I’m a veteran NC teacher, and I’m done with the disrespect | Opinion
When I was 16, my best friend’s mother gave me advice I never forgot: “If they’ll do it for you, they’ll do it to you.” Today, that advice perfectly describes how North Carolina treats teachers.
As a veteran teacher, I have watched the state freeze pay, remove longevity pay, increase insurance costs, and ask experienced educators to mentor, lead initiatives, and do more with less. Now lawmakers propose larger raises for newer teachers while veteran teachers receive minimal increases.
New teachers may feel valued today, but eventually the same system will undervalue them too. This is not about supporting educators; it is about cutting long-term costs while relying on teachers’ dedication to keep schools functioning.
I earned my degree, built my career, and devoted decades to this profession. Now, like many veteran teachers, I am dusting off my résumé and preparing to leave.
Jennifer Kusherman, Monroe
Trump and mothers
Coinciding with Mother’s Day, the Trump Administration launched a new website, Moms.gov, which packages resources to expectant women and their families. It includes information on breastfeeding, mental health, health centers, nutrition facts, and adoption, as well as information about Trump’s accounts for babies.
What it doesn’t include is anything about how the millions of people who have lost their healthcare can get coverage, nor does it include anything about the many actions that Republicans are taking to deny Americans birth control and family planning, as well as key resources like WIC that pregnant women and toddlers need to survive past infancy.
Information is helpful. Healthcare and food assistance are even more helpful.
Jean Busby, Charlotte
Healthcare shortage
North Carolina faces a growing healthcare worker shortage, particularly in rural areas with aging populations. Many patients must travel long distances or endure extended wait times for care, leading some to delay treatment until conditions become severe.
Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs), including nurse practitioners, nurse anesthetists, and certified nurse midwives, help meet this need through advanced education and specialized training. However, North Carolina law still requires physician supervision, limiting APRNs from practicing to the full extent of their education. The proposed NC SAVE Act would grant full practice authority, improving access to safe, timely care in underserved communities.
Evidence from other states shows APRNs provide comparable outcomes to physician-supervised care while improving access and reducing costs. Facilities could still choose physician-supervised models if desired. Restricting fully qualified APRNs only worsens existing healthcare disparities across North Carolina.
Ilia Ortiz, Winston-Salem
Off message
President Trump has bragged about his acing the Montreal Cognitive test several times. One would think that this quality of genius would make him more aware of how to speak with children in an age appropriate manner. Last week there was a ceremony to make America healthy again (aka the physical fitness award) for school-age children by reinstating the program. The elementary age audience was there to hear the news. The president took two minutes to speak about the plan, and then he pivoted to the war in Iran and nuclear weapons.
As an educator, I am very aware of age appropriate material and ways to share information. Of course, the non-verbal behavior of the students suggested they were not interested or aware of where he was going with this Make America Healthy Again approach. As Mr. Trump’s cognitive test scorer, his marks are not A, but an F.
Michael Cox, Charlotte
Going backward on energy
Gas prices are soaring, grocery bills are astronomical, and now our regressive government is taking steps that will raise household energy costs. By refusing to address our aging, underfunded electric grid by investing in clean energy, leaders are creating a future of higher bills and unreliable power.
Wind and solar energy offer affordable, reliable, American-made energy solutions. Instead of investing in these industries, billions in taxpayer dollars are being used to pay developers to abandon wind projects while discouraging solar growth and costing American jobs. As the rest of the world moves toward energy independence and modern infrastructure, we are being dragged backward both figuratively and literally into the dark ages.
Sandra O’Neill, Cornelius
Virginia Foxx
Virginia Foxx has the sensitivity of a dull axe and should not be allowed near a 10-year-old who is concerned about the ecological crisis facing the earth. Foxx should reexamine her own views on critical issues. She has been indoctrinated by Trump, who opposes environmental strategies that will hopefully make the earth a safer place for humans and all living organisms. Many of his cabinet members share his backward and dangerous views on scientific issues.
Thomas K. Spence, Jr., Sanford