Letters to the editor Aug. 16

Reopen schools safely

As we approach the beginning of a new school year, many school districts in Montana are ignoring the recommendations of their local public health departments and local physicians regarding a mask mandate.

I strongly believe that public schools should follow public health guidance. Montana schools are set to receive $127 million in funding to “reopen safely in the fall” and get students back on track. By choosing to ignore public health guidance, they are failing to provide a safe learning environment for kids — which is exactly what those funds are intended to be used for.

With many schools abandoning the online option, parents are left with a difficult choice: risk exposure to the delta variant or consider home schooling with no support from the district. Parents who strongly oppose masks should be the ones making arrangements for private school or home school, not those of us who have been doing our part all along.

—Robin Pleninger, Ronan

The Florida of Montana

Thanks to the selfish, uncaring, irresponsible citizens of our beautiful valley, Flathead County is now the Florida of Montana.

We should have been done with this stupid pandemic by now — but nooooooooooo, your “freedom” is more important.

Now school’s going to be starting in a couple of weeks and masks are “optional.” Thanks for nothing.

—Mark Paulson, Kalispell

School masking

My nephew will be entering the eighth grade at Kalispell Middle School next month. A few days ago I read that the school district has decided to open all schools this year in the CDC’s Phase 2 guidelines. I went to the CDC website and read that Phase 2 guidelines call for mandatory mask wearing and social distancing.

Today, my nephew’s mother told me that Kalispell Middle School has decided that mask wearing will not be mandatory when school reopens next month. With so many unvaccinated children and adults in the Flathead it seems unconscionable to me that the school is so cavalier about risking the lives of the children and adults who will be starting school in a few short weeks.

I hope Kalispell Middle School and the school district will rethink this dangerous and reckless policy and mandate masks for the coming school year.

—Diane Diggins, San Jose, California

Save us from ourselves

I see the news reporters are all concerned about the large gathering of motorcyclists at Sturgis this year. Well what was the real Covid count from last year? That was a bid to do before and during the rally, but no follow up?

Looking at the people at the rally, it looked similar to the illegals crossing the border with help from Biden. Come on in and have a good time. Free travel to anywhere in the U.S. they want to go and spread Covid as many are positive and untreated. Biden approves! After all Democrats have scared this country and people are too eager to blindly follow without knowing the truths.

I went to school when education was important and we studied another person who stopped education, church gatherings, destroyed economies, spread rumors etc. and the ignorant masses eagerly followed, just like the Biden group. How can 47 years of politics and the corruption that was created during that time, nothing positive and now he leads a country?

Oh wait, Hitler wanted to be a painter and then politics! Now we have a politician that wants to be a painter.

I believe that the Bidens have accepted payoffs from the very corrupt nations that some eagerly believed Trump had done. Like little kids pointing fingers to switch the blame.

God is really dead, education is false teachings, people too lazy to work are rewarded, people having kids they cannot afford, etc. When will another country come to save us from ourselves?

—Ron Albrecht, Kalispell