Jo and I are sending our prayers and condolences to the people of the United Kingdom following Queen Elizabeth II’s passing today. She was a great ally to the United States, and a historic example of duty, grace, and service to one’s country.
READ: Obituary: Queen Elizabeth II
At home, Americans are facing a record crime wave. Emblematic of this trend is the tragic abduction and murder of Eliza Fletcher in Memphis, Tennessee. Fletcher was murdered by a career criminal who was released from prison early. Any murder is a tragedy – yet Eliza Fletcher’s killing is one of many instances where liberal, soft-on-crime policies ended in heartbreak.
In North Carolina, homicides are up in Greensboro, Raleigh and Charlotte.
Meanwhile, on the national level, cities like New York City, Birmingham, and New Orleans have also encountered surging violent crime. This is the inevitable result of Democrats' harmful policies.
Now, the DEA is warning that cartels are marketing “rainbow fentanyl” to children as cartels continue to smuggle illegal drugs across the border, hiding amongst an unprecedented flood of illegal migrants pouring across our wide-open southern border.
Families across North Carolina and the nation are facing the negative impacts of drugs, crime, and illegal immigration. Democrats currently hold the reins of power – but they refuse to lift a finger to fix these problems.
Instead of supporting law enforcement and protecting Americans, the Biden administration is focused on attacking conservatives, smearing anyone who opposes the President as “destroying democracy.”
Biden branded himself as the “unity President” - that is nothing short of a total farce. His recent speech, ostensibly about “democracy,” was a signal to his corporate and media allies that they should work to cut off ‘MAGA Republicans’ from polite society.
While Biden dithers and blames others, our country suffers. These myriad problems stem directly from Democrats' soft-on-crime policies.
READ: Biden's inhumane open-border policies devastate Americans, illegal immigrants
Union County Schools Outperformed Other Districts That Closed Doors
During the disastrous pandemic lockdowns and school shutdowns of 2020 and 2021, Union County was one of only three counties in North Carolina that courageously went against the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Service’s ill-advised quarantine requirements.
Despite being denounced by all major state health officials, and even threatened with a lawsuit, Union County Schools scored higher in reading, math, and nearly every other measurable category.
Union County had the region's highest proficiency rates for Hispanic students in reading (43%) and math (55%), for Asian students in reading (88%) and math (95%), and for economically disadvantaged students in math (43%).
As our state continues to reel from the all-too-predictable aftershock of public schools closing their doors, Union County significantly topped state averages for student performance. While other school districts in Charlotte or Raleigh kept students out of the classroom, the Union County School District returned to in-person learning quicker than nearly every other school district.
While we still have a way to go in improving public education across the state and the country, I am heartened by the school leaders who are still working to ensure children’s best interests.
READ: Scores show big differences among Charlotte-area school districts
