Opinion articles provide independent perspectives on key community issues, separate from our newsroom reporting.

Letters to the Editor

The Joshua school district may find out there’s really no such thing as a free lunch

The federal government could ask for hundreds of thousands of dollars in penalties after teachers abused the meals program.
The federal government could ask for hundreds of thousands of dollars in penalties after teachers abused the meals program. File photo

Potential penalties for Joshua ahead

I read with interest and dismay about four Joshua teachers who used their students to obtain free lunches. (April 5, 1A, “Petition supports Joshua teachers who abused lunch program”) I am retired after more than 24 years as a school cafeteria manager for Fort Worth ISD and understand the federal lunch program.

By law, the federal government may ask for reimbursement that could lead into hundreds of thousands of dollars in penalties. Joshua might have to delay purchasing much-needed equipment and making facility improvements or might even have to increase school property taxes to meet students’ needs.

Students should feel physically and emotionally safe from the adults in charge of their schools.

- Sarah Willis, Fort Worth

Not the right show of support

The petition in support of the Joshua teachers is confusing. So, you support teachers and other adults demonstrating to children that cheating is OK? Is that really your stance?

- Lynn Miller, Granbury

Ukraine needs UN action now

After World War II, the United Nations was formed. The preamble to the U.N. charter sets the goal of “maintaining international peace and security.” Article 42 of the Security Council handbook allows the U.N. to use military force “to restore international peace and security.” The U.N. has totally failed several times to do so. It is nothing more than a debating forum where charges are made and denied.

We now have the most dangerous breach of international security since the 1940s. Two world wars have been started in Europe, and the terminally insecure Russians have started what could be another by attacking Ukraine.

Will the nations of the civilized world stop this slaughter, or will they hope sanctions will cause the Russians to stop their aggression? The world waits for leaders to end the carnage. If not, it’s bound to repeat in more places.

- Rick Weintraub, Mansfield

Conservatives just tell the truth

A Tuesday letter writer asked, “When did it become so evil to be progressive?” (7A) He need only look at his letter and the lies he tells about conservatives, his fellow Americans. He says conservatives want to control libraries, when they just want age-appropriate material for children in them. The lie that they want to control libraries is evil.

Democrats have to lie about conservatives to get elected. All conservatives have to do is tell the truth.

- Gene Tignor, Emory

DeSantis is fighting the left

Fabiola Santiago’s April 2 column “Gov. DeSantis, we know exactly what ‘don’t say gay’ is all about” (6A) argues that “the law quashing classroom discussions related to sexual orientation and gender identity in kindergarten through third grade also inflicts a chilling effect on instruction for older kids.”

Gender identity discussions to kindergarten through third-grade kids? Seriously? Florida’s governor is making a preemptive strike against the progressive left. These ridiculous concepts are to be expected from California and a few other Democratic states, but parents’ wishes about their youngsters’ education must rule here.

I would like to see a legitimate poll of parents about whether they want their young kids taught this garbage.

- Bill Hodges, Colleyville

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