Teachers, please vote wisely.
Re: “Teaching is a joy I can’t afford anymore. Texas leaders know educators are underpaid, but they didn’t do anything about it.” By Tyra Damm , Sunday Opinion.
Thank you, Tyra Dam, for your many columns about education, students, and your obvious enjoyment and expertise in this profession. I’m not happy that you’re leaving teaching, but I was glad to read your editorial explaining your reasons for leaving.
The lack of support and funding from Austin Governor Greg Abbott and his colleagues, as well as the intentional defunding of public schools, is all too relevant to this low-paid teacher problem. Teachers and all public school employees need to understand that all financial benefits, including raises, health care, and retirement benefits, all come from the Texas Legislature.
Therefore, it is of utmost importance that teachers and public school employees vote in every election. But first, you need to learn which members of the Texas Legislature and Senate are pro-public schools and vote for them.
Teachers, please do your homework, go to your polling place on March 5th, and vote for the candidates who support you and your public schools. This isn’t about being political, it’s about being smart.
Cynthia Hawkins Bowland, Dallas
Just the facts, guys.
Re: “Media Trust at Risk in 2024” by William McKenzie, Sunday Opinion.
thank you teacher. Ask any discerning reader and they’ll tell you that trust in the media has been on the decline for quite some time. It’s all the modder’s fault. Adjectives and adverbs are words designed to paint a picture and direct an emotional response. I’m not interested in the artistic perspective when it comes to news. I would like a verbal photo. What I want from reporters is not to analyze the situation, but to explain what happened.
My favorite part of this paper is the opinion and letters page. These are separated into their own clearly marked sections. I read every word every day, and I know that while it may be educational, it is not fact-based. A colorful page one report may be easy to read, but it has no useful value.
Ken Kelly, Pottsboro
Please give me some numbers.
Governor Greg Abbott, Texas State Senators and Representatives: The lack of oversight and funding for foster care and the rise in rape-related pregnancies (reported approximately 26,000 in this newspaper) are alarming.
You have stated that the sanctity of life is important to you and is part of your Christian values, so how many of these children have you placed in loving homes, or Report on how they are cared for and supported. thank you.
Margaret Burns, Dallas
head
Public schools benefit society
Re: “Focus on public schools” by Sherry Files, Tuesday Letters.
The file hit the proverbial mark by encouraging more support for public schools.
The reality is that the vast majority of children will attend public and private schools and/or charter schools. A good education, starting in preschool, is a pre-emptive strike against the many ills our society must deal with, including crime, ignorance, homelessness, and hatred. Additionally, notice how a solid education influences advances in science, medicine, and more.
We are all aware of what is happening to our country and the world. And it’s always a reactive approach, which is costly in many ways. Investing more money and resources into public education is a positive step to ensuring our children are on solid footing and positively impacting future generations.
Larry Postel, Dallas
all children should be given a chance
By 2028, education savings account plans will cost the state more than $2 billion annually. The state actually spent $64 billion on public education in Texas from 2018 to 2019, according to TXSmartSchools. That means $2 billion is about 3% of Texas’ annual spending on public education.
This is not a “mass transfer of wealth from the bottom to the top” as some say regarding school choice.
An additional 42,000 students are expected to attend private schools. This acknowledges that many parents choose to send their children to private schools if they can afford it. We should give all children the opportunity to receive a better education.
Les Gregory, Frisco
It’s not a necessity, it’s a blessing
Gov. Greg Abbott wants to issue private school vouchers so parents can choose high-performing schools that meet their children’s needs. I don’t think this is done fairly. It’s not fair to give more than $10,000 a year to parents who want to enroll their children in private schools, while continuing to allocate only $6,160 to $6,235 per public school student.
If Texas must adopt a voucher system, the amount of school choice vouchers must be limited to public school allocations. Voucher payments could be administered on a sliding scale, favoring low-income families in areas with poor public school performance and viable private school options.
The primary purpose of a voucher program should be to provide children with a better education. Vouchers should not be implemented to please big donors or to give tax breaks to parents who are willing and able to choose and pay for private schools.
Public education is critical to Texas. It is a necessity of society. Vouchers are a blessing, not a necessity. The Texas Legislature should focus on improving public school funding before implementing a voucher program.
Karen Miller, McKinney
We welcome your feedback in a letter to the editor. Please refer to the guidelines. Submit your letter here. If you have any problems with the form, you can email it to: [email protected]