Shoot district offices
The shortage of teachers in our country has gone on for far too long and is detrimental to the quality of education for our children and the eventual quality of our workforce.
I have heard of some schools requiring their principals and vice principals to teach classes while trying to keep up with their already overburdened administrative duties. I have also heard of hiring students and unqualified adults to intervene. This is unacceptable.
I suggest that school districts reduce the size of their district office administrative staff by removing the old teachers they have and putting them back in the classroom where they are desperately needed.
Now, if that sounds like a demotion, then we need to talk about this nation’s need to give teachers the pay, respect, and dignity they deserve.
We can have that discussion later, but, for now, use the trained educators already in the district offices to fill the void and replace them with people from outside education.
Jeanette Payton, MA, Blythewood
Let the voters speak
Most Americans don’t want all abortions banned. Poll after poll reflects this, with 60-70% preferring a woman’s right to choose with some limited restrictions.
Republican legislatures across the country are being pressured to implement outright bans with few or no exceptions. South Carolina is one of them.
Residents of the red state of Kansas have just shown that nearly 60% of their voters do not want lawmakers to decide the abortion issue.
At the very least, South Carolina should also hold a referendum so that every voter has the opportunity to send a message.
South Carolina might vote pro-life, but at least the public would be heard.
Jack Holt, Hartsville
Stop the fumes
I’m retired and walk pretty much every morning along our 3 river footbridges.
I love the lighted trails at Saluda Riverwalk, West Columbia Riverwalk, and Cayce’s Riverwalk.
They are well maintained and our local rangers do a wonderful job. however, all maintenance carts are gas powered. When hiking, I often find myself stopping to let gas carts pass so as not to inhale the gas fumes.
In this age where too much carbon dioxide is accelerating the greenhouse effect, why not switch to rechargeable battery-powered carts? Or go a step further and make them solar powered?
We could all breathe easier while our park rangers do their job.
Chip Slaughter, Colombia
Improve the entrance to the city
I am a resident of Canalside. I drive past a nearby wasteland every day and was thrilled to see it finally redeveloped.
I would like to send another letter to the editor about this where the author says that the site is surrounded by historic buildings, which is not true. It’s next to a McDonald’s, two vacant lots, and finally the townhouses where the writer resides, according to his letter.
Second, the letter states that the hotel does not meet the design requirements, but as the latest DDRC hearing will show, it largely meets those requirements.
Finally, are we really going to qualify the section between Huger and the river as “historic”? There are hardly any buildings on the river side of this street.
I think we should use this area of town to showcase new designs. Much like how the townhouses don’t fit into Vista’s design, neither does the hotel.
I hope to see the hotel move forward to have a big impact on this entrance to the city.
David Johnson, Colombia
