… Middle class gets left behind

It’s called Obamanomics. Obama got everything he wanted; the Dodd-Frank bill controls banking, the ACA controls health insurance, the government took over the student loan program, there’s higher taxes on the rich, illegal immigrants have received amnesty, and the Fed is keeping interest rates low to enable Wall Street bankers to continue getting richer than anytime in history.

— Steve Pender

This is a consequence of Reaganomics that is based on trickle down economics for which Obama will get the blame. The die was casted when the people of our nation no longer shared in its prosperity, beginning in the 1980s.

— Reginald Brown

… Report: Southeastern elementary schools need consolidation

Perhaps someone should come visit our overcrowded classrooms. I don’t know where we would put 139 more students. Let’s not think about how this would affect our students or anything. Everyone always says they are doing what is best for the students when really they are only doing what they think is best for their wallets:( breaks my heart as an educator.

— Kayla Jones

Classrooms at Rockwell Elementary are already too full. There may be some empty classrooms (I don’t know) but let’s budget some more teachers and teacher assistants first! Come on, guys — priorities!

— Stephenie Walker

Perhaps the school system should go ahead and do a much-needed and long overdue redistricting!

— Chelsea Nicole

… Bouk demonstrates in support of police

ALL LIVES MATTER. Except for the lives of those who seek to maim or assassinate police. The sooner their lives end, the better for society.

— Stephen Owen

I thought a permit from the city was required to demonstrate.

— Tim Kelley

I think this might be a “I want to crawl in a hole and die” moment for his son.

— Jerry King

I admire John’s resolve. He’s a stud. However,  BLACK LIVES MATTER!

— Alex Windell

… Police, sheriff team gets results

… We’re supposed to be proud 47 citations were executed and two weapons were seized? I think all this could have been accomplished without joint ops. We are applauding at what again?

I think we need to move our focus on something more valuable such as a new chief of police. Or, better yet, let’s boost the morale up and maybe by some mere chance officers will want to do what they dreamed of as a child rather than going to a job they hate because of who they have or choose to work for until a new department will hire them.

— Brent Springer

… Schools need good parents to succeed

I agree with most of this, but I argue that schools DO reflect their communities. When a community values education and nurtures it holistically, children succeed. When a community denigrates its teachers and school system, as we have currently, students struggle.

Parents and home life matter more than any other factor, but when parents are repeatedly told that the schools their children attend are failing, respect and value for what happens in the classroom is undermined.

Thank you for this piece that offers this vital other side to the narrative of failing public education.

— Cathy Mahaffey

… Sound education will require that we loosen poverty’s grip

Mr. Hughes, thank you for your support for the Rowan Salisbury schools. BUT I would like to rebut what you are stating about poverty having a grip on our educational system. Just because someone is poor does not mean they can not learn or that they don’t want to learn.

Yes, many of the children that come out of poverty are behind when they enter the school system because both parents are either working or one of them is absent from the family. This is the problem in our society which directly affects our school system. Parents who rely on our schools to raise, not just educate, our children are the ones holding our system back.

— Michael Julian

We need a safe and supervised after school education, enrichment and recreation program for elementary school children ages 5 to 12.

— Leo Smith

Perhaps local Boys and Girls Clubs?

— Joanne Stewart

… The ‘very rich’ Grace Littlejohn comes home for a spell

Thanks for the article. It brought back a lot of memories for me going to Dunbar in the ’70s. I loved home economics in school; they taught me how to make no-bake cookies and sew pillows. That’s what we need to get back to. Not all this stuff we’re learning today in school. We need to learn to basics of how to take care of our families and not spend time on computers and telephones 24/7. It’s just separated us from whats important in life.

— Bonnie Beaver

She is a wonderful, living, breathing example of Dixonville. I always enjoy her telling stories about our old neighborhood and its cohesiveness. I’m proud to have been born in that community! We had a great reunion this year. Thank you, Mrs. Grace Littlejohn, for being a “Living Legend”!

