Thumbs up, thumbs down
Thumbs up to a new law designed to boost the number of minority teachers in Connecticut classrooms. Gov. Ned Lamont has pointed to data that fewer than 9 percent of public school teachers in the state are people of color, while the student minority population is more than 40 percent. Increasing diversity in the classroom can make students of color feel more comfortable, but it is truly a benefit for every child.
Thumbs down to a new poll that showed a majority of respondents believe it is “very difficult” or “somewhat difficult” to maintain a standard of living in Connecticut. The poll conducted by Sacred Heart University found the reasons for difficulties include increases in state taxes, rising utility and fuel costs, such as electricity, gas and oil, and overall increases in the cost of general goods. It’s a sobering reminder that Connecticut faces a difficult economic climate.
Thumbs up to the banning of Sandy Hook ‘truther’ lies and other hate content on YouTube. Last week the web video platform, owned by Google, followed Facebook and Twitter in removing posts “denying that well-documented violent events, like the Holocaust or the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School, took place.” The First Amendment protects free speech, but that doesn’t mean liars are entitled to the bullhorn of social media.
Thumbs up to a promise by health care advocates to give reform another try at the state Legislature. It was a bitter end to the session for supporters of a public health insurance option and other worthy reforms, which saw many proposals that ultimately led nowhere. But supporters say they will keep at it, and with the need for reform unlikely to dim anytime soon, their efforts will be in great demand.
Thumbs down to a loss of a major corporate headquarters as United Technologies Corp. and Raytheon announced a “merger of equals” over the weekend in which UTC, Connecticut’s largest private employer, will no longer be based in the state. Though most UTC jobs are likely to stay in the state, it’s a major loss of prestige for the state as UTC follows General Electric in making a new headquarters in Massachusetts.
Thumbs down to state Republican Party Chair JR Romano’s attack on Indivisible Greenwich. Romano complaint against the group in 2017 was finally dismissed nu the State Election Enforcement Commission last week. Romano claimed the group was operating outside state election laws regarding election spending. Indivisible, a grass-roots group, should not have to devote time and financial resources on political gamesmanship.
Thumbs down to the FCC not requiring phone companies to provide free tolls to block unwanted calls. It’s good news that federal regulators are supporting giving phone companies the right to block robocalls calls without getting customers’ permission, but it’s ridiculous that consumers are potentially susceptible to more hidden costs.