Shame on North Carolina principal for muzzling graduate’s speech | Opinion
In response to: Why student free speech rights don’t extend to high school graduation speakers (June 9):
As a proud Franklinton (NC) High School graduate, I say shame on the Clayton High School principal for her actions toward CHS graduate Leen Hijaz during her speech. I wish I had the consciousness or the awareness of the plight of others as a senior to make such profound and challenging comments during my own valedictory 39 years ago.
The idle and unlawful threat to withhold her graduation if she didn’t curtail her commentary is in opposite to enlightened education. It prizes order over discovery, control over inquiry, stability over creativity, and management over imagination.
Clearly her concluding remarks were not “preapproved.” The principal’s panicked reaction proved the student’s concern was valid. Heaven forbid she publicly show conscience and critical thinking in a setting purporting to be the culmination of her secondary education.
Robert Bracknell, Norfolk, VA
Let them speak
Congratulations to the Clayton High School graduation speaker who spoke her mind, and shame on the principal who tried to muzzle her. In 1964 at my high school graduation in New York I did the same thing, delivering a graduation speech other than that approved by school authorities. The school district superintendent tried to intimidate me. I hope Ms. Hijaz’s parents are supporting her as mine did me. High school students at the age of 18 years are eligible to vote, drive, marry, and join the military. They should enjoy free speech as a constitutional right, like any other legal adult. Graduation should be about the graduates, and not a platform for canned speeches and preening administrators.
Jonathan Kotch, Chapel Hill
Screwworm emergency
The reemergence of screwworm flies in Texas cattle is horrifying – nd was entirely preventable. For years, we had been monitoring screwworm populations south of our border through joint efforts by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, an international commission on the subject, and the now-defunct U.S. Agency for International Development.
With the devastating cuts made to USAID in the past two years, screwworm monitoring efforts in Central America have been stifled. Several projects were completely scrapped.
This is not a Texas emergency. Screwworm threatens the livestock industry nationwide. This could have been prevented if not for the massive cuts to foreign aid at the federal level. By gutting programs that kept Central American screwworm populations in check, we allowed this deadly parasite to enter the United States.
Wyndham Freeman, Apex
Iran conflict
Recently, there was a letter which stated that the Iran conflict Is justified. I could not agree more. To those people who just don’t get it, 9-11 was nothing compared to what Iran would do with its nuclear capabilities. We lost 2,977 promising lives that day. We have got to keep nuclear out of Iranian hands.
Bob Southerland, Raleigh
Drug treatment court
Durham’s Opioid Settlement Funds should be used to bring back Family Drug Treatment Court.
By addressing the parents’ substance abuse, we can end generational substance abuse disorder, connect folks with meaningful treatment for drug use and mental health, and reunite families.
As a citizen of Durham and as a retired District Court Judge, I am angry about the failure to fund FDTC. I am disappointed for our community. For those mothers and fathers, grandparents, foster parents, and children who come into our Abuse Neglect Dependency courtroom, I am sad that one of the best tools for recovery and family reunification is not going to be available. We owe more to our children in Durham.
Nancy Gordon, Durham
Iryna’s law consequences
The author is a former Mecklenburg commissioner.
Iryna’s law has created severe overcrowding in county jails. Geez, who would have thunk it. Now, the Republican majority in the General Assembly wants to put on the ballot in November a constitutional amendment that would limit or restrict a county’s ability to raise property taxes, their principal source of revenue to fund, among a myriad of services, the Sheriff’s budget.
So, how do those wise lawmakers expect counties to fund the Sheriffs’ requests for additional space and staff to deal with the overcrowding? My guess is these legislators are either unwilling to consider the consequences of their actions or, worse, they really don’t care. I wonder if the NC Association of County Commissioners has the guts to stand up to them.
Dumont Clarke, Fairview