… Commissioners approve Apple lease after tense exchange between Pierce, teachers

My students are being prepared for the future. …  A lot of assignments are done on the iPad, and not because it is an easy way out. An iPad is a tool that we use to make learning more engaging. It doesn’t make our lives any easier. If anything, it makes it a little more complicated because we are constantly thinking of ways we can incorporate technology into our lessons. The teacher is facilitating, coaching and modeling for the students. If you are not aware, a teacher pours their whole heart and soul into their job. … So, please take your comments about doing easy stuff somewhere else.

— Stacy Frick

Kudos to Commissioner Craig Pierce for speaking up for the Rowan children. In addition, Commissioner Pierce said he was tired of seeing what was going on in the school system and at animal control. Thank you, Craig Pierce, for all you do in the best interest of children and the animals.

— Barbara Hart

I have to question his correlation between education and animal control.

— Danny Ray Smith Jr.

Is this the way our commissioners speak to those in attendance at their meetings? Shouting. Pointing. Name-calling. Mr. Pierce’s lack of decorum, both in public and in social media, is shocking and unbecoming of an elected official.

— Shelley Palmer

He is a technology neophyte. He has no idea the value this technology offers the students of Rowan County who are at a disadvantage when they go off to college. And he has anger management issues.

— Tracy Waugh

I don’t have a problem with his opinion, just the way it was delivered. Makes you wonder.

— Janet Keys

I do not believe in letting a child learn from an electronic device. I believe in the old way — go to school and get taught by a teacher! I feel Craig is on point with his decision.

I do not feel that all teachers have taken the easy way out. I do, however, feel that administration has allowed them to toss an iPad or MacBook in front of our youth and let it do the work.

We should all be outraged at our test scores and how our county is viewed as a whole. … I have never had a job where, if I didn’t perform, I was still paid and paid well, I might add. We need to wake up!

— Jay Leonard

Mr. Pierce, I have to say you must be angry about something. … Who are you really mad at, because it can’t be our RSS teachers? …

May I share with you some of my thoughts? I don’t just think we are great. I know we are great.

It’s the time we invest in our students’ academics and lives. It’s the methods we look up to see how we can make learning for a child engaging, collaborative, personalized, relevant, rigorous, challenging and life-impacting. The partnership with Apple has helped open a window to foster this type of learning. I would love to show you. My classroom doors are open!. You’re invited.

— Angela Ramey

And we should be upset with Commissioner Pierce for what? He is telling the kind of truth that is difficult to swallow. The school system is a failed state in its present condition. Pierce is right! Let’s get the children to the point where they can read, write, and do math.

— Kenneth Muhammad El

… Shive Elementary has a ‘Buddy Bench’ to help students find a friend

I love this idea and think all schools should have one! Who can I contact for more information on how to get one at our school?

— Jennifer DeNicholas

Special thanks to Owen and Owen Welding, 704-279-3212, for their help on this bench project. Sam, David and Perry do a great job and are always willing to help the community.

— Jason Smith

… More than 100 turn out to debate politics with state legislators at town hall

Harry Warren seems to be really slowing down. Except for when he was reading his notes, he was almost incoherent. He took very few questions and had trouble understanding the questions he was asked. At one point he rambled on about music therapy courses, when the question was about redistricting.

— Sam Post

I was there, and the reason the rabble didn’t get out of control was they were not allowed. No, he was just not going to tolerate the leftists taking over. Everyone was told you have one minute to ask a question; the first person rambled on for several minutes without asking a question, he was called for it. …

Since the Republicans have taken over in Raleigh, the state has made great strides in the right direction, despite liberal judges doing everything they can to push the leftist agenda!

— John Collins

You can count on these cowards to not have another town hall since all three showed up together in a pack in Salisbury. We are their constituents and deserve to be given time to speak about concerns that our tax dollars pay for them to address. We also don’t need Fred Steen wasting valuable talk time trying to “educate the new people.” This was a #faketownhall, pure and simple! …

BTW, when Democrats drew the lines, Republicans were still elected, and no court said they were racially biased. So #boybye with that one.

— Veleria Levy

The three officials ran the clock for 40 minutes reciting lists of the bills they are sponsoring and then giving the rules for how questions could be posed. …

Warren could not comment on anything being litigated, anything without a bill number, and seldom gave direct answers to questions. When asked about gerrymandering, he said “you lost me there,” and then talked for over five minutes about music theory. As an forum for meaningful exchange of ideas, I’d give it a D-minus.

— Laurel Harry

It was merely an infomercial. Shame on you, Warren and company. … I wish there was a ‘lemon law’ for political positions as there is for cars. We would turn you all in for a refund or better yet, a new leader.

— Renee Wimbish

I was turned away at the door with the reason being, “We’re at capacity.” So I joined the ladies demonstrating outside. Moments later, a man walked by, telling us to “p— off…get used to it, you lost,” then walked into the meeting. …This was most definitely a #faketownhall. It’s time for a real one.

