Take it a step further, Gov. Cooper. Fine those in NC who refuse to wear masks.

Fines for no mask

Regarding “Cooper says not wearing a face covering is ‘selfish,’” (July 22):

Gov. Roy Cooper says those refusing to wear masks are selfish. He is wrong. They are worse than selfish. They have no concern for their fellow man. We fine people who don’t wear seatbelts, devices that only protect the driver, not the public. Those who refuse to wear masks put themselves and everyone else at risk. They should be fined.

Robert Brown, Cary

Who’s selfish?

Gov. Roy Cooper has demonized anyone who does not wear a mask, saying refusal to wear one “infringes on the life and liberty of everyone else.”

Sorry, but the sign on the door at my grocery store clearly states that anyone who has one of the accommodations listed gets an exemption.

And who wrote those words? The governor’s office. So now the public will be intimidated by a mandate, which by the way is not a law.

If Cooper wants to shame constituents who’ve been allowed exemptions, then shame on him.

John Gallant, Clayton

Restaurant workers

I am concerned about restaurant workers who are not wearing masks properly, if at all. If customers are required to wear masks in public places, then restaurant workers certainly should have to abide by the same rules.

I now walk out of restaurants when I see unmasked or improperly masked food handlers. I have been astounded by how many times I’ve had to do this. I hope others will do the same.

Our health department is charged with the responsibility of assuring that food prepared in restaurants is safe. Spot mask inspections by the health department could go a long way toward improving public safety.

Tom Clemmer, Raleigh

Federal agents

Regarding “Vladimir Putin’s thugocracy,” (July 22 Opinion):

In his column, George Will called Putin’s control of Russia “thugocracy.” That seems an excellent description of President Trump’s sending armed federal agents to Democrat-led cities which he calls far left. Where does that action differ from China’s action against Hong Kong or Putin’s actions in the Ukraine?

Those cities and states have not asked for, nor do they want, these agents coming in to create more havoc and violence. The news showed them beating a peaceful Navy veteran protester. These actions scare and enrage me as they should every American.

Betty Jane Lazo, Raleigh

Storm troopers?

Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf said that it is offensive to call the dedicated men and women dressed in unidentified uniforms and using unmarked cars storm troopers. He is right. They should be called Storm Trumpers. It is reminiscent of Russian invaders into the Ukraine wearing uniforms without designation and using unmarked vehicles. Vladimir Putin must be smiling.

Stephen Snyderman, Raleigh

WCPSS leadership

Since spring, Wake County Public School System officials have known there was a possibility of a plan B or C for all schools. You would think they would have spent the summer with principals developing the best teaching scenarios for student learning.

Instead, they decide three weeks before school is to start that we need to use plan B and appear to have no idea how that is going to look or work. Parents and students can look forward to two weeks of school starting amid much confusion..

This large school district is led by people who react. They do not plan ahead and prepare. Wake County students are the ones who suffer.

As a retired administrator from Minnesota, I can tell you that we would have spent the summer preparing to give our students the best education possible. We must demand more from WCPSS leadership.

Sherre Walstad, Raleigh

Plan C indefinitely

I am a retired WCPSS teacher. Consider that a typical classroom has 25-30 students. The social distancing required under Plan B would generally eliminate about half those students.

The classroom still needs a teacher, now teaching half as many students. Who’s teaching the other half? Will we have twice as many teachers as before? No. There aren’t more teachers — even if we could afford to pay them, which we can’t.

There was a teacher shortage as things were. Teachers won’t just appear out of thin air because of a sudden demand for temporary help during a pandemic. So Plan B is a fantasy.

Plan A (business as usual) is unconscionable. Plan C — online only — is the only option until an effective COVID-19 treatment and/or vaccine is widely available. That will be no time soon.

Ned Gardner, Apex

This story was originally published July 23, 2020 at 2:06 PM.