Charters are ‘models, not adversaries’ for public schools

“Shrinking public schools reflect the state’s neglect” (July 15) omits the fact that families are choosing public charter schools in North Carolina because charter schools put the needs of kids first and foster strong relationships between students, teachers and parents.

Not only that, but public charter schools statistically outperform traditional public schools. Four or more years of enrollment at an urban charter school lead to 108 additional days of learning in math and 72 additional days of learning in reading per year (CREDO, 2015). That’s because public charter schools structure a learning environment that is tailored to the specific needs of each student, providing unique and high-quality education that many traditional public schools struggle to develop from their rigid systems.

The truth is that public charter schools are cutting through wasteful bureaucracy to ensure students’ needs are met with creativity, attention to detail and flexibility. Charter schools are public schools and provide students access to a great, quality public education. They are part of our education ecosystem and should be viewed as models, not adversaries, for public education.

Textbook ‘bizarre’

Just reading “Required UNC text labels cancer ‘disease of choice’” (July 16), I remembered the long years when sports and health were part of the curriculum. Now students have to buy this book, even though a plethora of information is available online and in libraries and bookstores.

Some of the text mentioned has more problems than meets the eye. It is bad enough to call chronic ailments as “diseases of choice,” but the reference to the Holocaust survivors as people who failed to tap into their inner strength is beyond bizarre.

The money spent on this book would be better be devoted to more adequate support for students coping with issues like depression, suicide and major changes in their lives.

The publishers will get the most benefit from this program.

Rescind statement

Rescuers of the stranded Thai soccer team were able to talk with, film and plan the rescue due to a special communication system, donated and deployed by the Israeli company that invented it (Maxtech). Other Israeli humanitarian initiatives:

-A field hospital, considered the best in the world by WHO, with search and rescue teams that were deployed to the Philippines, Nepal, Haiti and other countries dealing with natural disasters.

-A medical field hospital set up to treat large numbers of Syrian war victims, as well as treatment of Syrians in Israeli hospitals.

-Treatment of Gaza children with congenital heart defects at Israeli hospitals. The UN recently recognized Israel’s Save a Child’s Heart organization for its work worldwide.

-World leader in first response technology for use in a terrorist attack or mass shooting. The U.S. Department of Defense recently gave first prize to an Israeli device to triage such victims, to maximize the number of lives saved.

Sadly, the Durham City Council’s statement on Israeli police training demonizes a country that gives so much to the rest of the world. The Durham City Council should rescind its statement.

Tick facts

Regarding “How to avoid getting bitten as tick-borne diseases rise” (July 26): The article claims that ticks jump onto animals. Ticks are not capable of jumping. They climb up on tall vegetation, usually not more than three feet above the ground. There they perch on the foliage and, with their front legs spread out, snag a passing animal or person.

Another misconception is that ticks drop out of trees. The tick needs the stimulus of a passing animal to attach itself, and foliage several feet off the ground would not provide this stimulus. If someone says they found ticks on them after leaning against a tree, it is because the ticks crawled up; they did not drop down.

Ticks need to be near a moisture site to avoid dehydration. That is another reason why they are rarely found more than three feet above the ground.