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OPINION
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Fauquier Times | October 14, 2020
NO ELECTION-RELATED LETTERS WILL PRINT AFTER OCT. 21 ISSUE The Fauquier Times’ editorial policy states that no election-related letters will be printed the week before an election. The last edition of the Fauquier Times before the Nov. 3 national election
is set to publish Oct. 28. All election-related letter submissions must be received by Oct. 19 to be considered for publication in the issue of Oct. 21, the last issue they will appear in print.
Election-related letters submitted to the paper will be posted online no later than Tuesday, Oct. 23. Rebuttals to letters appearing in the Oct. 21 issue will be posted online until Oct. 28.
Student: No more changes, please!
I am a sixth-grader at Auburn Middle School. Our schools and other safe activities are hard to navigate right now, and proposed changes to our education plan yet again feel like a chaotic mess. I like how things are penned these words, "Pray that the hardships resulting going with online schooling right from the global pandemic will point people to Jesus as now — I get to see my teachers and friends safely; we are making the only lasting hope." Reading the "Letters to the Editor" is one of my virtual work. Advice from history could be helpful. David the shepfavorite reads in the Times. I don’t want to switch to the hybrid herd boy put his life on the line in confronting the giant It seems the new year, 2020, started with great exmodel. People are getting sick from Goliath at a very fearful time in the life of Israel. About that pectations that turned into anxiety, worry, fear and even COVID; I really don’t want to see my time he wrote the 23rd Psalm. This is a much-used Psalm anger. It is indeed a trying and stressful time with the friends and their families getting sick. I by funeral parlors on memory cards for the deceased. virus pandemic, violent riots, the emotionally charged While I'm still alive, I concur with David: "The lord is am hoping our schools stay virtual, not political climate and election time upon us. my shepherd." That is where I'm putting my trust in these only for health and safety but because I Several definitions Webster gives on politics are: don’t think a lot of us can handle anothfearful times. David's son, King Solomon wrote, "Trust in "#4. political methods, tactics, selections, etc.; someer change without a good plan. I don’t times, specif., crafty or unprincipled methods. #6. fac- the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own want to watch other students in the understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he tional scheming for power and status within a group." classroom learning things that aren’t shall direct thy path," Jesus said, It seems to me we are seeing this in full display interactive. I’m worried that us virtual "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righ- students won’t be able to ask questions today. Five years ago, I read a small book titled "Keep Calm and Trust God." The idea for the title came from teousness; and all these things will be added unto you." or even say hello to our friends. These words from history remind me "to keep calm British slogan in WW II, "Keep Calm and Cary On." We will be isolated even more than and trust God" in these uncertain, troubled, political "Keep calm and trust God" might be a good slogan we are now, and I feel like it will be for present times. and fearful times. very difficult and depressing. We virtuHas God allowed us to come into this crisis time SIMON SCHROCK al students don’t want to watch “teachto remind us to turn our trust towards Him? Someone Catlett er TV” — it feels like the sole purpose of this change is to limit our learning. I’m afraid I’ll end up learning nothing new after this change. I know I’ll miss seeing my friends’ current administration’s tendency Two definitions of the word in direct contrast to statements by faces, and I’ve already cried enough to marginalize and/or dismiss such the administration, cast doubt on intelligence as found in Webster’s about all of the changes. Please guidance provided by senior offidictionary are: 1) the ability to school board, do not make us change concerns raised by some that mailone more thing. cials, including those in the intellearn or understand or the skilled in voting could pose an increased ARDEN ERDOSSY ligence community. Two examples use of reason and 2) information chance of voter fraud. Wray told a Warrenton of such behavior include: concerning an enemy or possible Senate committee that widespread A whistleblower complaint deenemy, also an agency engaged in voter fraud would be a “major scribes efforts by senior [President challenge” for a foreign adversary to obtaining such information. Donald] Trump appointees to limit pull off, noting the FBI has not seen, Both definitions speak to me or censor information about Rusabout Sen. Mark Warner and his historically, any kind of coordinated service to his Virginia constituents sian activities in the US. The report national voter fraud effort in a major and our country. The first definition alleges that officials ordered certain election by mail or otherwise. There have been a few “awakenings” seems fitting given his known track intelligence assessments to be haltin our past. The 17th century “Great As the vice-chair of the Senate Awakening” had to do with religious record in the Senate as a moderate. ed because they were making “the Intelligence Committee, Sen. Warner revival and a broadening of religious president look bad.” The official The second is his leadership posiis committed to strengthening our tolerance and democratic ideals. tion as vice chairman of the Senate also was instructed to downplay national security and knows and reRecently, people have become Select Committee on Intelligence, a intelligence about white supremaspects the Intelligence Community for “awoke” to racial injustice and sexucy to make the threat appear “less topic unfamiliar to many. the service it performs. We all may do al/gender dysphoria. The jury is still severe” and play up evidence of Recognizing the importance of well to keep this in mind on Nov. 3. out on the efficacy of this movement. intelligence is crucial to our nation- “left-wing” violence. KIRSTEN KING Fewer people are aware of the FBI Director Christopher Wray, al security, particularly given the Warrenton “Wide Awakes” movement of the late 1850s. This was a branch of the new Republican Party working to elect Abraham Lincoln. They were young (20s and 30s) folks who were The Fauquier County School finance officer outlined how K-2 widen the gap as we fail to build off anti-slavery and very pro-Union. Board’s newly adopted hybrid plan could not even return to the buildof new concepts or master concepts They marched, wore black outfits, “discouraged” hecklers at outdoor is as inequitable as they come. ing with fidelity (lack of busing, due to lack of instruction. rallies and grew to 100,000 strong. Under the plan (which parents/other staff, substitutes, etc.). The Fauquier County School No property damage or police abuse stakeholders had zero say in), the Where does this leave our Board receives an “F” for failing reported. board arbitrarily decided to send younger or more vulnerable learnto provide an equitable reopening Imagine that. Republicans standing all students into the building in ers? We are failing them without plan. They receive an “F” for failup for the disenfranchised against DemNovember. continuous instruction. There ing to define a plan at all. A hasty ocratic pro-slavery politicians. OpporThe board has been asked for the will be only two chances a week tunity zones, pro school choice policies, decision to send all students back data (requested Sept. 24) they used to receive instruction (Monday/ the largest subsidy to historically black without the supports in place to do to make this decision but has failed Tuesday or Thursday/Friday), with colleges and the highest black, Hispanic to respond. If it were a data-drivzero access to teachers on the three so fails all students, teachers and and women employment numbers in en decision, the data should be asynchronous days. Now these stu- families. Failure is not an option. history are the most recent outcomes of Our kids deserve better! easily shareable. The board failed dents will have five days of regresgood Republican efforts. ASHLEIGH ZYLSTRA to address how this return could sion for every (potential) two days MIKE STRAIGHT even happen after the county’s own of instruction. This will further Warrenton Warrenton
Keep calm and trust God
Sen. Mark Warner and two definitions of intelligence
Remembering past awakenings
Parent gives school reopening plan a failing grade
