Erosion of rights?; Trustee travel; Ethan Couch

Erosion of rights?

People increasingly complain about being deprived of their constitutional rights, but they seldom provide evidence to back their complaint.

For example, a writer recently was unhappy about watching “the government of the past seven years erode the Constitution,” but he provided no details.

The fact that he wrote the letter indicates that his freedom of speech is intact, and the fact that it was published in this newspaper indicates that the nation still enjoys freedom of the press.

Should the writer ever be suspected of a crime, he is still guaranteed protection from illegal search and seizure. And, should he ever be prosecuted, he is still guaranteed a trial by a jury of his peers.

He also said he had a concealed handgun license, so he is still able to enjoy his Second Amendment rights.

Where is the erosion?

Trustee travel

Regarding the Tuesday editorial, “Trustee travel should serve a purpose”: We agree that our public servants should be held accountable for every penny spent.

But to criticize members of the Fort Worth school board for traveling outside the DFW area for education and training is penny wise and pound foolish.

Like so many cities, Fort Worth is in a period of transition. Our population has grown by 42 percent since 2000, and our public school system must transform to meet the needs of its increasingly diverse 21st century student body.

In the midst of such change, school district leaders are increasingly expected to stretch beyond old roles, rules and routines to address the persistent problem of student achievement. They must be willing and able to innovate, motivate and manage behavior change.

School board members’ participation in school-related events and community meetings provides important insights into the challenges and opportunities facing the district.

They also need to be aware of and learn the details about what’s working in other communities and to access experts in the field that can help us achieve better outcomes.

Fort Worth’s children deserve no less.

Ethan Couch

Ethan Couch is a despicable human being, but he wasn’t born that way.

His parents gave him everything a child could want except what’s needed most: a moral compass.

Judge Jean Boyd reinforced their failure by confirming that awful decisions carry little consequences. How else do we expect him to act?

This story was originally published January 7, 2016 at 5:39 PM with the headline "Erosion of rights?; Trustee travel; Ethan Couch."