Foreign languages open up a world of learning for young students

AllianceTexas gives, but doesn’t get

What about us? As this newspaper reported, the AllianceTexas development has pumped $76 billion into Fort Worth’s tax base, and what did we get back? Not much. (Feb. 27, 1A, “AllianceTexas has generated billions, and it’s still growing”)

We have practically no senior centers outside Loop 820. I guess we just need to get the residents of the AllianceTexas corridor to get a petition to withdraw from Fort Worth and become our own city.

With that $76 billion, we should be able to afford wonderful police and fire departments, senior centers, youth centers, parks, libraries and so much more. We already have hospitals, shopping centers, restaurants and more to provide service to the people who live here. Heck, last year alone we added $7 billion to the Fort Worth tax base.

I, for one, am getting tired of being forgotten by Fort Worth.

Be creative with our roadways

As our population grows, we’ve got to not only keep our existing roads safe and crumble-free, but we must look at alternative roads — double decking, perhaps — as well.

Emergencies are nothing new

The National Emergencies Act dates to 1975. The Brennan Center for Justice has compiled a list of the number of emergencies each U.S. president has declared since that time:

Jimmy Carter: 2 (1 still in effect)

Ronald Reagan: 6

George H.W. Bush: 5

Bill Clinton: 17 (6 still in effect)

George W. Bush: 14 (11 still in effect)

Barack Obama: 12 (10 still in effect)

Donald Trump: 4

There is much talk about Trump declaring a national emergency at the southern border, but how many folks have actually checked to see how many times former presidents have declared emergencies?

Why don’t we study our government’s history a little more before we panic?

Broaden horizons through language

The author of a Tuesday letter to the editor objected to teaching foreign languages in school before the 10th grade. (9A) He claimed this would allow kids more time to read, write and understand the American way of life and our values.

We sponsored a German high school exchange student. In Germany, students are taught English from kindergarten. She was fluent in English, German and French. While here, she had the highest score in math and even on an English exam. She knew more about our government and President John F. Kennedy than I could recall.

The truth is, if kids would put down their electronics and turn off the TV, they would find time for reading, writing, our history and learning about the world.

We see evidence today of what happens when folks don’t read.

Shall we talk partisan politics?

Richard Greene’s column in the Sunday paper alleged that Democrats are making city council races partisan. (5B, “Turn Tarrant, local cities, blue? What would that look like?”)

In the Hurst-Euless-Bedford area, Republican state Rep. Jonathan Stickland endorsed and financially contributed to partisan candidates, and spoke against electing a Muslim candidate in Euless.

Democrats were stunned and upset, and the candidates he endorsed were defeated.

The partisan activity leads to Stickland’s door.