Republican ‘Music Man’ act peddles right-wing anger to Texas schoolkids’ parents

A ‘Music Man’ moment

Oh we’ve got trouble. Right here in Keller ISD. With a capital T, and that rhymes with B, and that stands for Books.

The Keller school board has found its version of the pool table in “The Music Man.” Books, the terrible things that corrupt the minds of our children. Grapevine-Colleyville decided to go after those evil pronouns. Carroll ISD seems to be sticking with the old reliable, so-called “critical race theory.” (Aug. 24, 1A, “Grapevine-Colleyville schools OK gender, race theory policies”)

Anything to arouse fear and anger in the populace to get what you want.

For Harold Hill, it was money. These days, it’s power and control — implementing the Texas Republican strategy of right-wing hegemony from the Governor’s Mansion right down to the school boards.

So, a word to the wise from River City Mayor Shinn: “Watch your phraseology.”

- Dennis Novak, Fort Worth

Cancel culture against our kids

We often read about food deserts, those neglected communities where fresh produce is nowhere to be found and store shelves offer only chips and soft drinks. Now that the Keller and Grapevine-Colleyville school districts have enacted their graceless library-censoring and teacher-muzzling measures, we may soon refer to those towns as education deserts and eventually intelligence deserts.

It hardly seems fair to kids who want to learn to think for themselves. And these policies come from the same people who decry “cancel culture” without looking in the mirror.

- Garry Potts, Dallas

No way to achieve justice

I am glad the Star-Telegram is covering the many concerns about the juvenile justice system in Tarrant County. Judge Alex Kim has, over and over again, violated county policy without repercussion. (Aug. 21, 4C, “Tarrant juvenile justice looks awful in audit”)

His handling of child protective services issues was so questionable that those cases were removed from his purview. His judgment is so poor that his first appointee was removed from the bench because he was suspended by a judge’s order from being around anyone younger than 16. Subsequent appointees did not hear two-thirds of their cases in recent months.

Juvenile justice can help kids in trouble learn a better way to behave. Kim would rather break the rules and grandstand than help kids turn their lives around.

- Geri Elkins-Alexander, Hurst

Don’t follow those pictures

Despite the constant warnings from safety officials and others to not drive through flooded streets, both pictures on the Star-Telegram’s Aug. 23 front page, the day after Dallas-Fort Worth’s historic deluge, showed vehicles driving through flooded streets.

“Turn Around, Don’t Drown” — unless, of course, it makes for a good picture.

- Tom C. Burke, Fort Worth

Help will spread wider

Why is canceling student loan debt so infuriating for some? Is tuition not overpriced? Didn’t Joe Biden run on the issue? This will have a greater economic impact than most people realize. And who does it hurt? Low-income folks’ taxes will probably not be one penny higher.

Student debt has become a form of indentured servitude. Having loan debt for 20-plus years and having to live with your parents because you can’t afford to buy a home or start a family, even with a decent career, is one of our country’s cringe-worthy realities.

- Michael Stoots, Euless

My family didn’t take out loans

As I write this, a payment to the University of Texas at Arlington will be made for my granddaughter’s tuition, parking, books and so on. She’s a senior there.

When she was born, I invested in a 529 savings plan to be used when she went to college. When she graduated from high school, she decided to start at Tarrant County College. She lives with her parents, and we decided to pay for that college out of pocket and use the 529 when she went on to the university.

Because my hometown didn’t have a four-year college, I had to go out of town to attend a university. I worked on campus for half my room and board and got my tuition paid on a band scholarship. My parents paid the rest. When I graduated, I had two degrees.

I began teaching in the Austin school district in the 1950s, retiring after more than 30 years in education. I received my master’s degree at UTA in the 1980s, all paid for by me. There were no loans. My daughter also went to TCC and then graduated from a four-year university when she could afford it. Ditto for my husband.

All of us worked while attending college. None of us took out a loan.

- Lucille Bida, Arlington