More Time for Research
More Time for Research
To the Editor:
More time at home has allowed me to read and learn from a variety of sources. Many school age students, including college students, who cannot attend a classroom are being directed to use the computer to learn and explore various topics so I too, took ‘the Internet search’ challenge. I’d like to share what I found.
Regarding education: We are told educational outcomes that were promised have been declining while taxpayers are forced-under penalty of law-to continue to pay ridiculous costs. Because of the “community health crisis”, and the “stay-at-home restrictions,” authority to educate children has been returned to the parents—“as a direct result of decisions by government officials.” However, parents are now—in an unexpected manner—responsible for the care and education of their children, but with no expectation of a refund for the services they continue to be forced to pay for but will not receive.
Are parents finding many students have been conditioned—through public education—to believe everything they are told, especially from government officials, and not to question?” Are parents able to teach that liberty demands that we have the right to weigh risk and make our own decisions and not have government make decisions for us? Or are they finding a socialist education system has taught otherwise? The author of this commentary suggested eliminating all public funding of education.
Regarding global warming, I highly recommend Michael Moore’s documentary, “Planet of the Humans,” which was released on Earth Day. I’m not a Michael Moore fan but this documentary is an eye opener. Also, profit on the production of ethanol, even with its subsidies, has disappeared. Last year more than 10 ethanol plants cut production rates or closed down. Time is long overdue to end the ethanol industry, as we have known it for more than three decades.
There is nothing “unprecedented” about what we are seeing today. In a just world, Greta Thunberg would be at the United Nations thanking capitalist countries for bequeathing her this remarkable inheritance. Instead, she, like millions of other indoctrinated kids her age, act as if they live in a uniquely broken world on the precipice of disaster. This is a tragedy.
Regarding fake news: Who gets to determine what is “misinformation” and what is not? Social media companies have moved to impose stricter rules about permissible content. Recently YouTube CEO said, “videos that go against World Health Organization recommendations on COVID-19 would be removed.” But the World Health Organization (WHO) has hardly been a stalwart fount of truth during the coronavirus crisis. Notably, it seemed all too willing to echo China’s talking points.
One of the things emergencies do is highlight counter-productive bureaucracy. My search on the history of the Center for Disease Control proved very educational.
And finally, regarding homeland security: America was unprepared for a pandemic because the national stockpile of personal protective equipment (PPE) was depleted during the swine flu pandemic of 2009 and never replenished. Did you know, a recent report from Newsmax stated, “It has been widely reported the U.S. and Canada had helped fund the Wuhan, China, virology lab that is believed to have accidentally released the global coronavirus pandemic because of lax safety protocols, according to U.S. intelligence? Did you know that a $3.7 million grant was awarded by the Obama administration in 2015.” In an article on Obama’s legacy titled “America vs. China: A competitive faceoff between two Pacific powers”, Mr. John Pomfret ends by stating, “Obama’s successor will inherit a looming crisis there, and one that could very well challenge America’s position in Asia.” It’s an interesting read considering ambassadorship.
So much to learn; so little time.
Cindy Rodibaugh
Flatonia
We Must Stay at Home
To the Editor:
Based on all of the reliable information I have read for several months now, until there is a cure or vaccine, which may nevertheless be dangerous to children, the only way to contain this pandemic to manageable future “hot spots” as soon as possible is for all Americans (with the exception of essential service personnel, like law enforcement, health care workers, phone and internet communication workers, and food suppliers, who should nevertheless be supplied with and required to wear N95 masks, etc.) to shelter in place for 60 continuous days nationwide and to use masks, even if homemade, and to be frequently tested as needed and, if tested positive, quarantined until testing negative. Why? Because the incubation period is 15 days and often there are no “visible signs” of the virus and because this virus spreads more quickly and pervasively than the common cold and is 10 to 20 times more lethal than the typical flu. Now there is also reason to suspect that persons who have recovered from the disease may not be immune to the coronavirus and so the hope of eventual “herd immunity” may not come to fruition.
Based on a recent trip to Brenham last Saturday, while wearing a mask and taking all precautions (social distance, washing hands, etc.) I visited Tractor Supply where only about 10% of the customers were wearing masks and none of the floor workers or cashiers were wearing one, and Ace Hardware where about 20% of the customers were wearing masks but none of the floor workers or cashiers, and Home Depot where only about 5% of the customers and only a couple of their numerous workers were wearing masks (compared to HEB where there is curb side pick-up and workers are masked and gloved and quickly cleaning all surfaces). Because failing to do so only serves to place workers, customers, and their families and communities in needless danger, employers should be severely fined for failing to provide their workers with N95 masks and for failing to require their workers to do so.
Until the above nationwide quarantine takes place with adequate supplies of N95 masks and frequent testing, sending our children back to school as a group will be akin to the episode described by a friend of mine whose 50-year old mother in good health made the mistake of going to Costco in San Antonio when everyone was shoulder to shoulder for hours in the store purchasing supplies for the long term and died two weeks later from this super virus. The death suffered by coronavirus victims regardless of age is extremely painful and disabling and involves repeated episodes where the victim feels like he is drowning.
We do not want to risk that for our children or their grandparents.
Certainly our talented and dedicated teachers will find ways to make the online presentations interesting and varied in terms of being not only visual but audio, etc. to help children whose ways of learning may vary and to frequently communicate with parents via email. It would be especially helpful to the children if there could be live online sessions where a teacher could be asked questions on at least a weekly basis in each of the child’s subjects and where teachers would conduct live weekly presentations to personally inspire their students to achieve. From such unused budgets as the school bus transportation budget, school districts could ensure that all students have the necessary equipment and internet services to participate in the above online learning and internet service providers could be encouraged to provide free internet connections for such online learning. Also, there is no need to re-invent the wheel because there has been online K-12 schooling approved by the Texas Education Agency for many years now.
Americans all have the right and even the obligation to send this message either by phone or online to the home website pages of their school district’s superintendent and school board members and members of congress and to their state lawmakers as well as the president.
I hope and pray that all of our school superintendents and board members in Texas would join in sending that message.
John W. Mikus
Fayetteville