Speak Up: Ethics complaint over Wilmington lawmaker dropped

While legislators determined that state Rep. Gerald Brady, D-Wilmington, used racist and sexist terms to discuss human trafficking in a June 27 email, an ethics complaint filed against him has been dropped. The decision came after the House Ethics Committee found that remarks in the email were protected by the First Amendment, which guarantees the right of free speech.

Additionally, HEC unanimously determined that no laws had been broken.

• I agree that Rep. Brady’s speech is protected under the First Amendment of the Constitution; however, is that the purpose of the House Ethics Committee? Ethics are based on a standard of right and wrong. Ethically, Rep. Brady is wrong to use the language he did, and because he is a public official, the Ethics Committee should have issued sanctions at the very least. Every professional person in Delaware must take a course in ethics, and believe me, if they violated what was considered “ethical,” they would not get a pass. — Cheryl Precourt

• Perhaps the same rules of the Democratic Party for one of their own should be applied to President Trump and his being banned from Facebook and Twitter. But hey, this is the Delaware way. — Bob Skuse

Referendum seeks to reopen Milford Middle School

The Milford School District is gearing up for a capital referendum that, if passed, would mean the reestablishment of Milford Middle School on Lakeview Avenue to the district’s roster of buildings. Voting will take place from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Oct. 27 at Benjamin Banneker and Lulu M. Ross elementary schools, Milford High School and Evelyn I. Morris Early Childhood Center.

• Why vote for any increase in school property taxes now, until you have written assurances from the school district that they will adopt a revenue-neutral approach when the county reevaluates the property in the county to market value? The school district is a taxing authority. One of the big questions I have is, why aren’t the school districts reapportioned every 10 years like other political subdivisions? Maybe, if you redraw the lines, you would not be overcrowded or you would not have to build new buildings. This is the main argument for county school districts. In the long run, it will keep your taxes down and have a better feeder system for the children. — Will Garfinkel