Letters: Protecting children; thanks to trustees; bad bond | Fort Worth Star-Telegram

There’s all this talk about the war on women, but how about the war on children?

Roe v. Wade produced millions of casualties, Hollywood has exposed our young to the full spectrum of moral decay and violence, and now comes the assault of sex-related texts between a teacher and a 13-year-old.

Do parents really have to worry about an educator talking dirty with their kids? They already worry enough about their general physical safety, peer pressure, drugs, alcohol and guns. Now, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals has ruled it’s OK for the teacher to text a minor about sex because it’s his sacred free speech right.

Have all boundaries of moral decency been obliterated? Parents and grandparents, we must demand better than this court’s decision for the protection of the next generation.

— Jean King, Fort Worth

Thanks to trustees

Many thanks to the forward-thinking trustees with the Arlington school district.

We who have children in the AISD see this upcoming bond package as a great encouragement. It says that Arlington cares about educating our children above the norm — above the “average.”

I’m convinced we will see a generation of children exceed all of our expectations. No other school district in the state of Texas will come close to AISD.

Get ready for your property values to increase, because we’re going to see parents wanting to move into this district!

— Mark Schatzman, Arlington

Bad bond

My family and I have lived in Arlington since Father’s Day 1959. Our children attended Arlington schools, and some graduated from UTA.

The Arlington school trustees have proven they represent themselves only, not citizen-taxpayers.

I have already started looking for replacements for them all and to vote against the huge tax increase they are asking for!

— William G. Sandlin Jr.,

Arlington

City manager search

Neither the Star-Telegram editorial board nor the City Council were impressed with the city manager candidates. What a surprise.

The candidates were eminently qualified; they had the education and experience but just weren’t a good fit for Fort Worth.

That begs the question: What is a good fit?

Someone who can relate to our values (whatever they are). Someone who knows the city and our way of getting things done.

Someone who would feel comfortable tearing up two brand new lanes of highway to plant trees and shrubs in a water-starved community. Someone who would willingly give up tax revenues from TIFs and abatements to satisfy a few supposed visionaries at the expense of the other 700,000 residents.

My guess is that the council will hire from within. They’ll pick a candidate who knows where their marching orders come from. No independent thinkers wanted; we tried that before.

Whoever it is, they will be adequate, and let’s face it, that’s really all those with influence want.

— Clyde Picht, Fort Worth

Fracking fracas

It unfair to call Exxon Mobil CEO Rex Tillerson a hypocrite simply because he objects to a tall water tower near his 83-acre horse ranch.

What would be fair, since Tillerson makes $40 million a year promoting hydraulic fracturing as clean and safe, would be if he had a dozen gas wells 600 feet from his front door, a retention pond by his barn, and some wastewater injection wells on his back forty.

Then, if Tillerson still professed hydraulic fracturing to be safe after his drinking water turned flammable, earthquakes damaged his foundation, frack water poisoned his horses and toxic gas emissions sickened his family, he wouldn’t be called a hypocrite: He’d be called a fracking fool.

— Sharon Austry, Fort Worth

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