Letters to the Editor | Feb. 26, 2024

I am appalled by Donald Trump’s reportedly massive deportation plan if he returns to the White House. Such total disrespect for the value of human life. If people have experienced loving and responsible parenting and have been in that role themselves, why are they not able to realize that parents who cannot feed their children, who have no access to work, or who live in danger will take great risks to provide for their families? How can people who forgive the words on the Access Hollywood tape and are not concerned about the 91 felony charges against Trump not forgive the civil offense of crossing the border without permission?

I have worked with the immigrant community for more than 40 years. I have known them to work diligently to provide for their families here and in their country of origin. The immigrants I know are law-abiding residents eager to move along the path of citizenship. Yet, our Congress has not provided any immigration reform since 1986.

Most faith communities call for welcoming the stranger. People with no religious affiliation have joined others in providing for those arriving on buses and in need of shelter. The plan for indiscriminate removal of people who have lived here for years, raised their children here, and contributed to our society is more than alarming. It makes me wonder about the health of a society that would accept and carry out such a plan. There is a need for improvement at the border. Indiscriminate removal of good, law-abiding people is not the answer.

Sister Veronica Roche, Somers Point

I am a retired Philadelphia teacher. I taught kindergarten, elementary school, and special education for close to 30 years. My education instruction began at Temple University in the ‘70s, using a science and phonics-based program that stressed the need for reviewing children’s background knowledge to ensure they understood the new vocabulary. Writing sentences using new vocabulary, introducing the story, reading silently and aloud, as well as choral reading so students could hear the words. Using their “magic fingers” to find small words within the bigger words that they didn’t know. Getting their lips ready to say the new word.

Luckily, throughout my career, the school district offered many instructional workshops on different methods of teaching reading. I put each of these in my toolbox and pulled them out when needed. Using different strategies will add knowledge and richness to each student and help them conquer the enormous task of learning to read. Reading is a skill that needs to be mastered. For some, it’s like finding a needle in a haystack, or unlocking a locked door, while for others it will come easily. Educators must find the key for each student or I’m afraid the door may be locked forever. Our children deserve the best.

Marty Manson, Huntingdon Valley, mbmteach1@aol.com

Alabama’s Supreme Court just made it a criminal act for a person to accidentally destroy a frozen embryo, which it ruled was a legally protected life. Really? What’s next, criminalizing male masturbation? This ruling is simply taking things one step beyond reasoning.

Ben Zuckerman, Philadelphia

It was great news that SEPTA was awarded a $317 million federal grant to get new rail cars. When having to use public transportation, it is important to have clean transit vehicles. The Market-Frankford Line has to be very much cleaned up. Sometimes there are pieces of trash everywhere in the cars. Leslie S. Richards, CEO and general manager of SEPTA, and the leadership team did a good job in obtaining the grant. Making sure SEPTA stays upgraded, safe, and functioning properly is vital. Having a clean environment makes riders feel more comfortable, safe, and happy, going on with their day-to-day endeavors. Mayor Cherelle L. Parker wants to make Philadelphia the safest, cleanest, and greenest big city in the nation, with economic opportunity for all. More must be done by every single one of our elected representatives to make such big changes happen.

Alim Howell, Upper Darby

Violence against nurses and other health-care professionals is endemic. If nothing is done soon to better protect the people caring for you or your loved ones, the staffing shortage crisis will only get worse. Currently, there is no federal law that protects hospital employees from assault and intimidation. U.S. Reps. Madeleine Dean (D., Pa.) and Larry Buchson (R., Ind.) introduced the Safety From Violence for Healthcare Employees (SAVE) Act last year. The bill, which is modeled after current protections for aircraft and airport workers, creates legal penalties for individuals who knowingly and intentionally assault or intimidate hospital employees — with protections for people mentally incapacitated due to illness or substance use. It also provides funding for training programs, law enforcement coordination efforts, and facility improvements. The Senate version of the SAVE Act was introduced in September. Please consider sending an email to your elected officials to express your support for protecting nurses and other health-care workers against violence.

Betty Long, president and CEO, Guardian Nurses Healthcare Advocates, Philadelphia

For 150 years, St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children has been a beacon of hope for families in need. That is perhaps truer today than at any time in recent memory, as the hospital has returned to nonprofit ownership, stabilized its finances, received significant investments in critical infrastructure, and embraced its mission as a hub of health equity and compassionate, high-quality care for those who need it most. It’s true that the hospital continues to face challenges. How could it not, when it serves the highest share of Medicaid patients of any children’s hospital in the country? (As The Inquirer has previously noted, Medicaid pays hospitals much less than private insurance for the same services.)

And yet, despite immense structural challenges, the hospital, co-owned by Drexel University and Tower Health, is not only surviving — it is succeeding thanks to committed providers, caregivers, and community stakeholders. This is also a testament to the leadership of Don Mueller, outgoing CEO, who has superbly led the hospital through a challenging time of ownership transition and the COVID-19 pandemic. I know him well, and his passion for the hospital and its patients has never wavered. It would be a disservice if the record did not fully reflect the incredible strides the hospital has made in recent years. There is more work to be done, but we are fully committed and more confident than ever in St. Christopher’s future.

John Fry, president, Drexel University

Mayor Cherelle L. Parker has begun her administration with the creation of a slew of new positions. We have a new deputy chief education officer, a new director of capital projects, and a new Office of Strategic Partnerships. We also have two positions running the Streets Department now, instead of one. And let’s not forget our new public safety director. The reason for all these hires is the city will run more efficiently — or so we are told. It might be a good idea to see what all these new positions will cost. Each one represents at least a six-figure salary, but that’s not the real cost. Each will require staff, benefits, office space, cell phones, computer equipment, software, office supplies, etc.

In 2020, the city controller issued a report on former Mayor Jim Kenney’s significant budget increases. The controller indicated that from 2017 to 2019, inflation grew at 3%, but the city’s budget increased by more than 7% each year. The primary cost driver was increased personnel spending. Parker might want to check the math on Kenney’s playbook and realize that adding all these new positions doesn’t translate into a better-run city. Increasing positions at the top can create longer chains of command and less efficiency, accountability, and responsibility. I would suggest she might want to investigate all those positions that Kenney left behind because while he was mayor, the city was far more expensive to run with very little to show for it.

Charles Brennan, Philadelphia

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