Why do I have to buy classroom supplies for my child’s public school?

I realized I wrote the Wake County Superintendent a couple of weeks ago and received no response. I am a ride-sharing driver and it dawned on me that I hadn’t received a response when I overheard a rider discussing the ridiculous amounts of school supplies parents had to purchase for their children for school.

I too, as a single mother working two jobs, am dismayed by these over-the-top expenses. I received an email from my son’s teacher this weekend mentioning that “she hadn’t received many [extra] supplies from parents” such as hand sanitizer and tissue.

So I asked myself, “Why do I have to purchase basic needs for my son’s classroom?” What’s next, toilet paper? My first reaction is, what are our tax dollars paying for? What does the “Education Lottery” pay for? What is the PTA paying for? ( It notes that that it supplies stipends for teachers to purchase school supplies. Why then am I asked to “donate” supplies?)

I only have one child and budgeted $50 for supplies, and we haven’t even purchased a new book bag yet. Top this off with new clothes and shoes for my growing pre-teen boy. Thank goodness he’s growing his hair out to donate to Locks of Love so I can save on haircuts.

Why do I have to buy hand sanitizer and tissue for my son’s classroom – in addition to the gazillions of notebooks, special calculators, pens, pencils, paper, and highlighters, to mention a few – for my son to attend public school, to which I apparently had wrongly assumed my tax dollars were contributing?

Driving ‘privilege’

Regarding “One ticket shouldn’t cost you your license” (July 25): Great story and plan to have certain drivers get their suspended licenses restored under certain circumstances. I hope everyone reads it so they can realize some very important facts.

Driving a vehicle is a privilege, not a right. It is also the most important thing most people will do on any given day. If you are unable to drive it can ruin your day, week, even month . An accident can cost you repairs or replacement, higher insurance rates and possible fines, not just the inconvenience of needing to find other ways to get to work, school or shopping .

Yet, if you look around, you would think by the way people drive that none of that matters. They drive without headlights when needed (especially when it’s raining), don’t use their directionals, follow too closely, speed, etc. The worst offense is being distracted by using a cell phone. Driving a vehicle isn’t that difficult, but to do it safely requires your full attention.

In summary, if you follow the laws and use common sense and courtesy, you can avoid paying fines, court costs, higher insurance rates, repairs or replacement costs, and most importantly, losing the privilege to drive.

‘Undemocratic’

Yes, the Russians definitely interfered in the 2016 election. More evidence is brought to light every day, including the fact that efforts are underway to undermine the 2018 election. I believe this is an act of war and should be addressed and responded to as such.

However, to date, Congress shamefully lacks the will, the integrity and the backbone to carry out their sworn constitutional duties. Efforts to detect cyber attacks and implement counter-intelligence are hampered because there is no method to coordinate their efforts.

Why? The administration refuses to name a person or bilateral committee to oversee the process. One might think President Trump prefers it this way.

That said, there is an institutional problem with our presidential elections: the Electoral College. We need the highest office in the land to be elected by popular vote – one person, one vote. In the last election, more than 5 million votes did not count. In the 2000 election the decision was made by the Supreme Court, not by the popular vote count or the Electoral College.

It will take a constitutional amendment to correct this egregiously undemocratic system of electing the President of the United States. I call on all of our duly elected officials to begin the process now.