Dear Editor,

I am writing in response to an opinion in the Wheeling News-Register, Sunday January 16, 2022. The opinionated author was Marc Thiessen

Thiessen uses his opinion to politicize a serious matter. He uses his opinion to condemn teachers’ unions. Now it should be noted that Thiessen is a conservative. Mark Alexander Thiessen is an American conservative author, political appointe and weekley columnist for The Washington Post. He has worked in the George W. Bush administration.

Thiessen suggests that the action taken by teachers’ unions in Chicago was illegal and was an attack on the well-being of Chicago children. I haven’t seen anywhere that Thiessen has denounced homelessness, opiod abuse, proper nourishment, accessible healthcare and others. He continues that Chicago Mayor, Lori Lightfoot, deserves credit for standing up to the Union.

Thiessen claims that school closures are “child abuse”! He goes on to say that nearly 5,400 public schools throughout the country stopped in- person instruction during the first week of January. I assume he meant 2022.

He claims that he feels to correct this “wrong” imposed by the teachers’ Union we should “take away the power from those who don’t care about children- the teachers’ unions- and put it in the hands of those who do: Parents.” Bless his heart! He sounds like a true conservative Republican, doesn’t he?

If Mr. Thiessen used his time, education, experience and writing ability to offer someting progressive for education rather than level an all-out attack on teachers’ unions I might be inclined to listen to him. Instead, he executes his strong conservative, anti-union opinions to try to manipulate the minds of parents. Teachers, thank you for all you do. Without you and your dedicated efforts our country would be in much worse shape, regardless of what Mr. Thiessen and many of his conservative collegues think!

Denny Longwell- New Martinsville