Letters to the Editor: Dec. 12, 2021
Moms for Liberty should focus on being role models for their children
Based upon several articles, the genesis of Moms for Liberty is a response from disgruntled former school board members. Moms should be role models for their children and not disgruntled parents.
As Moms for Liberty fights to remove “pornographic” books from schools’ libraries throughout the nation, including Indian River County, I wonder if they will take their children’s cell phones away. That is the more significant threat. Children learn more garbage from the internet (via smartphones) than from approved books that allow children the freedom to learn about life through the teacher’s discussion on the book or having the student write their pros or cons about the book.
Remember, according to authorities, the 15-year-old Michigan school shooter was seen by a teacher searching ammunition on the internet via his phone. Remember his mom’s response by text, “LOL, I’m not mad; next time, try not to get caught.” Then he went on to kill four students and wound six students and a teacher.
My advice to Moms for Liberty is to start at home, teaching your child about the effects of good versus evil, love versus hatred, compassion versus selfishness. And, if your child loses a race, whether it is class president, valedictorian of the class, becoming a cheerleader or making the first team in the sport they are playing, don’t get even by getting others to join your cause because they did not win. But tell them to evaluate their strength and weaknesses and try again.
Valerie Brant-Wilson, Vero Beach
Florida teachers shouldn’t be paid so much less than those in other states
If any of Florida’s teachers saw the news item about teacher salaries in Louisiana and other states, they should all be writing about where they are.
For years they’ve been told, repeatedly, raises are coming. For years they’ve been forgotten. Getting a bonus is not a raise, even if they were to get it yearly. My niece, a first-grade teacher, for 10 years, doesn’t make $45,000, while last year Louisiana. teachers made $51,566 on average. Seeing the national average salaries, not to mention the southern averages of $55,205 is another slap in our teachers’ faces.
It’s a good thing benefits weren’t mentioned. Most Floridians don’t know our teachers, who are government employees, must pay for their health insurance and their pensions. People should know that many government employees will not collect a full Social Security benefit, because they were government employees.
People should talk with teachers. Please reach out to them. During COVID-19 home schooling everyone got a glimpse of teachers’ days but you couldn’t see everything. Meeting the children at buses, getting them to breakfast & lunch, then back on the buses. How many hours a day do teachers put in? Know your teachers, back your teachers or face the fact that one day you may not have your teachers.
Carol Cardinale, Port St. Lucie
Remembering a December day 80 years ago
On that day 80 years ago, I was 5 years old and at my grandfather’s for Sunday lunch. The attack occurred at 7:55 a.m. Hawaiian local time and it was 12:55 p.m. Eastern Time. We were listening to the radio and the news was broadcast at 2 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.
According to President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, addressing Congress the next day to ask for a declaration of war, December 7, 1941, was “A date that will live in infamy.”
As have so many other dates since then.
Nicholas Gravino, Palm City
Angry people are not persuasive advocates for their cause
As I participate in Indian River County events (parades and festivals) representing the Democratic Party of Indian River, I am confronted by some very angry people. They will often approach our booth with messages on their apparel that they think we should know about.
They often do not think we can read, so they shout out the message. In many cases these messages include verbal profanity or profane hand gestures.
I will not say what political party they might be with, but they are obviously not Democrats. This display of anger is very upsetting. They have no interest in anything other than disrupting our freedom and creating a scene just to make total fools of themselves.
Our fear is, of course, that they may be armed and may resort to more aggressive behavior other than just hollering obscenities. Why they feel that their cause or political view is better expressed by approaching us and aggressively threatening us by their actions is something that must be addressed by their fellow believers.
We cannot continue to bully everyone who does not agree with us. The promotion of autocracy by a showing of autocratic behavior is not the answer to a vibrant and growing democracy that should include everyone.
Larry G. Zick, Vero Beach
President Biden has our country’s best interests at heart
I am tired of the constant complaining about the Biden administration within these pages. As a country, we endured four chaotic years under Donald Trump. Now you can endure four years under a responsible adult president who has our country’s best interests at heart. Man-up and stop the bellyaching.
Cam Cornish, Fort Pierce
