Austin American-Statesman Letters to the Editor: Feb. 26, 2023

Caring for and educating our kids

should be our leaders' primary goal

Gov. Abbott’s priorities outlined in his State of the State speech in San Marcos included making schools safer for our children but made no mention of passing sensible gun laws.

He took credit for the Texas economy, but made no mention of the reported 40% of families of school-age children who lack adequate food to support healthy growth.

Something seems out of balance when raising healthy, well-educated children is not a primary goal of leaders, along with protecting them from bullets.  What better way to ensure a safer, more peaceful future than to care for and educate each new generation of tomorrow’s leaders?  Healthy bodies, curious minds allowed the freedom to think. To recognize lies and value truth offer hope for America far greater than an economy that fails to benefit so many.

Norma Watkins, San Marcos

If our schools are deemed to be

failing, isn't it a Republican failure?

Gov. Abbott is championing an approach for educational freedom to use public tax dollars to pay private school tuition for parents who feel the schools are failing their children.

Let's be clear. For decades the governor, the Legislature, the State Board of Education and the Texas Education Agency (all the people who make rules and regulations for schools) have been controlled by Republicans. If the schools are failing, isn't it a Republican failure? Shouldn't they be fixing the problems they created rather than funding a competing system?

Terry Northup, Buchanan Dam

We're to foot the bill for private

schools because of state's failure?

Feb. 22 article, "Gov. Abbott continues push for public education savings accounts for private school costs."

More than half of the property taxes I pay to the Austin Independent School District already go to other districts. In principle, I wouldn't mind this if the allocation formula didn't penalize urban and rural districts — or if the state even used all of those dollars (projected to be nearly $5 billion this year) for education instead of as Greg Abbott's fund for "Things Greg Thinks Are Nifty That The Lege Didn't Fund."

Now I'm also supposed to foot the bill for private schools because of the state's dismal failure at properly funding and overseeing public education in Texas? Give me a break. Please.

Elizabeth Addison, Austin

Abbott's 'woke agenda' concerns raise

more questions about his own values

At Gov. Abbott’s State of the State address, he said he wants to “root out woke agendas in the classroom.” So I think it’s important to understand what the “woke agenda” is in our schools.

The foundation of the “woke agenda” is kindness.

It’s why schools feed and support children in need. It serves students a meaningful glimpse and awareness of lives and times outside of their own. It offers representation through books that tell our children’s stories, inspire their dreams and let them know they’re not alone in the world. And it provides safety and sanctuary to children whose families deny their lived experiences, gender realities and basic humanity.

The “woke agenda” accepts every child where they are and gives every child the freedom to be who they are.

The concern Gov. Abbott has about the “woke agenda” raises more questions about his values than those of our public schools.

Daphne Hoffacker, Austin

Abbott's plan for funding education

unconstitutional, fiscally irresponsible

Feb. 22 article, "Gov. Abbott continues push for public education savings accounts for private school costs."

On Jan. 17, Greg Abbott took the oath of office for his third term as governor. Abbott raised his hand and swore before God that he would preserve, protect and defend the Texas Constitution. Then he quickly broke that sacred oath.

The Texas Constitution provides that our state should have an "efficient system of public free schools." Abbott is pushing legislation to create an inefficient, duplicative system of private and religious education funded with state and local taxes. That is unconstitutional and fiscally irresponsible.

Carolyn Boyle, Austin

Parents already have access to

school curriculums and libraries

Feb. 22 article, "Gov. Abbott continues push for public education savings accounts for private school costs."

In "Gov. Abbott continues push for public education savings accounts for private school costs," Abbott is quoted as saying to a group of private school parents, “Parents deserve access to curriculum, to school libraries, and to what their children are being taught.”

None of this is hidden from parents. If parents have access to the internet, they can easily look up the TEKS, the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills, which is the Texas state public school curriculum.

In addition, every public school library has an open catalog for anyone, parent or otherwise, to peruse. In contrast, when I tried to look up the library catalogs on several private school websites, they were not available to the general public.

If the governor wants to push education savings accounts/vouchers, he at least needs to tell the truth.

Sara Stevenson, Austin

Let's see an analysis of costs to make

the power system less vulnerable

I have witnessed the aftermath of the power outages following our last freeze. There are plenty of excuses going around along with a lot of effort to repair and clean up the mess. The one thing that I don’t buy is the business-as-usual attitude of avoiding the high price tag of making the power system less vulnerable. “It costs too much” is different from “it is impossible.” After 55 years of living in Austin, I recently moved to a new subdivision with underground utilities and was so happy that I did when my lights and heat stayed on.

Before I buy into the “costs too much” philosophy, I want to see a 10-year average of the cost of repairs to overhead power lines and lost service compared to a one-time replacement cost of our power distribution. Then let the citizens vote on what is best for Austin.

Fred Robinson, Austin

It's time to pass laws making

owning a gun well-regulated

Have any legislators actually read the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution? It says “A well regulated Militia, being necessary ... ,” not “unregulated.” Yet, getting a driver license in Texas requires more study and testing than buying a gun.

A Texas driver license requires thumbprints, a photograph, vision and driving tests, and liability insurance. Licenses require regular renewal. Car owners must pay fees for license plates, annual inspections and liability insurance.

Want to buy a gun? Be 18 years old (age 21 for a handgun), show identification and pass a federal background check.

Yes, the majority of gun owners are responsible, law-abiding citizens. So are drivers, who submit to regulation, knowing that an automobile can put lives in danger if poorly handled. That also applies to guns.

Legislators, it is time to pass laws in line with the Second Amendment. Make gun ownership “well regulated.” Help protect your fellow Texans.

Sara Laas, Austin

Editor's note: Firearm purchases through licensed gun dealers require a background check unless the buyer has a license to carry. Gun purchases through private sellers do not require a background check.

Senate Bill 147 is an attack on

the Asian community in Texas

Republican Sen. Lois Kolkhorst has proposed Senate Bill 147, supposedly to safeguard Texans by forbidding Chinese individuals (including legal permanent residents, visa holders and asylum seekers, as well as those from Iran, North Korea and Russia from purchasing property in Texas.

It's one thing to restrict foreign governments or entities, but to forbid legal residents from buying a home to live in is another matter.

Exactly how does restricting Chinese individuals from purchasing a home make Texas safer? It looks more like a blatant racist attack on the 235,000 Chinese citizens who live in Texas, pay their taxes and make valued contributions to the growing Texas economy.

I cannot believe that SB147 will stand the legal challenges that will follow, yet Gov. Greg Abbott has stated that he will happily sign it into law. Shame on Abbott and the Texas Republican Party for this despicable attack on the rights of our Asian community.

Brian Clark, Austin

Editor's note: Sen. Kolkhorst has indicated she'll remove legal permanent residents from the prohibition in her bill.

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This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Austin American-Statesman Letters to the Editor: Feb. 26, 2023