EOG proctor: Students deserved better than what I saw this year | Opinion
I served as proctor at one of the CMS elementary schools that experienced a technical failure during End of Grade exams. The school hallway was decorated with motivational posters, the principal and teachers led morning cheers with positive affirmation, the students were ready. Then, more than half of the students were unable to log on or were kicked off the testing site.
It was terribly disheartening to see all this hard work crash due to what the NCDPI is calling a localized issue. This year, each student had to enter a unique access code to begin testing. They spent two hours trying to do so. I’m no computer geek, but having thousands of students trying to enter individual access codes at the same time sounds like system crash waiting to happen.
The principal and teachers were extremely professional. The students will keep trying their best to take the test. If they are going to be forced to use computers for testing, the system should work. They deserve better from us.
Mary Gaertner, Charlotte
Distracted Driving
Every day, about nine people in the U.S. die due to distracted driving. Many of these tragedies are preventable.
As a student at North Mecklenburg High School and a participant in the NCAST Teen Safe Driving Ambassador Program, I’ve learned how serious this issue is. Distracted driving causes nearly one in five crashes and is often underreported. In North Carolina, at least 17% of crashes involve distraction.
Teen drivers are especially at risk. Each year, nearly 11,000 teens in our state are injured in crashes, and more than 100 lose their lives. NCAST empowers students like me to speak up. It may feel uncomfortable to ask someone to put their phone down or buckle up, but it can save lives.
I urge support for Senate Bill 797, the Hands-Free NC Act, to make our roads safer. Safe driving starts with us.
Selah Miller, North Mecklenburg High School
How to celebrate 250
When most musicians dropped out of a 250th anniversary celebration due to its political polarization, President Trump decided he should be the headliner, which will only please the decreasing minority of Americans who think he is doing a good job.
Here is an idea. Let’s have a bipartisan or non-partisan celebration that includes all Americans. Our country was founded on the premise that all men are created equal, not just those of one party.
Vincent Keipper, Concord
Iran conflict is justified
Trump needs to be honest and address the Iran conflict in relation to inflation. The message is clear: gas and food prices will remain elevated for a while. While this will cause some hardship, the sacrifice is justified. We cannot permit Iran to acquire a nuclear weapon. Trump should also highlight that the inflation experienced during the previous administration was largely self-inflicted and lacked any benefits, as it resulted from distributing free money without a corresponding revenue stream.
Mike Howard, Marvin
Ticketmaster
Concert ticket prices are outrageous and ridiculous. Primarily it is because of the Ticketmaster/Live Nation monopoly.
Recently Thomas Goolsby wrote an excellent article on the jury trial win that the attorneys general obtained against Ticketmaster and were going to break up the monopoly.
Not so fast. Locally our North Carolina legislature might pass Senate Bill ( SB 849). This gives Ticketmaster a pass but it does correct the scrapers or resellers of tickets. We will still be paying outrageous and ridiculous prices for concerts.
Randall Lemly, Charlotte
Something is wrong here
Scores of social media posts in a single day, many in the early hours when stable people sleep. Depictions of yourself as Jesus. Posting photos of yourself riding with George Washington and AI pictures of your own face on Mt. Rushmore. Claiming to be a genius and that you’re a better president than Abraham Lincoln. Putting your own name and picture on many buildings in our nation’s capital city. Naming agencies after yourself.
Almost none of you are psychiatrists. Neither am I. Neither are the vast majority of our legislators. Still, all of us know there’s something deeply wrong here.
Joel Miller, Hickory
Finding peace
The author is a chaplain at Hankins & Whittington Funeral Home in Charlotte.
Every day we experience loss in our beloved city of Charlotte. Some losses are private, shared only among family and friends, while others, like the recent loss of NASCAR’s Kyle Busch, make headlines and affect entire communities.
All loss leaves empty space in our hearts. The question is, what do we do with it?
Many try to fill it with distractions, relationships, work or by simply trying to be strong. Yet Romans 5:5 reminds us that God’s love is poured into our hearts. His love isn’t distant; it meets us in the middle of it.
Distractions may numb pain, but they cannot heal it. Comfort, strength and hope come through the support of others, our faith and our resilience. Peace does not remove pain; it reminds us we are not alone. I pray your pain draws you closer and brings peace on difficult days.
Joseph Immordino, Charlotte
