Letters to the Editor

Gabbs school facing teacher crisis

Gabbs is facing a crisis in its school. Our Special Ed teacher no longer teaches here and just this week two teachers quit.

Teachers' aides are doing their best to fill the voids, but they are not qualified and our children are suffering. We have several children who need a Special Ed teacher and they are not getting the help they require.

Staff morale is at an all-time low and it would not be surprising if there are more resignations.

Our young children, who in past years walked to the library and were read books by a volunteer, are no longer able to do that. That tradition was canceled. So not only are the children not introduced to the library and taught to use it, they also do not get a break from their daily routine.

There are other ominous happenings at the school: erratic and seemingly nonsensical new rules and regulations.

We have a very small school, limited population, but our kids and their future are important. Their needs are not being met. We need help.

Jan Basinger

Update on air transport ordeal

I owe it to the community to give an update on our recent ordeal and letter concerning Mercy Air. As I stated in my letter we were blessed with decent insurance. Medicare downplayed the charges from $45,000 to $7,000 and paid $5,500. My secondary picked up the rest. Good for us.

I still stand by the price shock, seeing from research that some folks become obligated for most of it. The sad part of this medical game, we the people are not part of the loop, by not knowing our obligation until everything shakes out. Where does the challenge that the service provided and charged for actually given? Crazy start pricing versus insurance adjustments, then we are informed of our part without any upfront statement. When all is said and done the uninsured get no breaks with the poor saying, oh well, and those with a little losing it all. You can blame this price gouging and adjustment game on 100 percent of our protect-and-serve politicians, both past and present, for not requiring an environment where the providers and the people can fairly and clearly survive.

I truly hope none of you experience this dilemma, and if you do, the outcome turns out like ours did.

John Firby