OTHER VOICES

You can do this

John Miller writes, “Anne Arundel County Public Schools leadershipwould be doing all taxpayers a disservice if they do not have a plan to safely return students for in-person learning as quickly as possible, especially as COVID cases continue to plummet in the county” (The Capital, Sept. 29). He mentioned earlier that he and his wife have been working with their kindergartner via virtual learning.

On Page 4 of the same issue, there is a headline stating “Anne Arundel County surpasses 10,000 cases.” The article notes that the county recorded 58 new cases on Sept. 28. Mr. Miller, this certainly does not indicate that “COVID cases are continuing to plummet.” This virus is real. We need to protect our young people, our teachers, office staff and all of their families at home in the best way possible. Opening schools right now would not be the best way to do this!

When I was a child there was no public kindergarten. My mother taught my sister andmeathome. Iwas readyto readbefore I entered first grade and so she taught me how to read. We lived on a farm. I listened to her count the eggs as she gathered them and learned a little basic arithmetic.

Imust admit thatmymomwas verywell qualified because she had taught in a one-room school-house in Vermont. She was also a very busy housewife and took care of the farm animals while my Dad workedin the post office during theday. My sister and I played with other children in our ruralneighborhood. We did not lack for personal interaction with other children.

Mr. Miller, you and your wife can do this! You can help your son learn. You even have a computer to help you! We didn’t even know what a computer was when I was a child!

ANNHEWITT

Galesville

Abortion rights

When I was a practicing Catholic, 12 years of Catholic school, four years of college, I remember hearing a quote from Saint Paul: “So faith, hope and love (charity) remain, but the greatest of these is love.”

Where is that love when the sole aim of the Catholic church and the evangelicals is to remove affordable reproductive health care for women? Planned Parenthood centers offer women health care, needed advice on their sexual activity, screenings for cancer and testing for STD as well as prescriptive medicines to help them lead healthy and normal lives. Largely funded by Medicaid and Title X as well as donations, it has saved and enhanced the quality of life for many families over 100 years.

My sister, who was a neo-natal nurse, workedin12-hour stints tokeeptiny babies alive, often for two or three months, then would see the single mother, with a relative, arrive in a taxi to take the baby home.

When asked if they needed help to take care of the baby, they had almost nothing.

No crib, bassinet, diapers, blankets, coverups .

Watching this too many times, she called one of the Catholic institutionswho fought against these centers which offered reproductive heath care to women. “OK, youdid notwant to give thiswomanaccess to PlannedParenthood sonowwehave the baby. The mother needs everything to take care of this child, and now she is almost homeless. I can give youher address so you can deliver the goods.”

The reply was, “Oh no, that is not our mission. Sorry.” Hang up. Where was the love?

Since President Donald Trump came to office in 2016, a total of 900 clinics have closed, based on the fact that they make abortion available.

I urge voters to remember Saint Paul’s quote and find it in their hearts to love, the greatest of the virtues, and support health care forwomen.

PATRICIA EDWARDS

Annapolis