Wrong priorities
Governor-elect Abbott’s 12 minutes with the press gave us a clear insight into his plans for his term in office.
Is it to improve Texas education (46th of 50 states in spending per student in the union — source: National Education Association)? Is it on poverty (at 16.2 percent, also 46th worst according to the U.S. Census)? Is it on the Texans with no medical insurance (50th worst, according to the Texas Medical Association)?
No, his priority is on passing open-carry laws. Exactly what we need, guns on full display in our grocery stores, parks, theaters and restaurants.
An absolute disgrace. It promises to be a long four years, indeed.
— Clive Lane, Grapevine
Political miscalculation
It was a miscalculation of amazing proportion for Democratic strategists to allow themselves (and their candidates) to be bullied from running on President Obama’s record. Al Gore similarly miscued when he would not embrace the accomplishments of President Clinton.
After all, Obama has done nothing but run the stock market into the 17,000+ stratosphere, lower unemployment to levels far below that when he took office, bring Osama bin Laden to justice, ensure that corporate coffers are bulging with profits and enroll more than 8 million uninsured or under-insured working Americans into affordable healthcare.
Notably, this was accomplished with little Republican cooperation. I believe his performance, all things considered, to be quite good.
Remember, when you see the low 42 percent approval rating of President Obama, the nay-sayers include a significant number of liberals that believe he has not gone far enough to combat the effects of radical conservatism.
— David Sanderford, Granbury
Consolidating districts
Recently I’ve heard ideas thrown around about how Texas school districts can save money for the taxpayers.
One idea I’ve heard is to consolidate smaller school districts into larger ones.
However, I think bigger-is-cheaper is a failed concept.
Yes, there is still only one superintendent in larger districts, but they have more staff below them to handle more issues. Maintenance costs are higher because there are more assets to maintain. Even buses will be using more fuel because of traveling longer distances.
There are ways school districts may save money for taxpayers, like shared services or collective bargaining on purchases.
However, a larger school district doesn’t mean it is better-managed or more efficient.
A bigger ISD is not necessary or better.
— Travis Malone, Richland Hills
More role models
There are all these ideas to fix low-income schools, most which are minority: more money, smaller classes, get rid of tenure, merit pay, vouchers, more experienced teachers and charter schools.
Did it ever occur to people they are sending too many white teachers into minority schools?
I am white and taught in Fort Worth Independent School District, which is mostly minority. I had a lot of discipline problems, and it was hard to get their attention.
The kids need role models. More minorities need to go into teaching.
— Petra Moessner., Fort Worth
Isolate Ebola
Several years ago, those who contracted TB were isolated to prevent them from spreading the disease.
These places were called sanitariums. People who got better returned home.
The same containment plan should have been implemented the moment Ebola was detected. The type of space suits worn by some astronauts with a separate air supply should have been used by all who came anywhere near an Ebola patient.
Anyone involved with the care-giving should also be in containment at the hospital, not flitting around the country on an airplane.
This country was not prepared because Liberia was somewhere far away from America; just how dare this virus get here?
Ineptitude by supervisors and managers at hospitals and the CDC has forced a lot of heads up out of the sand: “We can handle it, don’t worry.”
I once asked an official in Fort Worth, “How many hazmat suits do you have?”
He replied two, one for the police department and one for the fire department.
Enough said.
— Alexandra Wolf,
Fort Worth
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