I’m ticked about the way kids are being treated for not wearing masks at some of our schools. Go to Facebook Lexington Masks by Choice and take a look at the ire that has been stirred up with parents.

Only 468 new cases and 4 deaths in SC in 2 days. But, good gosh, we must keep those kids masked in school?

Anjali Upadhyaya, Columbia

Political classroom masks

I have been informed by several parents that my grandchild’s teachers were making students move to the back of the class if they didn’t have a mask on in Lexington District 1. Really?

Medical Science has demonstrated repeatedly school children have an extremely low transmission rate, 1/10th of 1%.

These “outcast” children are being bullied, called murderers and ostracized.

There is zero science in this policy, it is strictly political. I’m told the majority of teachers despise our governor and his proactive stance to get kids back in school.

They have used and abused children to advance their narrative, the very children they purport to love and nourish.

I thought segregation went out 60 years ago. In my 40 years as a public school teacher, I have seen Herculean efforts to make schools all inclusive for all children, regardless of their issues, real or perceived.

The great American ideal, not fostered in other countries, is public schools will educate all the children of all the people, all the time. A rising tide floats all boats.

An uncomfortable learning environment promotes only failure in the classroom.

I have spoken with district office personnel and a principal and asked who allowed this to happen and was it district policy?

I was told each teacher was left to their own devices. So we have over 1,000 teachers in our district with 1,000 rules?

This is an abject failure of leadership. I’m quite sure the district office knew this was going to be a hot button issue and this policy gives them plausible deniability.

This is leadership at its worse.

It is truly a sad day in education where children are used as pawns by the very people that are supposed to protect them.

Philip Williams, Lexington

Editor’s note. Lexington 1 has suggested Mr. Williams talk with his grandchild’s principal or teachers about his concerns.

End government meddling

There should be no such thing as a “public policy” where government officials can override the market process of competition to set prices and regulate rogue businesses.

Since there is so much government intervention in the market process already, the only proper public policy should be to undo the restrictions in place.

All conservation mandates and appliance standards should be repealed. Subsidies for energy research should be replaced with tax credits for private research.

The Department of Energy should be abolished. There should be no new taxes or restrictions on the energy industry. Energy resource development could be a huge economic stimulus that requires no subsidies.

Jim Clarkson, Columbia