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What makes a good teacher? Ask a Republican and a Democrat, and they are likely to agree

Columns

If you follow the headlines, it can seem like K-12 schools in the United States are a political battlefield. Some conservative parents and advocacy groups are lobbying to remove certain books from classrooms and libraries, most often those that highlight LGBTQ+ issues or race and racism. Some civil liberties groups, librarians and progressive parents, meanwhile, are pushing back against book bans, saying they are a form of unnecessary censorship. Parents and school boards also are clashing over a range of other issues, ranging from how transgender and nonbinary students are treated ...

The long battle for Black humanity

Letters to the editor

Tim Mannello Williamsport For centuries, America has waged a relentless fight over whether Black lives would be treated as fully human or as merely disposable. Today, successful attempts to rewrite and sanitize the story of Black Americans and to reverse civil rights laws downplay the brutality of slavery and the persistence of racial bias. They erase our memories of the resilience, resistance and cultural contributions that define the history of Black Americans. School boards in several states have recently softened descriptions of slavery. They suggested, for example, that ...

In a world that keeps telling us no, resilience becomes resistance

Columns

Sometimes life lets us set the record straight. It happens in big and small ways and reminds us to stay true to who we are, to believe in our talents, pursue our interests and develop our skill sets. The world is filled with people who will tell you “no,” and it feels like we are hearing “no” more frequently these days. Legislation, academic priorities and corporate policies are clawing back so much of the progress we’ve made in this country. Even still, I remain optimistic that our resilience will eventually see us through. Because when faced with people who tell us “no,” ...

High cortisol causes patient to feel awful amid normal tests

Columns

DEAR DR. ROACH: I’ve been feeling just awful. My doctor put me through the normal tests, and all were good. A neurologist recommended that I get a cortisol test. I did, and it showed a high cortisol level. I’d never heard of this. Would you explain what high cortisol is, how it is treated and if there are any natural cures or therapies? — S.K. ANSWER: Cortisol is a critical hormone that is needed for the function of many body systems. Without cortisone, the body cannot respond to stress, and a stressful event can literally kill a patient. A medical condition called ...

Has the American ship just arrived or long ago set sail?

Letters to the editor

Kimball Shinkoskey Woods Cross, Utah Many Americans believe we have arrived at the highest reaches of military, political, economic and social glory. Our president regularly tells us he has been given an overwhelming mandate to govern in the interest of the people and that we are finally entering America’s “Golden Age.” America won both World War I and World War II. No foreign national government has attacked our homeland since 1812. For 250 years we have basked in the “rule of law” rather than given in to any despot’s arbitrary and capricious rule. We have gorgeous ...

Dear Annie: We’ve done everything, but it wasn’t enough

Columns

Dear Annie: My husband and I took in five siblings after both of their parents died, even though we were already raising a large family of our own. Overnight, our lives changed. The children were 7, 9, 12, 13 and 15 when they came to us, and we did our best to give them safety, stability and love. We showed up for school events, sports, camps and counseling, though one child’s severe behavioral struggles made daily life especially difficult. Now they are adults, and four of them have cut ties with us, saying we “gave them trauma.” That accusation has been heartbreaking after all ...