Student unhappy with Fort Worth Academy of Fine Arts, and other reader sound off

On Fine Arts Academy: It's not the same

After years of being bullied for being the “weird, artsy kid”, I couldn’t wait to go somewhere that sounded like home.

The Fort Worth Academy of Fine Arts was supposed to be my home. It now feels like a trap.

I’ve watched teachers and students I loved come and go, and going into a sophomore year I am struck with deep anxiety.

I have nowhere else to go, but FWAFA is no longer the home I hoped for.

Even more teachers and staff will be gone next year than I expected. The voices advocating for students on the inside are being pushed out, and I fear for the school.

The face of FWAFA is changing in unexpected ways, and I’m unsure if I will recognize it.

—Bellah Shipherd,

Fort Worth

On 'power to choose': Use it

I am thankful I live in an area where I can choose my own electric company, which I have done for six years.

I know by month how many kilowatts my home uses. This makes it simple to evaluate the options.

The cheap rates advertised are usually only for those using more than 2000kWh monthly, so I compare rates for 500-2000.

I determine if there is a monthly base charge. (I don’t want one and make sure there no minimum use penalty.)

I just make a chart so I can compare for the best choice, easy-peasy.

My latest contract from the same company is even cheaper than the first.

—Janis Honeycutt,

Grapevine

On Tour de Fort Worth: A need for transparency

I have been riding in the Tour de Fort Worth since 2011 when Mayor Betsy Price introduced it.

I was deeply disappointed in the 2017 Tour. One person was responsible for password management and tallying the categories. Then I was shocked to find that one person would decide the awards.

Hopefully the 2018 Tour de Fort Worth has hired qualified personnel and will enforce accountability and provide transparency.

—Blanca Gonzales, Fort Worth

This story was originally published July 5, 2018 at 10:16 AM.