It’ll take more than a letter from the mayor to curb juvenile crime in Charlotte | Opinion

Juvenile crime

Regarding “Mayor calls gun violence ‘epidemic’ in a letter to youth,” (March 25):

At the urging of Mecklenburg County’s sheriff, the Mecklenburg County commissioners agreed to close the Juvenile Detention Center in late 2022. Now, more juveniles accused of crimes are released back into the community, and we are seeing what Charlotte’s police chief described as “a wave of juvenile crime fueled by a system of catch and release.”

A letter from the mayor will not help the problem. Reopening the Juvenile Detention Center will. Incarcerating juvenile offenders and prosecuting them would be far better than a letter to our youth.

Tim Shinn, Charlotte

GOP and schools

The writer is a CMS teacher and occasional Observer columnist.

Republican leaders in North Carolina are continuing their decade-plus trend of dismantling the public schools that form the foundation of our communities.

In the past year they’ve tripled funding for school vouchers — the vast majority of which go to private schools — and had the new GOP-majority state Supreme Court rehear the Leandro case in hopes of removing the legislature’s legal obligation to adequately fund schools.

Add these to a long laundry list of anti-public school policies enacted since Republicans took power in 2010, making it even harder for public schools to provide students the education they deserve.

It has taken years for us to get into this mess, and will take time to get out. Electing Democrats who believe in enforcing the Leandro settlement rather than trying to erase it would be a good start.

Justin Parmenter, Charlotte

Biden’s priorities

Regarding “4 presidents, 2 events and a preview of campaign clashes to come,” (March 29) and related articles:

As with other bad choices President Biden has made since 2020, spending time with former Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton in New York City Thursday at a fundraiser was a failure.

Instead of making time to honor murdered NYPD officer Jonathan Diller at his funeral about 40 miles away, Biden chose to party with celebrities and the elite donors to raise $25 million for his campaign.

His priorities are in full view.

Floyd Prophet, Kannapolis

Trump Bibles

Bibles, really? Donald Trump is now endorsing a $60 Bible and getting royalties from the sales. It’s likely he’ll use some of that to pay his legal bills. This man’s grift has no end.

I just wonder how long he can be this ridiculous and be taken seriously by the Republican Party? I am starting to believe they have no limit. I can’t wait to see Sen. Ted Cruz wearing gold Trump high-tops and praying over a Trump Bible!

Benjamin J. Harris, Charlotte

High food prices

Yesterday’s prices are certainly not today’s prices when it comes to buying groceries in 2024. While inflation has fallen in some areas, food prices have remained high, causing tighter budgets, especially for those I know who participate in food entitlement programs.

A new farm bill is crucial to food security. Seventy-five percent of the bill goes toward entitlement programs that help individuals, families and seniors get healthy food, with the SNAP program accounting for the largest share.

Last November, Congress passed a one-year extension of the farm bill. It expires Sept. 30, 2024. September is just months away, and for many people, food security fades with each passing month. Battles over the bill have begun. I urge North Carolina’s representatives and senators in Congress to support a new farm bill. The time to act is now.

Corrine Johnson, Charlotte

No moon trips?

A March 24 Forum writer said we shouldn’t spend on trips to the moon or Mars, and should focus on “this planet.” While I can appreciate his sentiment, he doesn’t know what progress and improvements will be made possible by pushing our collective selves forward. Many things we take for granted today are results of endeavors to explore the new world, the deepest rain forests, under the sea, and our solar system. Who knows, maybe in our children’s lifetime we’ll be living on one of those neighboring bodies.

Charles Fortanbary, Charlotte