Jim Jones
Jefferson City
Dear Editor:
The reports of actions by Attorney General Eric Schmidt and Treasurer Scott Fitzpatrick to hold hostage funds intended for our schools and students are beyond the pale. Insisting the schools sign a statement that requires them not to enforce local mask or COVID-19 rules is ridiculous.
Upon learning of this, I was appalled, then shocked, and now I'm just embarrassed. Schmidt and Fitzpatrick insist "bureaucrats" are responsible for these rules. Well, who are these "bureaucrats?"
1. Local school boards, duly elected by the local voters of their districts.
2. Local county health departments, which are appointed and overseen by local county commissions that are duly elected by local voters.
These bodies are responsible to their local voters. If the voters object, they need to go to their local school board and county commission meetings and express their views. And then show up to vote in local elections.
So why are Schmidt and Fitzpatrick imposing their will on matters that are rightly under the purview of local governing bodies? It's pure politics. They're pandering to a small, but vocal voting group.
And why is Schmidt wasting taxpayer money, the state's and local school's, filing his feckless lawsuits against schools? That's not his place. He could use a class in high school civics. Again, it's pure politics.
For what it's worth, I was raised as a Republican, and the party I knew stood for less federal and state governmental intrusion and overreach into local affairs. The party I see today has little to no resemblance to the one I knew.