— Jenni Pfaff

In al, seven questions were taken, six coming from men. Hopefully in the future the legislators will come prepared for real discussion. We will keep returning looking for answers. If this group is not prepared to answer constituents questions, hopefully we can elect a group who will! #faketownhall

— Carol Aycoth

This was a show-and-tell by the legislators, a contrived and staged event complete with a planted shill in the audience who got the last “question.” … Very few and in some cases no answers (or opportunities to ask) about the harmful legislation that most constituents were there to discuss, including HB2, partisan school board elections, voter ID, gerrymandering and the proposed criminalization of peaceful protests. #faketownhall

— Emily Ford

… Letter: Make time to listen

The town hall was incredibly well-run, and the purpose is for them to update the public on what they are doing. They were generous to take questions. Be happy with what you get.

— Andrew Poston

Remember who politicians ultimately work for. It’s their duty to take our questions. We should not consider it an act of magnanimity, but a part of them doing their job which we elected them for.

However, when you consider the number of elected officials who share your apparent view and don’t reach out to constituents except at election time, perhaps we should be glad that we are blessed with legislators who do.

— Eric Shock

Wow, “Be happy with what you get” is the kind of mentality that begets omnipotent legislators and constituents whose voices are ignored. My voice has frankly not been heard with their enactment of discriminatory legislation that denies justice and dignity for all, i.e. HB2. We, their constituents, also deserve more than condescension and commands from our legislators at town hall meetings. We wouldn’t be Americans today had our forefathers had the “Be happy with what you get” from England mentality.

— Melinda Remaley

HB2 may remain on the books as an unenforceable and unrespected law. Only the few will regard it as honorable and just. It will only serve as a temptation for civil disobedience.

— Reginald Brown

… Letter: Time to stand up for our country

I am a veteran who still believes we live in a free country. That means we are free to sit out the pledge of allegiance and free to protest what we find abhorrent in this great country. .

— Pete Prunkl

… Summit participants explore ways to reduce violence

The event was very interesting and informative and hopefully will spur change soon, but it is up to us as residents to move and not be idle. There are many organizations in Salisbury that are doing things to engage the community, who need to hear what we’ve been discussing the most, that you can get involved in. Seek them, join them, and be a part of the solution. God bless our city!

— Derrick Camp

Derrick Camp, that is where our group arrived at as well, and came up with ways in which they can come together around specific areas of interest — for example, some wanted to work towards getting ex-felons reinstated into community through jobs, and another group was very interested in forming internship/skills training opportunities in the trades.

What was wonderful was to watch as people began to get excited about joining with others. Stepping up is often the hardest part, made easier when you can partner with others. Thank you for coming!

— Whitney Peckman

… Political notebook: Salisbury Indivisibles send Burr #Russianties postcards

What so funny about this article is no one dares mention the Russian ties to the Clintons and their foundation. How about getting to work for the people and ignoring the fake news. That’s what Burr needs to do.

— Lynn Kesler

The “Russian ties to the Clintons and their foundation” claim has been widely debunked. If you don’t take stock in Snopes, please be sure to read the source list at the bottom of the article.http://www.snopes.com/hillary-clinton-uranium-russia-deal/

— Karen Puckett

I was more than willing to participate in this action and its intentions, but had a few misgivings on the card itself. Some times you just have to roll with things.

About the local group leaning left, it’s true, but there is room here for many voices, including those independent-minded folks that are conservative but know this isn’t right. …

I can’t believe Republicans, some friends of mine, would sit by and watch their country turn into an autocracy and pay them to do it with a blank-check vote.

… You may be concerned about this new administration but don’t know who you would even talk to about it. This group may be for you.

— Brian Pfaff

… Letter: Transgender rights are a state issue

This letter is the most uninformed and bigoted one I have seen in a while. The writer stated in so many words that transgenders are the product of poor parenting. He disregarded research by many prominent scientists who found chromosomal differences in transgender people. He overlooked research by psychologists who find little evidence of parental skills being involved in determining a person’s sexual identity.

Yet this expert, probably with no graduate degrees, presumes to tell the rest of us how to raise our children. He prescribes cures for transgenderism when none is needed. A person’s sexual identity may be formed in the womb.

Both male and female transgenders face verbal and physical abuse. These occurrences have increased since the last election; we elected a U.S. president who seems to have little regard for human rights. The preamble to our U.S. Constitution guarantees “the pursuit of happiness.” We must fulfill our obligations as U.S. citizens to defend the rights of all our people.

— Georgia Honeycutt

… Love Thy Neighbor benefit for South Rowan teacher Zach Thompson

Zach Thompson is an amazing teacher and man of God. He continues to be an inspiration to my husband and I.

— Christina Christian

The power of love heals all. Thanks to Trinity and Concordia for reminding us of this. God bless Zach and his family.

— Louise Bush

… Salisbury High student shot after confrontation

“Riley did not provide details and was not cooperative with investigators.” This is why the crime will likely go unsolved, and the cycle of violence will perpetuate.

— Eric Shock

And they will continue to blame the city

— Karen Boger

In my opinion, victim or not, if it is solved and information withheld, they should be charged too. … Don’t blame our cops when you won’t help the situation.

— Crystal Shock