Letters to the Editor do not reflect the opinions of The Reporter, its publisher or its staff. You can submit your own Letter to the Editor by email to News@ReadTheReporter.com.
Dear Editor,
I’ve read several published letters recently attacking Senate Bill 167 and our State Senator Scott Baldwin.
The attacks have come from Democrat State Senator Ford who states he’s concerned this bill represents “egregious government over-reach into our children’s lives.” That’s rich given what the Democrat Administration is doing nationally, naming concerned parents “Domestic Terrorists.”
Then there’s a column from a concerned teacher progressively saying that with passage of this bill he will no longer be able to teach Nazis were bad. Ah yes, the left’s obligatory Nazi reference to anything with which they disagree! I wonder if he’s ever taught the actual party name of the Nazis: the National Socialist German Workers Party? I can’t imagine why he doesn’t seem to have a concern about teaching that socialism and communism are bad.
Then there’s the letter from a New York resident Ken Williams criticizing Senator Baldwin! Really? Of course progressives can’t disagree with a political opponent without a personal and condescending insult for all of Senator Baldwin’s GOP constituents. Mr. Williams accuses Senator Baldwin of “appeal to a simple-minded political base.” I’m from Buffalo, N.Y., and I can assure you Mr. Williams has many more important problems to be concerned with in his state, starting with people are moving out!
State Senator Ford says this legislation is a “solution looking for a problem.” As long as we’re busy exercising old aphorisms, how about “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”? I would think the governor and legislators on both sides of the aisle would not want to see Indiana secondary education slide into the nightmare of other states like Virginia!
I hear politicians say schools shouldn’t be political. Well, here’s a news flash – that ship has already sailed. Everything is political today, from our jobs, and many of our houses of worship, to the virus we are all fighting. Until that changes, I believe we need to get realistic and deal with it! I believe most Hoosiers, like most Virginians, want our children taught, not indoctrinated with leftist dogma, and we all know the difference.
So, Democrat State Senator Ford says, “we should instead focus on actually helping our students,” and he says he’s concerned with the children’s mental health crisis. Okay good, how about we start by saying it’s unacceptable for any school in this state to send a child home crying about their race, having been “taught” that they are irredeemable oppressors and racist because of their skin color?! Why don’t we agree that this is unacceptable, a seemingly small step? It seems to me that is what Senate Bill 167 intends to immortalize for Indiana.
While legislators are debating Senate Bill 167, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day is Jan. 17. Maybe a good faith proclamation for Indiana is in order to reaffirm his principles including in his “I Have A Dream” speech – judging a person by the content of their character, not the color of their skin. I suggest that in 2022 these words should apply for everyone.
Finally, I completely agree with State Attorney General Todd Rokita’s support of a Parents Bill of Rights regarding school material, and what their children are taught. Also, I believe AG Rokita is supporting an order that school board candidates must disclose their party affiliation. The Democrats, of course, are against this order. But what’s happening in our country should be a wake-up call for Indiana voters. We voters, especially parents, need to take these elected positions more seriously.
We should make no mistake; leftist activists want to win these elections. While parents objecting at school board meetings should be a right, real change will only come at the ballot box.
November is critically important! Parents, get involved and know who you are voting for! Our goal should be there are as many votes for school board positions as there are for mayor! Unachievable? I say, why not?
George Hodgson
Noblesville