Maintain good habits

People are beyond tired of the COVID-19 pandemic and most are anxious to get back to normal lives. Who can blame them? But as we have seen across parts of the country in recent weeks, reopening the economy has meant new spikes in virus cases. Those new cases spawn even more.

We’re not saying people should forego work and life. We are noting that health officials remind everyone to still be cautious and maintain the good habits learned in the past few months. Even if you feel strong and invincible, your state of health affects the health of others, including the vulnerable.

Impressive students

Fairmont Area Schools and the community have much to be proud of, as the school regularly demonstrates the quality of its programs and extracurricular activities.

This week, we note the outstanding achievement of two eighth-graders (Isaac Sheard and Blaze Geiger) who finished fourth at nationals for their National History Day project; and the speech team duo of Isabell Geiger and Tabitha Thatcher, who were 24th out of 200 teams at the first-ever virtual National Speech and Debate Tournament.

Amazing kids. Amazing talent.

Industry has a case

The pharmaceutical industry has filed suit to overturn a new Minnesota law mandating that drugmakers provide emergency and longer-term insulin supplies to diabetics who cannot afford them. The industry says the law is wrong because it forces them to give their product to Minnesotans for free, without any state compensation, thus violating the U.S. Constitution.

The drugmakers have a point. The state should be paying them if it believes free insulin is good public policy. Why would anyone ever produce anything ever again if the state can just take what it wants when it wants?

Ruling supports parents

The U.S. Supreme Court this week ruled in favor of parents and religious schools in a case out of Montana. The court said states cannot cut religious schools out of programs that send public money to private education. This is an outstanding decision.

The court did not say so, but we believe it is important to note the misnomer of “public” funding. All “public” funds originate in the private sector and are collected via taxes. If Montana parents, or parents anywhere, want to use “public” funds designated for education on a school of their choice, they should be allowed to do so. It’s their money in the first place, taken from them and their employers.