NC senators won’t tell me how much support they received for Judge Jackson. Why not?

NC senators

I am a registered unaffiliated voter concerned about transparency in the offices of Sens. Richard Burr and Thom Tillis.

I called both offices to register my support for Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson. I asked for a summary regarding the number of calls received “for” or “against” her nomination. I was advised that their policy was to not release that data.

I did not ask for names, just numbers. Something stinks here. Transparency? Or keep constituents in the dark?

We taxpayers deserve to know the public feedback that both senators have received regarding Jackson’s nomination.

Nancy W. Shannon, Fleetwood

Teacher grades

Dump teacher ratings and reward improvement. Get rid of teacher grades. Pay for experience. Focus on teacher improvements identified by self, peers, administration, as well as students and parents.

We want better teachers, so invest in specific customized ways they can become more valuable to their students.

Forget about numerical administration evaluations and ratings, which frequently reward compliance rather than raising uncomfortable issues for overall improvement.

Recognize that time is a limited resource and beware of tasks with little actual benefit. Schedule time for development that improves teacher performance and student outcomes.

Tom E. Bowers, Charlotte

Clear backpacks

Regarding “After cancer warnings, future of CMS’ clear backpack initiative remains uncertain,” (April 6):

It is clear to me that $400,000-plus spent on clear backpacks is a waste of money. These backpacks may present a health hazard, and clearly any items in the backpack that the user doesn’t want revealed can be blocked from view. What’s next — clear pockets?

Ed Barnes, Charlotte

Electric vehicles

On electric vehicles, President Biden is putting the cart before the horse. Most people won’t buy electric cars until there are enough charging stations built to charge them.

Biden needs to approach this in a more practical manner. He should reinstate the Keystone XL Pipeline, ramp up domestic oil production, and bring down gas prices to pre-COVID levels.

Then, he could begin to install the hundreds of thousands of electric charging stations needed nationwide and begin installing the millions of windmills that will be needed to produce the enormous amount of electricity required to run the charging stations. That is when electric cars will begin to sell.

Sheila W. Evans, Charlotte

Ukraine’s survival

It has been six weeks since Putin invaded Ukraine. His goal is to annihilate Ukraine.

In 36 days of war, Putin’s military destroyed some 23 hospitals, 330 schools, and 27 cultural buildings, including Babyn Yar, a Holocaust memorial site.

He bombed a maternity hospital in Mariupol, maiming and killing babies and pregnant women. His soldiers shot Ukrainians standing in line to buy bread. Over 2 million Ukrainian children are now refugees.

I shudder to think of what atrocities would befall the Ukrainian people if the world stops paying attention. As Americans who value freedom and democracy, we have an extraordinary responsibility to stay engaged. No matter how long this horrible war lasts, we must pay attention. Ukraine’s survival depends on it.

Stacy Brink, Charlotte

Where is Churchill?

President Zelensky, who is the most courageous man on the planet, is correct in saying that NATO and some allies have failed Ukraine.

The fear of war has paralyzed the West, sanctions have not deterred Putin, and Russian soldiers are killing people, raping women in front of their children, kidnapping women and children to Russia, and executing Ukrainians of all ages — in the most savage way.

Where is the Geneva Convention? Who is defending these men and women?

Sadly, the West does not have a Winston Churchill in this century, a leader who had no fear and confronted the killer with courage and the unity of his people and of the whole free world.

Marita Lentz, Charlotte