Does ‘Big Bad Wolf’ really need his day in court?
Just when I think I have seen and heard everything, something comes along that really floors me. When I was growing up, I heard all the stories of “Little Red Riding Hood,” “The Three Little Pigs,” “Cinderella” etc. many, many times. I, in turn, read them to my children and grandchildren.
Then my 9-year-old granddaughter, a third-grader, came home with homework that I think is totally uncalled for. It seems they have a different version of “Little Red Riding Hood” now.
Now, the Big Bad Wolf has been arrested by the Forest Police for trying to hurt Little Red. The wolf tells his side of the story, but Little Red has an eyewitness, “the woodcutter,” on her side. Then the question was asked, “Do you think the wolf should have been arrested?”
Really, third graders should not have to read about arrest, eyewitnesses and jail. They will learn all that soon enough. And why take a classic tale that has been read to generations and turn it into something evil? If there has to be another version, why not have everybody (including the wolf) sit down together to eat the goodies that Little Red was taking to her grandmother?
I guess the next homework assignment will have the wolf arrested for attempted breaking and entering at the Three Little Pigs’ houses. And poor Goldilocks doesn’t stand a chance. She was caught red-handed breaking into the the bears’ house and eating their food. Sometimes, you do think “what are they teaching children these days?”
— Frankie Taylor
Woodleaf
Uplifting day at the Post Office
Last Friday, my son needed to mail a DVD by express mail to enter a film contest. We went to the Innes Street Post Office around 4:40 p.m. and joined a line of people who were mailing their express packages.
Well, my son’s DVD didn’t finish burning in time, so he didn’t get to mail his DVD out, but I was treated to a really special experience. In spite of everyone being in a rush on a Friday afternoon and having their own plates full, every person was polite. Several people tried to help us figure out a solution.
It felt a bit surreal because it was exactly what I was not expecting on a Friday afternoon. Somehow, it restored my faith in humanity and our ability to treat each other with kindness in spite of our hectic lives.
Thanks to everyone at the Post Office that day!
— Julia Merrick
Salisbury
End expensive tax loopholes
Republicans want to bully us into believing that the only thing we should be talking about are cuts to Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid benefits and other dangerous budget cuts that would take food aid from hungry children, weaken education and food safety and let our bridges and roads crumble.
Working families shouldn’t take the hit again so we can maintain expensive tax loopholes for Wall Street, drug companies, corporations that outsource jobs and the richest 2 percent of Americans.
Our priorities should be creating jobs by investing in infrastructure and education, raising wages, reducing inequality and increasing economic security for working people. And we can do it by first ending tax giveaways for Wall Street and the richest 2 percent.
— Travis Beavers
Salisbury