If you want someone to blame for the demise of NC public schools, I pick Sen. Berger | Opinion

Senator Berger

The writer is a former Raleigh City Council member.

Given recent coverage of our public schools, including articles about the Leandro case and private school vouchers, I suggest the following epitaph for the tombstone of Republican Senate leader Phil Berger: Here lies Phil Berger who killed the public schools of North Carolina.

Barlow Herget, Raleigh

School vouchers

North Carolina is now doling out millions of our tax dollars to any parent, no matter how wealthy, to pay private school tuition. The Opportunity Scholarship program will take millions annually from the public schools, funds that could greatly improve public education and provide the choices some parents are demanding.

It will also remove thousands of involved, dedicated parents from public schools at a time when they can make a huge difference in the quality of a school. And, the parents who receive these private school vouchers are less likely to vote for public school bonds and taxes, further dragging things down.

The GOP’s war against public education reminds me of a person who puts sugar in a car’s gas tank and then complains that it does not run well.

Peter Aitken, Chapel Hill

Lessons in logic

I have no qualms with private schools. What does bother me is seeing our hard-earned tax dollars being given to wealthy families for the purpose of attending private schools. State legislators who say that “competition” will make the public schools better, and by that they mean siphoning off public school funding, might benefit from a course in logic — available at one of our state universities.

Amy Womble, Raleigh

Raleigh council

The writer is a member of Voices for Justice in Palestine.

On Feb. 6. Raleigh Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin issued a statement saying the Raleigh City Council will not consider a resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza, in part because they do not have a consensus on the issue. Since when is consensus a requirement? The council decides many issues without consensus. That’s why they vote. Hundreds of constituents have packed council meetings telling them this is an important issue for our community. So they should vote. It’s their job. They need to do their job and vote on a ceasefire resolution.

Jim Rice, Raleigh

Mike Causey

Regarding “Mike Causey’s ‘misclassified’ driver billed NC nearly $14,000 for trips, records say,” (Feb. 20):

I commend the N&O for continuing to hold local “leaders” accountable for their actions. Without local media, too many people like N.C. Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey would get away with misappropriating public funds. Causey is clearly unethical. His actions reek of the gilded age of politics — enriching his cronies and doing nothing to improve the organization he’s supposedly leading. He should be removed from his office immediately. Please continue the great local investigatory work.

Mike Mills, Wake Forest

Aid to Ukraine

A Feb. 18 Forum letter, faulted Sen. Thom Tillis’ support of Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, saying “We must get our own border in order before sending money to help others.”

That ignores the danger Putin’s Russia poses to the free world, and suggests that we can only address one problem at a time.

This kind of thinking is myopic and not worthy of a nation as great as the United States.

Robert G. Harrison, Durham

Sen. Budd

We face another pending government shutdown due to lack of action by Congress. We are leaving an ally hanging by not helping arm them while an aggressor tries to take their land. We have a “border crisis” in need of action, but Republicans in the Senate are delaying action on a bipartisan bill passed by the House.

So what does our esteemed Sen. Ted Budd say the Senate needs to spend its valuable time on immediately? The political theater of Secretary Mayorkas’ impeachment. Budd and his like colleagues can try to ignore the fact that a bipartisan bill passed by the House would help solve the “border crisis,” but their hypocrisy is apparent.

Once again, I’m embarrassed by one of our senators.

Tim Miller, Raleigh

This story was originally published February 25, 2024 at 5:30 AM with the headline "If you want someone to blame for the demise of NC public schools, I pick Sen. Berger | Opinion."