I was a juror in Chapel Hill kindergarten abuse case. The judge was right | Opinion
The judge in the Chapel Hill kindergarten sex abuse case at Frank Porter Graham School made the right decision by dismissing the lawsuit. I was a juror and heard five days of testimony from 27 witnesses. I heard nothing that convinced me any abuse happened. Two children’s stories were unbelievable. A third child’s mother testified she overheard her child telling her husband her story was a lie.
The case hinged on whether the school responded in a negligent or grossly negligent way. Testimony showed the school’s response was prompt, multi-faceted, and sensitive. A federal judge also dismissed the plaintiffs’ case last year.
The real injustice was that children spent more than six years running a gauntlet of parents, therapists, and investigators regarding events that likely never happened.
George Spencer, Hillsborough
NC lawmakers’ poor priorities
In response to “House lawmakers demand Chapel Hill-Carrboro chief answer for LGBTQ library books” (April 15):
Oh great. Another dog and pony show for Republican House members showing them bashing local school officials. Red meat for their base. Certainly you guys have more pressing matters to attend to? How about stop spending time on this insignificant issue and more time on way more important things like passing a budget for this state, teacher pay, funding and planning for Medicaid and SNAP requirements being forced on the state by Republicans?
Brad Bradshaw, Raleigh
Bittersweet story
In response to “Laid-off Epic Games worker with cancer who lost life insurance gets CEO’s attention” (March 31):
How wonderful that Tim Sweeney saw a FB message regarding one of his former employees with brain cancer, who had just lost his health insurance after being laid off in a cost-cutting move. The family will lose a husband and father, income and health coverage at a devastating time.
Sweeney has $5.1 BILLION, so surely he can help out.
On the other hand, perhaps a different cost-cutting move would have been to keep those 1,000 employees on the payroll with health insurance and give up a little of his own wealth.
Do we depend on FB messages to help us out, or should elect those who would tax billionaires and use the money to provide universal healthcare coverage? With 11 billionaires in NC, imagine what services the state could provide to ordinary folks if they paid their fair share.
Mindy Oshrain, Durham
The need for density
Raleigh growing more expensive without increased density is not an argument but a easily observed reality. The more land use policies accommodate homeowners’ desire to keep out those who would live in smaller spaces, the worse we exacerbate the affordability, displacement, and homelessness crises.
Even if it weren’t for these problems, a residential community should not be allowed to tell apartment residents they’re not welcome as their neighbors. People are people, including those who can’t afford a single-family house.
Mark Shelburne, Raleigh
Teacher pay
A recent story in the N&O reported that average pay for public school teachers in NC dropped about 1% from last year. The state contribution to teacher pay comes from the legislative budget which did not change from last year. That means the loss is due to other factors. One might be that some counties were not able to contribute as much as last year. Another might be that more experienced teachers who were paid at higher rates were predominant among the 10% of teachers who left teaching in their schools last year. Either reason is bad, but losing experienced teachers will be difficult to make up in the short term. I encourage the legislature to pass a bill raising teacher pay in the coming short session.
Larry Wolf, Garner
Two weeks to check Trump
President Donald Trump has decided to delay the “end of Iranian civilization for two weeks.”
To type such a sentence seems surreal, but it’s not. In fact these are the comments of the very person who holds the fate of creation in his hands. Trump alone, as mandated by the Constitution, can literally order the War Department to launch weapons that could end life as we know it on planet earth. He answers to no one.
But, he’s given us two weeks notice of his plans regarding Iran, and that gives Congress time to take action that could disempower our president, who seems to be losing touch with reality.
I urge all people of faith to pray fervently that Trump will not do the things he has threatened, but the time has come for Congress to hold this man in check so that he does not take measures that could lead to the deaths of thousands if not millions of people. God help us all.
Patrick O’Neill, Garner
