Mark Johnson’s Common Core survey is no measure of what the majority in NC want

Johnson’s survey

State Superintendent Mark Johnson says: “Most North Carolinians do not want Common Core used in our public schools.” (Feb. 20)

In 2018, the state’s population was 10.38 million. His Department of Public Instruction said that “…more than 71,000 parents and teachers had completed an online survey” about Common Core. This is fewer than 1% of N.C’s population. And of the respondents, 78% indicated they wanted Common Core removed. That would be 54,600 respondents — or just over half of 1% of the state’s population.

That seems to me to be a far cry from “most North Carolinians.”

Bob Williams, Fuquay-Varina

Common Core

As a teacher and parent of two, I am frustrated by Mark Johnson’s campaign to eliminate Common Core. Not only is the content of his survey misleading, so are the results, as only 17% of responses were from teachers.

Johnson implies our current standards encourage “multiple strategies in math just for the sake of multiple strategies.” Using multiple strategies is not just for the sake of it, but is to help children think critically. Research shows that strong student understanding is more effective than children following steps without meaning. Multiple strategies also lead to more efficient and accurate problem solving.

Johnson’s efforts should be put towards supporting teachers and parents in the implementation of critical thinking in the classroom, not eliminating Common Core.

Amy Lau, Durham

Silent Sam

Now that UNC is getting its statue and money back, its course should be clear. There is a sad empty spot at the head of historic McCorkle Place. Put that wonderful pedestal back where it was, and place upon it a bronze statue of someone we all can has done worthy deeds. Bill Friday perhaps? Perhaps one of the first black students in 1951, or the first female student in 1897? Or how about a soldier from the university who went to fight in World War II? Surely we can all agree that it was worthwhile to defeat the Nazis.

Matthew Brown, Raleigh

UNC System

Regarding “Interim UNC System leaders are receiving thousands a month,” (Feb. 20):

It is hard to fathom how much money is being spent by the leaders at UNC. They’re spending money like a drunken sailor on shore leave. Their actions appear to be unreasonable and controlled by the Republicans in Raleigh. As a UNC graduate (1960), I have given my last dollar to UNC’s Covenant program.

Roy Brock, Chapel Hill

GOP PAC ads

Regarding “GOP buying ads for Democrats in NC Senate race,” (Feb. 21):

It is a shame that a super PAC tied to Mitch McConnell is supporting Erica Smith to prevent Cal Cunningham from winning the Democratic nomination for senator.

Why aren’t N.C. Sens. Thom Tillis and Richard Burr supporting legislation to improve voter security? Three bills are in the Senate, but were tabled by McConnell. Burr especially should be up front about this since he is chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee and found Russia was involved in the 2016 election and now in the 2020 election.

Where is our government, where is the truth? It’s no longer a government of the people, by the people and for the people, but a government of foreign interference, ignorance, favoritism for the rich, and lies.

Thomas Oriel, Garner

A repeat of ‘72?

The current direction of the Democratic primaries is giving me déjà vu and few in the Democratic Party seem to remember that history. I’m talking about 1972 when a Republican president widely regarded as unscrupulous — Richard Nixon — was running for a second term. Many Democratic candidates vied for the position, but the party had trouble coming together around a single candidate. The eventual nominee was a senator from a small state, George McGovern of South Dakota, whose politics were considerably further left than the majority of the country. He lost by a landslide. I hope history doesn’t repeat itself, but I fear it may.

Philip Sloane, Chapel Hill

MAGA supporters

If Putin were physically present in the White House he couldn’t do any better than President Trump and the Senate are doing to destroy democracy in this country. Trump has ignored experienced intelligence expertise and leadership and replaced it with political cronies with little or no intelligence experience. This in a time where the Russian, Chinese and Iranian governments are successfully influencing our national elections with fake news. It strikes me as ironic that all the red-hatted MAGA supporters cheering Trump on have little knowledge of the damage being done to this country daily by someone with no plan beyond getting even with anyone who disagrees with him.

Barton Holtz, Pittsboro

This story was originally published February 24, 2020 at 2:31 PM.