Public schools must do more to help poor families in NC as schools reopen online only

Reopening schools

There is no question that returning to school “as normal” is not possible. However, completely shuttering them is also not necessary.

Private schools in North Carolina are opening. Daycare centers are creating “learning pods” for kids K-8. Wake County Public Schools created FAST, a program to help parents find daytime care. This begs the question: If we can safely open daycare and private schools, shouldn’t we be able to open public schools to our most vulnerable families?

All of these private options come with a price tag. There are many families who cannot afford this, especially when unemployment is skyrocketing. It seems that something could be done within the public school systems at no cost for families who are truly in need.

Struggling families already have it hard enough in North Carolina. Many public school systems could do much more to support them.

Natasha Goldstein, Chapel Hill

CHCCS decision

Gov. Roy Cooper’s Plan B option for schools seems to be an excellent balance of in-class and on-line instruction.

Some families may opt for full-time online, but some students, especially those with special needs, have to be in school at least part of the time. The Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools board has not given any regard to those students and families. Parents are not teachers. Students, especially those in elementary school or with special needs, require proper instruction from trained professionals.

Parents also need to work. We pay some of the highest property taxes to support good schools. If interim Superintendent Jim Causby wants to help families, he should find a way to operate under Plan B for families and students who need it.

We pay the board to run the schools. They need to find enough teachers and safe spaces to do that and stop shifting their responsibilities onto overburdened parents.

Gregory Morris, Chapel Hill

COVID relief

Like many Americans, I watch in horror and disbelief as Congress fails to arrive at a resolution on extending COVID-19 relief. Many people in North Carolina benefited from the aid that was provided by the CARES Act, as N.C. unemployment insurance is not enough to cover essential expenses. As these benefits expire, we also face the loss of the extensive testing that our state needs to abate the looming outbreaks in our poor and rural communities. This wave will continue to reveal the economic and racial inequalities throughout our state.

Sens. Richard Burr and Thom Tillis have participated in allowing benefits to lapse. People need to know their leaders are failing them.

Konstantin Bakhurin, Durham

Senate inaction

Regarding “Laid-off workers endure losses while DC bickers,” (Aug. 7):

This article would lead you to believe this is just another case of politics as usual. It is not.

The House passed a bill in May that called for continuing the $600 payments. The Senate sat on its hands hoping everything would get better by now all on its own. You can argue about the merits of the House bill, but at least they put something on the table months ago.

The Senate has had ample time to discuss and bargain with the House, and Mitch McConnell bears most of the blame for putting millions of livelihoods at risk.

At this late date, Senate Republicans can only offer a pittance to laid off workers and only for a couple of months. They offer no money to help states and local governments stay afloat. This is not bickering for political gain. This is the GOP abdicating its responsibility to the people.

Peter d’Entremont, Durham

Mail-in voting

Everyone is worried about how long it might take to count millions of mail-in ballots, but it doesn’t matter how long it takes. What matters is that every eligible voter has an opportunity to vote safely and that every vote is counted.

Lloyd Moore, New Bern

Wait on ballots

That this state would allow widespread mail-in voting is bad enough, but that it would mail out ballots as soon as Sept. 4 — almost a month prior to the first debate between former Vice President Joe Biden and President Donald Trump — is frankly horrifying.

If voters are to have a clear picture of who they’re voting for at such an important time, they need to completely understand the thought process and cognitive ability of both candidates. There isn’t a better way than to see them on the stage honorably and honestly speaking out their differing, yet strong, beliefs.

Voting cannot and should not take place before the debates begin.

Leslie A. Hunt, Raleigh

ACC decision

I cannot believe that the Atlantic Coast Conference board voted to have a football season during this pandemic. This is clearly a recipe for disaster. It’s definitely not a smart move by academia.

I’m as big a college football fan as anyone, but I would rather see the players, coaches and officials stay safe and well.

Jerry Clem, Durham