Fire at local high school points to a much bigger problem with U.S. education system | Opinion

We all suffer

The article “Juvenile charged with arson…” may shock some; however, as an educator, I can’t claim shock.

While the reason behind the act wasn’t reported, speculations will be made, including my own. The hard push on teachers to focus instruction on test scores leaves administrators stressed, teachers burned out, children bored out of their minds and parents feeling helpless.

If I had to guess, I might think that boredom and general negative feelings toward the school system are likely at the root of the “why.”

The reality is that students are much more than any test score or standards mastery. Any teacher will likely tell you that these things don’t really capture a comprehensive look at a student.

The reduction of students and teachers to numbers on sheets of paper is stunting the growth that we are all capable of in our minds and hearts, especially so for disadvantaged children.

This system fails to recognize what children need as individuals to grow and removes the quality of being human from education.

When we miss the mark this badly, we all suffer.

Jessica Cantley, Coward

Arm teachers

Recent reporting about the tragic shooting in Nashville trumpets the quick reaction of the Nashville Police Department.

Left unsaid in articles I’ve read is that the principal, who was killed, was allegedly unarmed. Other reporting also indicates the principal had some form of contact with the shooter prior to the principal being shot herself.

Yes, the Nashville police arrived on the scene quickly and have been repeatedly lauded for, unlike in Uvalde, conducting a textbook operation when they located the shooter and shot her. Sadly, however, it appears the killings by the shooter took place before or just as the police arrived.

I have to wonder if the school’s principal had had a weapon and had been trained in how to use it, could she have stopped the killing before it started, thereby saving her life and the other five lives that were lost?

Roger Elmore, Beaufort

Well run race

Note: Lourie was a member of the S.C. State Senate from 2004-2016, and the S.C. House of Representatives from 1998 to 2004.

I live in the district where the most recent City Council election was held between Beatrice King and Peter Brown.

It was refreshing to see two very qualified candidates, both of whom I know and respect, compete for this race without saying anything negative about each other. They ran on their record and vision for the future, and as I told many people during the weeks that led up to the election, you could not go wrong by voting for either of them.

I am not so naïve as to think that all campaigns in the future will be run this way, but this race was a nice break from the negativity that exists in politics today.

I am sure the voters join me in thanking Ms. King and Mr. Brown for the way they conducted themselves.

Joel Lourie, Columbia

Grow up Lindsey

Lindsey Graham needs to stop crying on national television. It’s so Lindsey, though.

He adores being in the spotlight.

He tweeted the following: “On the way to the DA’s office on Tuesday, Trump should smash windows, rob a few shops, and punch a cop. He would be released immediately!”

Way to incite violence again, Lindsey.

The truth of the matter is he’s afraid of what’s going to happen to him in the Georgia case.

Ronald Anderson, Winnsboro

New conservatism?

The article about U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace, R-SC, in Thursday’s State was encouraging, but she was a bit too careful when objecting to the South Carolina politician’s proposal to execute women for having abortions.

Whether it’s a brutal Taliban-type religion or a sick fascination with women’s reproductive organs that inspires such a horror, a woman shouldn’t be attacked because some man has a belief (unproven and unprovable) that a fertilized egg is a human being.

Anyone is allowed to believe what they like in the USA as long as they don’t attack (and punish) other people who believe differently.

I happen to believe that if a spirit wants to be born, it will find its way to the right mother. I also believe putting a gun to a woman’s head just because there is an undesired part of her body that she wishes to remove is insane.

Is that what they call “conservative” now?

Carol Robinson, West Columbia