Enough of extremism from political right and left
Rightly or wrongly, there may be a case for runaway liberalism. Many conservatives, already ill at ease with the changes to their traditional way of things, may feel further angered and apprehensive by the widespread and constant attention to those changes. To them, it may appear that the tree-hugging bleeding hearts are winning. It is causing them to react just like the other side does when it feels threatened. Extremism drives extremism. Who of us hasn’t had enough of it?
MIKE WEST, MARIETTA
Violent assaults from Hollywood stars don’t deserve our cheers
We watched and cheered as Will Smith committed an assault on Chris Rock in front of millions of people during the Oscars.
Rather than taking offense, his oligarch pals cheered him on. His friends failed to recognize and object to this microcosm of behavior that causes virtually all the world’s problems -- men cannot solve their problems by talking them out -- but by violence.
Where was security at the Oscars when this assault took place? What would have happened had the jokester been Amy Schumer and not Chris Rock? Smith likely would have thought he wouldn’t get away with that. Instead, he committed an act of violence because he believed he could.
Men of privilege commit violence where and when they believe they can get away with it. And, like so many who support violent assaults, we cheer, whether on a country or an individual. What a disgrace. Weepy Will bought his redemption without so much as an immediate apology to his victim.
Shameful, hypocritical Hollywood. Smith owed Chris Rock and us an apology and should be required to attend conflict resolution therapy.
VICKI BLACK, SANDY SPRINGS
CRT gives people of color a voice that’s often ignored
Although I, a first-generation Asian immigrant, was educated in not only U.S. primary and secondary schools but also schools of “Ivy League” standing, I hadn’t heard the term “critical race theory” until I was 20 years old.
This concept was simply not taught in the slightest detail. But why? It’s a culturally relevant idea that race is a social construct rather than individual bias. So often, our society and mindset on how to think and view the world are created by white individuals and omit perspectives of those who may not have had the same opportunities due to skin color.
CRT allows minority people and people of color to have a voice and call out racism. Schools are not a place to indoctrinate. Teaching CRT does not mean that we are teaching them that white individuals are terrible, but that we offer viewpoints of experiences and struggles faced by people of color.
SERENA HUANG, ATLANTA
Gwinnett BOE faces big decisions on budget, student discipline
The Gwinnett County School system has two fundamental questions to answer:
1) Will the district’s budget be used to put more resources next to the students?
2) Will the discipline system remain punitive or move to a restorative model?
The GCPS Board has to answer both questions quickly as they directly impact the ability of GCPS to attract and retain teachers. Teachers are the critical resource to the district and they stay or leave based on two main issues:
1) Knowing the number of students they are responsible for is manageable to ensure each student is helped as needed.
2) Having a defined and fully followed discipline process for aiding in classroom and building management.
Next year’s budget will answer question 1 if staff is added in all schools to interact and aid the students. A definitive statement on discipline policy is key for question 2.
CRAIG LOWNES, SUWANEE
