Not-so-stellar student
When George W was president, all we heard for eight years was that he was a C student.
Hopefully, the Republicans don’t remind us that Joe Biden was in the bottom 10% of his law school class and plagiarized some work.
Mayer Krain
Modena Park
City leaders inept
It’s utterly amazing to watch the inept logic of so-called city leaders with COVID. We can’t open the schools but we can open day care. How can you justify this logic other than the teachers union said screw the kids of this city. Farley’s the best. We aren’t opening the restaurants until Sept. 8 because of the holiday crowds. What’s he from outer space? The holiday crowds are down the shore. Plus, Labor Day weekend is probably the slowest weekend of the year in the restaurant business. Thanks but no thanks, Mr. Farley. Over the next two weeks and continuing, I will be eating outside the city at all the new restaurants I found, and they are 2% cheaper because of the sales tax. The main reason the opening dates for these businesses was pushed back was because Kenney set the goals outrageously high. Maybe if our illustrious leaders were as intense about enforcing the gun laws as they are enforcing the made-up COVID regulations, we wouldn’t be having 30-40 shootings every week.
Richard Donofry
East Torresdale
Understand the First Amendment
I heard on the news about a teacher who corrected a student who said, “God bless you,” when he heard someone sneeze. The teacher was wrong. I read the First Amendment again. Separation of church and state only means that there is no national religion. The amendment also says “or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,” which means that the children in school can pray silently. They can wear a religious symbol around their neck. They can bring a holy book to school to read during their lunchtime. They can also write an essay about someone from their holy book if their assignment is to write about someone they admire. How could our lawmakers misinterpret the First Amendment.
Nancy M. Borland
Jenkintown
Mom credits cyber education
With the future of traditional education up in the air as a result of the pandemic, I wanted to take this time to voice my gratitude for my experience with cyber education. My son is a 2019 graduate of Reach Cyber Charter School, a Pennsylvania tuition-free, online cyber charter school. The education my son received at Reach Cyber was rigorous and personalized, which has set him up for his current college success.
Although many may worry about their child’s transition from a cyber school to a traditional college experience, my son’s online education and dedicated teachers gave him the confidence that I believe truly set him up on the path to success. Through the flexibility and customization of his experience at Reach Cyber, he learned how to set goals, work independently, and he was able to explore his future career and college options, all while continuing to play baseball at a highly competitive level.
My son recently finished his freshman year at the University of Pittsburgh, where he finished the semester with a 4.0 GPA. In addition to succeeding in the classroom, he continues to excel on the field as a part of Pitt’s baseball team, although his season was cut short this year as a result of the pandemic.
I’m thankful for those who allow my son, and children across the state just like him, the access to pursue an education that works for them. I understand that cyber education may not be for everyone, but for my son it was everything.
Trazanna Spearman
Northern Liberties
Vote early
There is legitimate concern about the Postal Service being able to handle mail-in ballots in time to be tabulated, given the current back-ups and delays, some of which have been caused by the removal of corner mail boxes and electronic mail sorters. It has been reported that perfectly good expensive sorters are being destroyed and junked. These sorters are capable of processing thousands of pieces of mail per minute. It has absurdly been claimed that these actions are being done to improve efficiency.
I read that ballots can be dropped off at the county election bureau. I called, and they said that they are not open to the public.
In Pennsylvania, the deadline to register to vote is Oct. 19. You must apply for a mail-in ballot by Oct. 27. Time passes until you receive the ballot, fill it out and put it back in the mail. That ballot must be received by the county elections board by 8 p.m. on Nov. 3, which is a mere seven days from the date you requested it. During these seven days, you must have received the ballot, filled it out and mailed it back, they have to have received it and processed it. Do you believe there is time for all these actions? I don’t. The likelihood is that your vote would not be counted if you wait until the last minute.
If you want to vote by mail, request a ballot well in advance of Oct. 27 and send it back promptly.
Otherwise, in this age of the COVID pandemic, in-person voters will have to stand in long lines for hours. Many people in these crowded lines may be maskless. In-person voting has been made even more dangerous because a number of polling locations have been closed.
Mel Flitter
Somerton
The police need support
Citizen Podgorski’s “What defunding the police means” letter (July 29) contends it isn’t enough law enforcement risks life and limb (Highway Patrolman Andy Chan seriously injured in January 2019), taxpayers ought have the right to break officers financially in civil suits.
His referenced doctrine of qualified immunity was put in place since no right-minded recruit would want a job protecting a vindictive populace out to take away his/her home.
A strange law in Alaska allows citizens to sue the governor for any reason, any amount. The governor is obliged to use personal, not taxpayer, funds in defense. One woman sued Sarah Palin 11 times. Reporters asked why. She shrugged, “I just don’t like her.”
Last August, Maurice Hill allegedly sprayed a hundred rounds into his 15th and Erie neighborhood from an AR-15 assault rifle. Police rescued 80 children from a nearby daycare. Six officers were wounded during the seven-hour standoff. SEPTA’s special operations response team sent buses to provide cooling stations while sheltering children and adults escorted from harm. The story captured international headlines.
Less than an hour after Mr. Hill’s arrest, a video went viral showing a community shoving, screaming at, antagonizing and physically assaulting police officers. Despite the alleged shooter’s lengthy criminal record, a rally was planned to support this modern-day Robin Hood, a hero defending his people from the PPD.
We remain far safer with a few out-of-control police than a full-bore, out-of-control criminal element, their misdeeds cosseted by rampaging neighbors. Bad officers face Internal Affairs, the media — advantaged by Citizen Podgorski, whose opinions are judiciously protected by our First Amendment — elected officials, even modest community standards of established conduct.
But with a weakened, demoralized police force, who ya gonna call when bad guys are on a ladder, smashing your bedroom window? A 24-hour glass installer? You’ll pray to hear approaching sirens.
Jerry Briggs
Mayfair
