Opinion

BSO management is a disgrace

The Sun's coverage of U.S. Open was lackluster

There are bigger problems than the BSO

War on drugs creates an environment for police corruption

Are there no Baltimore County employees with leadership potential?

In the matter of BSO management v. musicians

Charles is a rough ride

Lexus Lanes won't relieve traffic congestion

Can we trust Stronach on Pimlico and the Preakness? Let's find out.

U.S. women's soccer team deserves greater financial support

Senator McConnell: Protect U.S. elections

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell does not shame easily. Ask anyone — including Jon Stewart, the former Comedy Network star who has found a second life as an impassioned advocate for the victims of the 9/11 attacks. His wilting denunciation of Congress and Senator McConnell, in particular,...

Many American orchestras have emerged stronger from lockouts and strikes; the BSO can too

The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra board’s decision Sunday night to lock out the musicians during their lengthy and increasingly bitter contract dispute is unfortunate but not exactly unexpected. There have been at least a dozen lockouts or strikes at major U.S. orchestras in the last decade, and...

Make vocational training available to disadvantaged kids

A second analysis has confirmed what should be no secret to school officials: The vocational program that trains students for well-paying jobs that don’t require a college degree is failing those who could benefit the most from it. Now the question is what the school system is going to do about...

U.S. and Iran need to pull back from the brink of war

The escalating conflict between the United States and Iran took a regrettable — if not entirely unexpected — turn on Monday with the announcement from Tehran that the Persian Gulf nation will exceed the limit on its enriched uranium stockpile imposed by the 2015 multi-nation nuclear deal. President...

Alternative Fact of the Week: Donald Trump, inexplicable defender of autocrats who wish us ill

It breaks no journalistic ground to report that Donald Trump lies. The 45th president lies a lot. He lies about important matters. He lies about unimportant matters. And he lies so consistently and so enthusiastically and with so little concern for reality that there’s even a term, “alternative...

Note to Baltimore's FOP: Some cops are bad

If there is ever to be a true cultural shift at the Baltimore Police Department, the Fraternal Order of Police labor union needs to help, and part of that means admitting that there are bad cops. We understand that it is the group’s job to defend its members, but the union does real damage to the...

UMMS wants us to believe it has changed its ways. Can we?

The message the University of Maryland Medical System has been trying to send in recent days is summed up in big type at the start of a news release Wednesday announcing the completion of a consultant’s report on the self-dealing scandal that has rocked the institution this year: “System embraces...

Baltimore's non-conforming liquor stores have had plenty of time

Baltimore’s zoning code is, according to city law, “for the purpose of promoting the health, safety, morals, and general welfare of the community.” There is little doubt that the current effort to eliminate liquor stores in residential neighborhoods falls within that power — ample research from...

BSO lockout will have a long-term negative impact

I was saddened to learn that the management of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra has taken what labor relations professionals consider to be the “nuclear option,” in that they have locked out the musicians and drastically and unilaterally have ceased paying their salaries (“Many American orchestras...

Bad cops? That's not the real story of Baltimore Police Department's decline

To my knowledge, no one has ever attempted to claim that there are no “bad apples” in the Baltimore City Police Department (“Note to Baltimore’s FOP: Some cops are bad,” June 13). The police, as a group, are not unlike any other groups of people. Are there “bad” police? Of course, there are — just...

BSO needs to put its musicians first

Summer can be a time of fun and travel, so it’s easy to look away for a moment and not realize what’s happening with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (“Many American orchestras have emerged stronger from lockouts and strikes; the BSO can too,” June 17). I would like to share my personal experiences...

Story about rogue cop should have not run on Father's day

The Baltimore Sun has now sunk to a new low. On Father's Day, you run a lengthy piece in the print edition about a disgraced, convicted Baltimore cop (“Ignoring warning signs of misconduct, Baltimore Police praised — and promoted — Gun Trace Task Force leader,” June 12). What about the majority...

Fault poor endowment decisions, not musicians, for BSO's woes

There can be no doubt that the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra is in dire straits, and while that has been well-reported, less has been reported about management’s role is creating the crisis (“How the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra found itself in trouble,” June 17). In 2006, tens of millions of dollars...

Zurawik attacks Trump again

Well David Zurawik has done it again today in his column about the Ohio football players (“Social media, toxic masculinity make big trouble in Ohio town, throughout the culture today,” June 13). He was doing a good job of analyzing the PBS documentary, but all of a sudden he felt the urge to attack...

Harriet Tubman $20: Compromise is possible

I read the article written by Pamela Wood about the placing of Harriet Tubman on the $20 (“Maryland Gov. Hogan to Trump administration: Put Harriet Tubman on the $20 bill,” June 11). I have had some thoughts about this which I have shared with many people and all had liked the ideas. Here are my...

Gov. Hogan will spend taxpayer money on football stadiums, but not symphonies

It is interesting to compare Gov. Hogan's attitude toward professional football teams and symphony orchestras ("Olszewski says plans for sold out Independence Day concert are 'full steam ahead' despite BSO lockout,” June 17). Until last February, the governor tried to get the Washington Redskins...

BSO board should be replaced

Adding insult to injury, the Baltimore Symphony board is now barring the orchestra members’ access to their own house (“Many American orchestras have emerged stronger from lockouts and strikes; the BSO can too,” June 17). As has been reported repeatedly in this newspaper, the board has not only...

City vocational training needs to be retooled

The article, “’A caste system of education': Baltimore's vocational programs fail to equitably open doors, audit finds” (June 17), was certainly an eye opener. As a vocational teacher for 40 years, I found the statistic that only 10% of the students in vocational programs complete course requirements...