Powerful Voices From the Margin

The Covenant Community Connection wants to send kudos to Justin Dionne and the staff of Lee Street Theatre for their partnership on presenting the second “Voices From the Margin.” We also want to thank the Rowan Arts Council and the Human Relations Council along with our generous sponsors who made the production possible, Mary Frances Edens, Seddiq and Judy Behrooz, Jack and Lynda Errante, Rev. Flem and Yoshiko Otey, Rev. Carolyn Bratton, Martha West, Tamara Sheffield, Maggie Blackwell, John Mitchell and Liliana Spears.

The play was based on interviews of students, teachers and principals in our local schools. It was skillfully written by Dr. Janice Fuller and directed by Robin Tynes. The voices were portrayed by local actors who effectively told the audience of real stories and real lives in our schools. The audience was moved by the very real challenge some students face daily because of poverty or family situations.

Voices also made the audience aware of some of the challenges associated with the new technology in our schools. Giving every student in grades three through 12 a laptop or iPad has been very controversial. The Rowan-Salisbury School System continues to be the topic of discussion almost daily in the newspaper. Marshall Brady’s essay on the editorial page Dec. 1  gave us a student’s perspective on the use of laptops and iPads in the classrooms of our schools. Daniel Troutman’s letter to the editor gave a differing view of the Achieve 3000 reading program.

The Covenant Community Connection through the recent “Voices From the Margin” production sought to bring a better understanding to the very real needs in our schools. We are thankful we have a community of talented and generous people who share the goal of working towards an excellent school system.

 — Betty Jo Hardy

Salisbury

Hardy is chair of the Covenant Community Connection.

 

Freedom to teach

Bravo to Daniel Troutman and Marshall Brady for their clear and objective analysis of our current school programs, namely computers and Achieve 3000.

Students ARE and always will be the best and most honest judges of what really helps them achieve and thrive in the classroom. As we look back on our own classroom successes, the major component was the teacher who made the subject relevant and meaningful, not a program or a test online. Computers cannot replace effective modeling by the classroom teacher and Achieve 3000 is just another hoop students jump through to validate the millions of dollars needlessly spent.

The Rowan-Salisbury School System received a dismal rating after last year’s test scores, no surprise.

Allow teachers the freedom to teach, use technology at their own discretion, and watch test scores soar once again! More importantly, Daniel and Marshall will receive the quality education they seek and deserve.

— Suzanne Oliver

Salisbury

A basic right 

I’ll try to explain this, for all out there who seem to know nothing about our history. The 2nd amendment to the United States Constitution, giving all free Americans the right to bear arms, is a constitutional right. A right not taken lightly. Seems liberals are chomping at the bit to take it away. Stop wasting your breath; we won’t let you.

You see, those of you who didn’t pay attention in history class, or just want communist rule. This right was given by the framers of the Constitution (our rule of law) to keep us safe from a tyrannical government. A government we are very close to today. If you would have paid attention to history, the reason we are not speaking Japanese or maybe German today is because of that very same 2nd Amendment.

Liberals do everything possible to change or erase our nation’s history so our children and grandchildren are themselves bound to let history repeat itself. The oh so tolerant Obummerites say, don’t judge Muslims by the actions of a few, yet are quick to judge all gun owners for the actions of a few. Let’s drop Obummer and his family, and Hillary (I don’t recall) Clinton and Billary’s family into the back streets of Chicago, without armed bodyguards or Secret Service protection (which both have). How long would it take until they were applying for gun permits? Only to find with their obvious lack of mental capacity, they would be declined.

 — Frank Walker

Salisbury

 

Saving animals

In our community people are dumping their unwanted, sick and injured cats and dogs at our shelter every single day. Those of us involved in animal rescue work diligently every day to save the lives of these animals, but our resources are dwindling. Our shelter, our rescues and fosters are full. Without a contracted veterinarian on staff, the shelter is very limited on treatment options. This places a large financial burden on the rescues and community to save the animals with medical issues.

Thanks to volunteers, fosters, rescues, and shelter staff, we have been successful in saving many lives, but we are approaching the point that innocent animals will die because we have nowhere left to place them.

Pet owners need to know they cannot continue to dump their animals at our shelter and think they won’t be euthanized. Yes, we have been successful and our adoption rates have increased, but this doesn’t mean we can continue to save the lives of the innocent animals who are being dumped in alarming numbers every day. The reality is no matter how hard we try, innocent animals will die if something doesn’t change.

What can be done? Pet owners should be responsible for the well-being of their animals, stop dumping them, make efforts to re-home their pets, and spay/neuter their pets. Community members can help by fostering or adopting a shelter animal. The adoption fee is $80 and covers the 5-in-1 shot, rabies & bordetella vaccinations, dewormer, microchip and a $70 voucher for spay/neuter.

Please stop by the shelter today at 1465 Julian Road in Salisbury to adopt your next four-legged family companion. You can save a life. For more information, please contact Rowan County Animal Control at 704-216-7768 or 704- 216-7771.

— Wanda Deal Williams & Albina Chanel

Salisbury