Letters: Do your research before school board vote; MAGA Republicans show disregard for life

Editor’s note: The CDT welcomes letters endorsing candidates in the May 16 primary election and will accept letters that are received by May 11.

Do your research before school board vote

I never thought I’d say this but public education is under attack throughout the United States. Pennsylvania is no exception. Attend presentations by candidates for your school board and ask them lots of questions. Get them off their talking points. Ask them:

• Who should decide the content of a course?
• Who should pick the books for the school library?
• Should public money be given to private schools?
• How would you want our teachers to teach critical thinking skills?
• Should all students have equal access?
• What does your future for our schools look like?
• What are your views on STEM?

Before you vote, do your research.

MAGA Republicans show disregard for life

It boggles the mind to watch the activities of MAGA Republicans in the U.S. Congress and state legislatures. Every day news reports document their efforts to pass laws that jeopardize our health and safety.

Limits on reproductive rights are leading to dire consequences. Researchers have found that a nationwide abortion ban, which a growing number of policymakers now support, would cause a 24% rise in maternal deaths. Laws have been passed, or are on the verge of passing, that make abortion illegal in most circumstances. Exceptions for rape or incest require documentation. In some cases, women will be punished with long prison sentences. The lives of fetuses receive the same priority as the lives of pregnant women.

Meanwhile guns are becoming easier to acquire, carry and use. The U.S. already has the highest rate of gun deaths — orders of magnitude higher than gun deaths in other countries. The right to bear arms should not mean the right to jeopardize the mental and physical well-being of others.

The majority of Americans recognize that respect for life means both access to reproductive care and sensible gun restrictions. It’s not hard to make the case that Republicans only support certain freedoms.

If they truly care about life after birth, their actions and priorities certainly don’t show it.

Reelecting Pope important for PSU’s future

Studying at Penn State launched my career as a chaired business professor and the careers of half a dozen family members.

Affordability was key — as people of modest means, we could pay reasonable tuition without amassing huge debts.

I worry that the next generation of Pennsylvanians will not have this opportunity. That is why I am supporting Dr. Alice Pope’s candidacy for the board of trustees.

As a recipient of three Penn State degrees, Dr. Pope understands how important affordability is to students.

Dr. Pope has consistently lobbied her colleagues to hold the line on tuition throughout her tenure as a trustee.

Reelecting her to this important decision-making group is a way that alumni can help ensure that future students have the same opportunities we enjoyed.

Students taking a stand

Hats off and thank you to the students from State High and across the country for standing up to protest school gun violence. Too bad their Republican representatives don’t share their concern.

As noted in recent Centre Daily Times reporting there have been 377 school shootings since 1999, with 74 people injured or killed by guns in U.S. schools in 2023 alone. Apparently, Republicans think this is perfectly acceptable. The students and most of us certainly do not.

The CDT also stated that the students handed out information on how to contact our Democratic Senators Bob Casey and John Fetterman about gun violence. While this is important, it’s the Republican representatives and senators in Harrisburg and Washington who don’t have the spine and vision to make the changes we need.

Locally, students and other concerned citizens should bombard state Rep. Kerry Benninghoff (814-355-1300), state Sen. Cris Dush (717-787-7084) and Congressman Glenn Thompson (814-353-0215) to ask them why they can’t be bothered to work for effective gun legislation. Why do they think unfettered access to guns is more important than the lives of students and all of us.

The students will soon vote. Let’s hope they continue their good work in civic engagement and join in voting the Republicans complicit in our national disgrace of gun violence right out of office.