The statue of Robert E. Lee is no longer there at Lee Circle but the mound is still there and can become a beautiful circle and should be renamed, but not in honor of any individual. It is a great location, heavily traveled, even by street car and a new name should be found.
The removal of Lee's statue like so many civil war monuments brought about division from many factions and a lot of ugly words. So renaming the circle should be one that respects and indicates togetherness. A name that has nothing to do with politics, war or any individual. It should be a name that binds the whole community, one that everyone can be proud of and understand.
This writer believes Lee Circle should be renamed UNITY CIRCLE. It is a name everyone can understand about a community that has survived many distractions but knows it is UNITY and not division that will move New Orleans forward to a better place for our citizens and our children to progress.
This commentary written by Joe Lorio
Sunday, April 29, 2018
Arizona School Teachers: The Latest To Protest Stagnant Wages and Reduced Spending on Education.
Public school teachers in Arizona are the latest to follow W. Virginia, Oklahoma and Kentucky in their protest and walk out over stagnant wages and cuts to school spending. Their complaint: Have had no increase in wages since the great republican recession of 2008 and per student spending is below what it was 10 years ago.
But in that same period of time, personal and corporate state tax income taxes were cut causing a loss of state revenue with little left to pump into schools or salaries. It represents the failed republican policy of trickle down economics. The same basic problem was the reason for the teacher's strike and walk out in the three states mentioned above. My state, Louisiana, has the same problem.
In the 21st. century, one would think we should have learned how important education is and what it means for our children and their progress. The same thing applies to proper financing for our schools and good quality teachers with quality pay. Those elected officials who try and talk tough by cutting spending care nothing about good government and education.
The current teacher's movement will continue to be ongoing because they have right on their side and it is now clear to America since Trump's election that he and republican administrations are at the extreme end of everything they touch and their financial commitment is to the wealthy and corporate America. And to top it off, Trump and some republican state legislatures still want to arm our teachers and place them in harms way. It is obvious many of our political leaders lack moral and political courage.
This writer supports the teachers and those who support them and believes the teachers should keep the pressure on our elected officials until they answer the call.
This commentary written by Joe Lorio
But in that same period of time, personal and corporate state tax income taxes were cut causing a loss of state revenue with little left to pump into schools or salaries. It represents the failed republican policy of trickle down economics. The same basic problem was the reason for the teacher's strike and walk out in the three states mentioned above. My state, Louisiana, has the same problem.
In the 21st. century, one would think we should have learned how important education is and what it means for our children and their progress. The same thing applies to proper financing for our schools and good quality teachers with quality pay. Those elected officials who try and talk tough by cutting spending care nothing about good government and education.
The current teacher's movement will continue to be ongoing because they have right on their side and it is now clear to America since Trump's election that he and republican administrations are at the extreme end of everything they touch and their financial commitment is to the wealthy and corporate America. And to top it off, Trump and some republican state legislatures still want to arm our teachers and place them in harms way. It is obvious many of our political leaders lack moral and political courage.
This writer supports the teachers and those who support them and believes the teachers should keep the pressure on our elected officials until they answer the call.
This commentary written by Joe Lorio
Subscribe to:
Posts
(
Atom
)