—Brenda Peoples

I had no idea of this neighborhood. Moved here a while ago and am still learning. Very interesting.  I think the young people in Salisbury need to learn about this as well.

— Lisa Bowman

… My Turn: Clock is ticking for schools

I simply cannot sit idly by without responding to this article. What will it take for the public to understand that these school grades are based almost exclusively on end-of-grade and end-of-course test scores? These are single events that occur at the end of the school year (EOGs) or end of the semester (EOCs). So much of what takes place in this process is out of the control of the teacher and the school. Very little in these grades reflects what is actually going on in the classroom.

I am very familiar with the frustrations teachers experience each year when they are forced to “teach to the test” rather than provide meaningful, relevant instruction for their students. In my humble opinion, this grading system is merely a vehicle which our state legislators are using to justify the privatization of the education system.

Public education is still — by far — the best hope for the vast majority of our students. Don’t get drawn into this fray by focusing on this letter grading system. Teachers do not grade their students solely on final exams. Why are our legislators trying to do it with our schools?

Finally, your comment about a coach has one major flaw. In a sporting event, the rules do not change during the game. Lately, the rules for the schools change several times during the educational career of the average student. That, my friends, is the biggest difference in this argument!

— Randy Overcash

Transitions are always difficult and usually messy. Rowan-Salisbury Schools introduced a major revision of the instructional program last year with the move to digital devices for all students. This was not simply a matter of throwing out textbooks and replacing them with iPads and computers.

As a Community in Schools volunteer, I saw some of the growing pains last year as students, teachers, parents and volunteers figured out together how, when and where the devices should be used. By the end of the year, there were fewer lost charging cords and damaged devices. Teachers were more at ease with the new instructional methods and curricular innovations. This year will be even better.

Let’s give Dr. Moody and the School Board the credit they deserve for taking a bold step to help kids over the digital divide in order to prepare them for life beyond the classroom. Visit a school; volunteer to help a child or a teacher. You will be impressed with the energy and vitality that you will find.

— Nan Lund

… Isenberg Elementary hosts Million Father March

This was such a wonderful event. I am proud of all of the dads that came out to celebrate! Fathers are SO important.

— Candis Coble

What an awesome event and one every school can duplicate. Dads just need to be asked and encouraged.

— Vicky Hau-Slusser

… Letter: About Salisbury mail service

I understand what Mr. Jourdian is saying, and I empathize. However, if changes need to be made, let it be in residential areas, and not in areas where businesses will be compromised. Also, I can’t remember a week where anyone has received their mail all six days. I’m just the only one that has seen fit to complain. I guess it will do no good, so I’m just going to remain quiet. Ineptitude seems to rule.

— Robin Hager

… Davis leaving Historic Salisbury to join Louisiana group

Brian Davis made things happen. He has been effective, but not adversarial. Passionate, but not off-putting. His quiet leadership helped facilitate one of the greatest historic preservation accomplishments in Salisbury’s long history of many, many great projects — the Blackmer House. Too many other successes to list. We are better for his service to our community.

— Joe Morris

Mr. Davis has been a great value to this community. But it is understandable that he would want to be closer to home.

— Jeff Morris

… Tap into Family Power

As someone whose job revolved around school attendance … I completely agree with Karen South Jones. I tried my very best, the last three years at Knollwood Elementary under Shonda Hairston, to get through to parents, on some occasions speaking to them as a mother and not a school employee. It’s sad to say, but I could see a dropout walking at the elementary level.

The students at Salisbury High School hated me because I would tell them the truth about what their truancy was leading to if they didn’t get their butt out of bed and get to school.

We even went so far as parking across the street from school to stop them from leaving campus in the morning before first period. Let me tell you, there were some surprised faces when I would get out of my car and yell at them not to step off that curb. …

Parents — all parents — need to pay close attention to what is happening with their children.

— Vickey St. Lawrence