Letters to the Editor: Leave snow days for snow play; the authenticity of Joe B. Hall

Save snow days

Due to a recent policy change to hold online learning (otherwise known as NTI) on snow days, Fayette County Public Schools recently sent my kindergartner home with a Chromebook. In my view, at the primary grade levels, this is child abuse.

Think of the joy of snow days as a kid. Don’t dismiss that so easily. Children lose precious moments of childhood, stuck staring at a screen while they just want to go play in the snow. For teachers, those snow days are valuable to catch up on class prep or grading. Then you have the mental health aspect of an unexpected but relaxing work day to get things done. Remember also the low value that NTI actually confers. If you look at the poor learning that occurred during the pandemic, it’s clear NTI is a poor substitute for in-school instruction. Lastly, you’re forcing teachers to put lessons online at a moment’s notice; this policy is likely to also lead to decreased instruction quality.

While it makes sense to have the ability to do NTI on snow days, overall this is a net loss for staff and students.

Let the kids have their snow days, but if they become too prevalent, consider NTI a poor substitute for a calendar extension.

Barry Saturday, Lexington

Hall an original

This letter is for all the people reading it and for everyone else who loves Joe B. Hall; and especially for those whose loss is the greatest: the people who never knew him. Coach Hall was real. There was nothing phony about Coach Hall. In this day and age in sports and anything in life, knowing exactly what you’re getting is almost impossible. That’s what he was. He was almost impossible, because you knew exactly what you were getting. Joe B. will pierce my consciousness every day and as the years pass its clarity will only increase. As the sitcom stated, “Everybody Loves Raymond;” but not as much as I love Joe Hall. I refuse to say goodbye to Joe, so I will simply say— I will miss him and do the best I can until the time comes when we meet again. I love him beyond all telling of it and I always will. Thank you, Joe, for being a wonderful part of my life. But more importantly, thanks for being a dear, dear friend.

Jack H. Taylor, Lexington

What a joke

Tres Watson’s recent opinion piece is a hoot. He confirms that the Republican legislature isn’t going to work with Gov. Andy Beshear no matter what, while berating the governor for not working with them. The Republican leadership has made it clear that they will not visit the governor for anything. They have also made it clear that he should come to them on bended knee, better yet, groveling. They wouldn’t want to miss a chance to kick him if he’s down.

Another story spoke about House Bills 14 and 18. Republicans have berated Democrats for being woke. Now, it’s the Republicans who are afraid that someone might feel bad. Who’s woke now?

I wonder if I will ever again be able to say I’m a Republican without feeling ashamed. We need to elect people who actually care about all others, them as well as us. If our Republican legislators are Christians, you’d never know it by their public words and actions.

Glenna Brouse, Lexington

‘Divisive differences’

Many of us wonder how Kentucky’s urban regions got so profoundly estranged from our rural and ex-urban regions. Once upon a time our cities and counties voted together and usually for Democratic candidates. But in recent years, it appears both our state parties have just mirrored their respective national parties. So, we’ve gone from two parties that were somewhat different in a lot of ways to parties that are widely different in a few divisive ways.

Those divisive differences gave Kentucky Republicans the allegiance of our rural and ex-urban counties. As we know, that amounts to a big geographical advantage for them. This advantage permits the Republicans to run campaigns aimed at voters well to the right of political opinion while leaving a much harder task to the other party. Nowadays, Democrats don’t just need to appeal to those in the middle and the left. They need to persuade some on the right to switch sides.

Tom Louderback, Louisville