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Letters to the Editor

Setting record straight on schools

Sen. Don Schaible, Mott There’s been a few headlines lately criticizing the legislature for bills related to school lunch and school choice. I want to set the record straight on those issues and the work the legislature has done to ensure the best possible education for all children in North Dakota. First and foremost, I want to stress that no child should ever go hungry in this state. Good nutrition is essential to learning and I care very much that students in our state don’t go hungry. While a bill to provide some students with free school lunches (HB 1491) did not pass ...

Legislature protecting masculinity?

James Maxson, Minot Has the North Dakota State legislature protected the masculinity of North Dakota males or questioned their masculinity? Do North Dakota males really need legislative action to prevent them from “crossing over to the other side”? Will humiliating persons with different identities make North Dakota males feel more like “real men”? Is seeing men wearing dresses in public a bigger threat than seeing men carrying weapons in public which are far superior to the ones I trained with in the U.S. Army  in 1968? Are North Dakota males in danger of getting excited by ...

Stabilize child care by amending bill

Erin Laverdure, Hazen In 2022, a number of people interested in addressing the child care crisis in North Dakota formed the North Dakota Child Care Action Alliance. The coalition held listening sessions with child care professionals, families and businesses to better understand the child care crisis in our state and to gather ideas on how to address this crisis. The lack of affordable, quality and accessible child care were constant themes. Many of the state’s child care workers earn poverty-level wages. Median wage across North Dakota for a child care worker is $11.19 per hour, ...

Ranchers committed to raising beef sustainably 

Jerry Doan, McKenzie With Earth Day today, sustainability is top-of-mind with consumers, and beef ranchers are no different. I am proud of the high-quality beef I produce for consumers, but I can’t do that without caring for the land. Black Leg Ranch was founded in 1882 in what was then the Dakota Territory. The ranch is six generations strong and is founded on regenerative practices which ensure our natural resources, including wildlife, are improving and will be here for generations to come. We are very proud of the strides we have made to improve water quality and soil ...

Veto urged on anti-abortion bill

Amy Jacobson, Executive Director, Prairie Action, Fargo Anti-abortion politicians in North Dakota are trying to control our bodies and our lives, take away our freedom, and force their will on the rest of us. These extremist politicians, led by Senator Janne Myrdal, are intent on banning abortion with little regard for our values or what’s best for our communities. The state legislature passed SB 2150 — a strident near total abortion ban with very narrow exceptions when the woman’s life is at risk. It also contains a limited exception for victims of rape and incest that ...

Sexual assault victims deserve options

Madison Griffin, Fellow with Prairie Action North Dakota, Fargo-Moorhead Recently Governor Burgum issued a proclamation naming April 2023 as Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention month. Sexual Assault Awareness Month is an educational campaign that aims to increase awareness about the causes and risk factors for sexual assault and empower individuals to take steps to prevent it in their communities. It calls attention to the fact that sexual violence is widespread and impacts every person in the community, though some more disproportionately than others. Governor Burgum’s ...