

I received my COVID-19 vaccine, as did all my eligible family members. If you spend some real time thinking about it, you’d realize that if the government wanted to put chips in its citizen to control them, it would not do it in such a controversial manner. Think about the mass of people who would have to be on board for this to succeed.

Somewhere Americans have lost their sense of discernment.

Mary Ann Evanoff, Charlotte