After reading the article on the reservations parents and teachers have about returning to the Hanover and Norwich schools in a few weeks (“Faculty balks at 5-day plan,” Aug. 15), it left me with a nagging question: Has the Dresden School District engaged the services of an industrial hygienist to evaluate the facilities where instruction of students will take place? If so, where are their findings? If not, why?
To rely solely on the advice of medical professionals for the health and safety of the students and employees is negligent. Setting a date for the opening of schools without having an evaluation of the infrastructure where the instruction will take place and where our communities will converge is shortsighted.
Kelly McConnell, chair of the Dresden School Board, and Neil Odell, vice chair of the Norwich School Board, have said that they are “committed to offering a safe learning environment for our students and a safe working environment for our teachers and staff that return for in-person work.” Prove it.
STEPHEN HOYT
Orford
One of the hallmarks of a true democracy is a fair and legal voting process. The Valley News reported that President Donald Trump admitted publicly that he is blocking funding because a surge of mail in ballots could cost him the election (“Trump blocking post office funding because of ballots,” Aug 14). If this isn’t obvious obstruction of justice, what is?
PAM SKILLMAN
Grantham
How is Dartmouth College’s spokeswoman, Diana Lawrence, like President Donald Trump’s press secretary, Kayleigh McEnany (“Report: Now-Dartmouth president dismissed misconduct claims as ‘rumor’,” Aug. 16)? They both answer for their bosses about issues of sexual harassment.
JON APPLETON
White River Junction
The Forum letter from Diana Watson, of Fairlee, has created quite a response (“Mask orders destroying our republic,” July 26). Her concern is “our republic.”
When I started recording the statistics regarding COVID-19 on May 13, the number of cases in the U.S. was 1,369,535 and the number of deaths was 82,413. Three months have passed and the figures on Aug. 3 are 4,802,275 cases and 157,556 deaths. If this continues, we may not have a republic.
What is the problem with wearing a mask? Why don’t we just try it? For one month we play by the rules. We stay home as much as possible. When we must go out to do necessary chores, we wear a mask. We try to stay 6 feet from each other. Perhaps, just perhaps, we might be surprised at the results.
JANN MACDONALD
Quechee
Thank you to all those who exercised their right to vote in the Aug. 11 Vermont primary. Special congratulations are in order to the candidates who won their respective primaries. I look forward to meeting as many voters as possible between now and Election Day.
MICHAEL JASINSKI SR.
Springfield, Vt.
The writer is a candidate to represent the Windsor District in the Vermont Senate.
How awesome was that?
Even amid what is surely the most tumultuous summer of their young lives, players on the Upper Valley Anglers baseball team managed to stage a comeback against Nashua last Thursday, a memory that will last forever (“Eight’s not enough: Anglers stage late-inning comeback to advance to league finals,” Aug. 14).
Kudos to the Anglers’ coaches and organizers of the New Hampshire COVID Baseball League, as well as the Vermont Summer Baseball League, for stepping to the plate and giving players an outlet despite the absence of normal American Legion sponsorship due to the pandemic. Without such an effort, moments like the Anglers’ rally from an 8-0 deficit to reach the league championship series would have been lost to all of the other “what ifs” COVID-19 has wrought.
Thanks, Anglers, for reminding us why we love sports.
JARED PENDAK
Bradford, Vt.