State hiring freeze; don’t teach; false prophets; racial divide

State hiring freeze

The governor’s hiring freeze means that Texas universities like UT Arlington are not allowed to recruit graduate students (laboratory teaching assistants for many classes) or re-sign non-tenure-track lecturers (who teach many introductory classes) for the summer and fall semester.

Perhaps the governor doesn’t understand that this is a crucial time of the year for recruiting personnel for future semesters.

A freeze on these “nonessential” positions means classes can’t be offered during the summer session, and many classes may be canceled in the fall semester.

Students in our public universities will suffer as a result of the governor’s hiring freeze.

Unless you have the money to send your children to private universities, I suggest you raise a hue and cry to your state representatives, friends and neighbors, reminding them that taxes pay for services we want and need.

Tell Gov. Greg Abbott to release the hiring freeze.

Don’t teach

Graduates, before you become a teacher, you need to reconsider. Teaching provides its own rewards, but here is what the Texas Teachers Retirement System and our state and federal governments don’t want you to know.

Social Security is not available to Texas public school teachers. In fact, they will take two-thirds of any Social Security you or your spouse have earned. This is the “government pension offset.”

While I get a pension from working at a corporation and a sizable Social Security check each month, my wife is not entitled to Social Security because she retired as a teacher.

If she had never worked as a teacher, she would be entitled to half the amount I receive.

At age 65, retired teachers are no longer entitled to health insurance under the Teacher Retirement System and have to pay for Part B and D Medicare out of pocket. TRS only provides a Medicare supplement.

It’s a great idea to stay away from teaching.

False prophets

I can find no message in the Bible that justifies hatred or claim of inferiority/superiority because of skin color or economic status. The Bible says we are to share God’s love.

Jesus also warns us that there will be false prophets and that we will know them by their fruits (Matthew 7:16). Any message of hatred or superiority appears to be rotten fruit.

Racial divide

Editor’s note: This letter is being republished because of previous editing errors.

I would like to address part of the reason we have a racial divide in Fort Worth and our country in general.

The African American community enjoys having groups dedicated strictly to the interests of African Americans: The Bridge of Fort Worth, Fort Worth Black Police Officers Association, Black Chamber of Commerce, Black Congressional Caucus, etc.

While I don’t have an issue with these groups, I am confident if they had “White” in place of “Black” in the names African Americans would say these were racist groups.

You can’t have it both ways.

This story was originally published February 21, 2017 at 5:30 PM with the headline "State hiring freeze; don’t teach; false prophets; racial divide."