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Students are drilled for tests instead of inspired to learn. This isn’t education — it’s demoralization.
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Demoralized
I’m the parent of two recent Houston ISD graduates who lived through the state takeover of the district. I hoped it would bring positive change. I couldn’t have been more wrong.
Under Superintendent Mike Miles, Houston children are drilled for tests instead of inspired to learn. Students deliberately answer questions wrong to avoid “team centers,” where success means more worksheets. This isn’t education — it’s demoralization.
Houston public schools have lost nearly 20,000 students, more than during the pandemic. Last year alone, a record number of staff members left, including many of our best educators. One campus had six principals in less than two years.
I urge Fort Worth ISD to fight the state takeover. Protect your schools, your teachers and your students’ futures.
– Heather Golden, Houston
Priced out
When I was a kid, it was possible to return enough soda bottles or mow enough lawns to pay for a ticket to see the Rangers play. Now that I’m retired, I’ll never enjoy another game because of the high ticket and concession prices. Had I known the cost of going to the State Fair this year, I would have stayed longer last year.
It’s sad that so many normal folks can’t afford to enjoy what used to be the little things in life.
– Ray Flenniken, Fort Worth
Clean it up
Guest commentary author Matthew Kandrach is wrong: Coal isn’t the answer to lowering energy costs, period. (Oct. 31, “Electric bills are rising fast. Here’s how coal plants can help”) Coal power is more expensive than ever because of the high cost of maintaining aging plants, rising fuel prices and environmental cleanup requirements.
Renewable energy such as wind and solar is now the cheapest source of new electricity. Once generation is built and connected to the electrical grid and battery storage facilities, renewables have no fuel costs and protect consumers from global price spikes, while also creating local jobs and, most important, not contributing further environmental damage. If we want affordable, reliable energy for the future, we should invest in clean, renewable power — not return to outdated, costly, dirty coal.
– Andrea Christgau, Keller
Wrong choice
I always read the Star-Telegram Editorial Board’s endorsements for elections, and I generally trust and agree with the information you provide. However, your choice of John Huffman for the Texas Senate was surprising. (Oct. 19, C6, “Star-Telegram endorsement: Tarrant election to fill state Senate seat”)
Perhaps the intent was to draw a distinction between two Republicans, Huffman and Leigh Wambsganss, but you could instead endorse the Democrat, Taylor Rehmet. He is an up-and-coming leader, who is enthusiastically trying to represent unions and working people.
Huffman’s campaign literature says he will defend schools against extreme “woke” indoctrination, ban so-called “critical race theory” and protect women and girls by keeping men out of their sports. I think it’s way past time for the Star-Telegram to call out these candidates who have nothing to offer except this kind of inflammatory nonsense.
– Penny Baxter, North Richland Hills
Power grabs
We have a constitutional amendment election Tuesday. This Texas Legislature doesn’t need another victory for its power grabs and poor spending decisions. Vote against all 17 amendments. That would send a strong message that we are sick of Gov. Greg Abbott and his cronies.
– Robert Adams, Fort Worth
Our fault
For the last 80 years, Congress has steadily ceded its constitutional powers to the presidency. If an autocracy is pending, we have done this to ourselves. I do not care if our next senators and representatives from Texas are Democrats, Republicans or independents. I want to elect candidates who will claw back from the executive those powers that rightfully belong to Congress and make it again a co-equal branch of government.
– Paul R. Schattman, Arlington
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