Letters
Letters to the editor
Highlands Today
Published: January 10, 2013
Bankrupt nationPublished: January 10, 2013
It has been two months since the election and even though Barack Obama won the election, I was hoping for some sign of reconciliation between Congress and the president. Yes, there was agreement to save the country from falling over the "fiscal cliff," but nothing to reduce the debt or stimulate business. What was done was pushing the needed action down the road.
Nothing has changed and now we are going to suffer for the next four years as Obama, who is not a leader, just an arrogant socialist, will drive this country away from the American dream toward the Greek bankrupt state.
Jim Vokes
Avon Park
School security measures
On Jan. 7, Mr. Stump's letter appeared in the Highlands Today titled, "What about safety." Part of Mr. Stump's letter was critical of a letter I wrote that appeared in Highlands Today on Jan. 3. The Highlands Today titled my letter, "School door locks" but perhaps my letter should have been titled, "School classroom door entry locks."
The second sentence of my letter states, "At a very low cost, all classroom doors could be locked on the outside with entry gained only after the teacher presses a button on his or her desk." This clearly states I am referring to entering the classroom and not exiting the classroom. The classroom door could be equipped with the standard release bar for exiting a locked entrance door. The electrical circuit to the door lock and teacher's desk could be 24-volts, which is the same as doorbell voltage, and could not hurt anyone.
The Sandy Hook school killer with his mother's guns gained access to the school undetected through a hallway window. The hallway windows could have been connected to a low-voltage security system throughout the building, which would have not only sounded a loud alarm but also alerted the police, giving them the exact location in the building where the security code had been broken.
If the Sandy Hook school would have been equipped with the above two security measures, I am sure the Sandy Hook school massacre would not have occurred.
LeRoy Esler
Sebring
Teacher issues
Seriously? You really need more time off to prepare? Teachers just had almost two weeks off for Christmas and New Year's, followed by a teachers prep day on Monday. Now they need a half day Thursday? For what? When do you plan on teaching my child anything? Or is that what you are teaching? Do the least you can for the most money you can get. Great lesson!
The Highlands County School Board is pathetic. Whatever happened to teachers that we used to admire for their passion and champion for because of the low pay and long hours? What a scam. I did the math and teachers in Highlands County make an average of $38,000 a year and get the equivalent of 17 weeks of vacation. Oh, did I forget to mention a six-hour work day? I no longer look up to teachers after living in this county. They appear to be on the take just like the rest of this country.
Larry McLain
Sebring