Views from readers: Community colleges + federal workers

Showing appreciation

During the past year, federal employees have dedicated themselves to keeping our country running while weathering a global pandemic.

They continue to provide essential financial services, processing stimulus payments, tax refunds, small business loans, Social Security checks, mortgages and student loans to keep the economy churning and households operating.

As they do every day, they have kept us safe, tracking cyber threats, protecting the food supply and alerting Americans to treacherous weather conditions, among other critical and life-saving tasks.

Many were on the front lines, risking their own health to serve the American people. The pandemic took a heavy toll on these public servants: Countless workers were sickened while at work, and thousands died as a result.

And while many feds could work remotely, they put in hours around the clock, often while struggling to care for their families, like so many Americans.

Throughout the year, but especially during Public Service Recognition Week, May 2-8, Americans should express our thanks for these hard-working public servants, who make the everyday-and extraordinary-possible. I offer them my sincere appreciation.

Fred Hess

Carriere

Community colleges

The late Governor William Winter asserted, “The only road out of poverty runs past the schoolhouse door.” We Mississippians have long battled the devastating effects of a largely impoverished and uneducated populace. Various statistics concerning health and well-being, infant mortality, lack of jobs and the unemployed, or our educational system demonstrate the depth of our state’s predicament.

As a community college instructor, I have witnessed our state’s struggles firsthand for over two decades. Fortunately, I have also seen many Mississippi residents seek amelioration through one of our state’s fifteen community colleges by obtaining their GED, enrolling in an academic transfer program, or completing a Career/Technical program or vocational training to enter the job market more quickly. Mississippi needs its community colleges to be able to continue to serve its people.

Currently, our community colleges receive less than 7% of every dollar of Mississippi’s educational budget. Less than a dime! Simply put, our community colleges need greater funding so that we can function at the highest level. While we have been touted as the “best bang for the buck,” those bangs could lessen without adequate funding. As Mississippians emerge from COVID, our community colleges are poised to lead in our state’s preparedness to move forward.

I would like to take the liberty to revamp Gov. Winter’s words and propose that the path to economic recovery and betterment in our state flows through our community colleges.

I support community colleges, and you should too.

Marilyn Y. Ford

President

Mississippi Faculty Association for Community Colleges

Congressman Palazzo

I’m a lifelong Republican, though I’ve lost all respect for my party.

I actively supported Congressman Steven Palazzo when he ran for Congress, a mistake I won’t repeat.

Palazzo has been absent and unresponsive to his constituents.

His dedication to Trump has supplanted all other loyalties and obligations.

Palazzo took an oath to uphold the Constitution and has betrayed that trust in supporting Trump.

Bruce Giamalva

Ocean Springs