All parents have rights in schools
One of things politicians love to do nowadays is announce measures that sound great on paper, but don’t really offer new solutions to perceived problems. The latest that fits that bill is the proposed Parents Bill of Rights.
A bill under consideration in the U.S. House of Representatives would give every parent the:
- Right to know what’s being taught in schools and see reading material.
- Right to be heard.
- Right to see schools’ budgets and spending.
- Right to protect their child’s privacy.
- Right to be updated on any violent activity at school.
No one in their right mind would dispute that those are all good things. However, parents in Cherokee County Schools have already had those rights for many years. In fact, after talking with engaged parents and educators from several Southeastern states, we can’t find one district that continually violated any of the Parents Bill of Rights.
Does that mean every school system is perfect? Absolutely not, as multiple bullying episodes have revealed right here at home just this year. But don’t think that passing this bill will somehow solve every problem facing public schools – our primary focus should always be on the actual education students receive in the classroom, not in blowing problems out of proportion.
Dumpsters’ removal won’t stop dumping
The biggest issue many Cherokee County residents said they have with the two roundabouts being built in Murphy is the fact that the deal was done without any prior notice, much less an attempt at getting feedback from the community. Few people like being told something is final before they even know about it.
Not to be outdone by the N.C. Department of Transportation, the Cherokee County Solid Waste Department made a similar move when it decided to close garbage convenience centers in Bear Paw and Violet. The closures, which took affect April 4, were announced online – even though many residents in outlying areas don’t have reliable internet service.
There are reasons for the closures, with cost being the big one. However, anytime a Dumpster is removed, an illegal dumping site often springs up in its place, which can be much more costly to county taxpayers in the long run. And what cost can be placed on protecting our environment?
Learning what’s up at Learning Center
It has been almost a year since The Learning Center Board of Directors announced that the popular charter school in Murphy was closing due to “financial irregularities.” Unfortunately, the public is no closer to learning the specifics of that numerical nightmare today than when it was first announced.
That’s partly because the State Bureau of Investigation never discusses ongoing cases. It’s also because people close to the situation have been careful not to share much publicly, which could open themselves up to liability concerns. However, neither reason is satisfying to the students, parents and staff who were committed to the school’s success.
We hope the SBI and local law enforcement officials reach a conclusion soon on this sad situation so everyone involved can move forward instead of constantly wondering, “Why?”
Some dog owners abusing freedoms
In April 1998, the Andrews Journal reported that a new leash law was going into affect in town. Unfortunately, that did not impact residents who live just outside of the town limits, where aggressive dogs have remained a problem in the 25 years since then.
A recent post on Facebook showed an Andrews woman’s leg after she was allegedly attacked by seven large dogs at once while gardening in her own yard. Most of the dogs were not vaccinated for rabies, and under state law placed under quarantine, yet only two days later one of the dogs was back in the yard of a neighbor. As you might expect, her four children have become “terrified” by the dogs over the last two years and don’t want to play outside.
Just as frustrating is the lack of action by Cherokee County officials, as the neighbor has multiple videos of these dogs behaving in a threatening manner toward both humans and other animals. Instead, the only thing commissioners have apparently done after receiving multiple complaints is to remove dogs from the updated animal ordinance.
No one should have to live in fear because some people who live nearby don’t take proper care of their animals, then aren’t held accountable. It would be nice if our county would be proactive for a change in addressing matters like this – instead of waiting for a tragedy to happen first.