With COVID-19, Fort Worth students are important of course — but what about teachers?

A way to make it hit home

It is unconscionable how Fort Worth police officers treated Nelda and John Price, storming into their home, damaging property and making a 68- and 69-year-old couple stand in the yard in their bedclothes for more than three hours. (Oct. 23, 1A, “Fort Worth woman sues city over search by police”)

Perhaps the police might begin to get the message if civil judgments were paid out of the police budget.

- John Nolan, Arlington

Deserve to see ourselves

I was born a second-class citizen in Johannesburg, South Africa, during apartheid. We were denied the opportunity to vote because of the color of our skin. It was a distant dream for my family to envision a Black president. Yet we got to vote for Nelson Mandela.

I came to the United States as a 12-year-old, and it was a distant dream to see a person of color as president. Yet I voted for Barack Obama.

It was a distant dream to think a woman, a Black or South Asian female could hold the second-highest office in the United States. I will vote for Sen. Kamala Harris as vice president.

She represents me and my story. She has walked in my shoes. Her dreams are my dreams.

- Chanda Parbhoo, Dallas

Teachers need attention, too

Ten cheers for Star-Telegram reporter Silas Allen’s front-page story Sunday, “Fort Worth teachers could flee classroom due to pandemic,” about Fort Worth teachers and the coronavirus. Allen writes that the school district plans for the welfare of students if a child is infected, but there’s no discussion of the teachers.

Are the teachers and other school workers paid extra to deal with the danger?

I have not had a child in the district since the 1980s, yet I still contribute about $8,000 a year in school taxes. I’m sure there is money to help teachers more.

- Kathleen Robertson, Fort Worth

Cornyn didn’t deserve this nod

It’s disappointing that the Star-Telegram endorsed John Cornyn for U.S. Senate. (Oct. 24, 4B, “Star-Telegram recommendation for Senate: Cornyn or Hegar?”) After lining up behind President Donald Trump on every issue, Cornyn recently claimed that he doesn’t always agree with Trump.

The newspaper chose to endorse him over decorated veteran MJ Hegar because the Editorial Board thinks she wouldn’t be able to work behind the scenes in Washington.

We need elected officials who are believable and transparent. If we want to move forward, we need a newspaper that endorses candidates who can help improve health care and education for Texans.

- Bruce Miller, Fort Worth

Change needed in sheriff’s office

The Star-Telegram got it right by endorsing Vance Keyes for sheriff. (Oct. 21, 13A, “Star-Telegram recommends Vance Keyes for sheriff”) Our county is in dire need of transparency from the sheriff’s office.

Incumbent Bill Waybourn continues to portray health and safety tragedies in our jails as if they’re meaningless. Data show we are seeing a sharp increase in deaths of people while in custody. The rampant spread of COVID-19, the jail’s loss of state certification and a woman giving birth unassisted in jail, then tragically losing the baby, are just a few shameful occurrences in Tarrant County jails.

It is time for transparency, honesty and true justice in Tarrant County.

- Nancy Stansbury, Benbrook

This story was originally published October 27, 2020 at 5:00 AM with the headline "With COVID-19, Fort Worth students are important of course — but what about teachers?."