Letters to the Editor: Sunday, July 23

Don't ban books. Instead, encourage

students to read and think critically

Re: July 16 commentary: Opinion: Students have a right to read – why new law should be challenged (statesman.com)

Thank you to Leila Green Little and Mark Smith for their article protesting the new law banning books in school libraries in Texas. As an English teacher for 40 years, I have taken such pride and joy in encouraging students at all levels to read, examine a text, discuss the writer's purpose and then make a judgment. Teaching students to read and think critically is one of the most important tasks of both teachers and parents.

Parents in Texas need to be informed of this new law and make their voices heard. Let's teach our children to read carefully and make judgments. Don't ban books; just read critically!

Marian O'Shea Wernicke, Austin

Watson erred with city-DPS partnership.

Abbott seized on political opportunity.

Re: July 14 article: "Mayor confronts DPS suspension."

Mayor Watson made a mistake and he should have known better. The Texas Department of Public Safety is nothing more than an arrogantly uniformed and aggressively well-armed political tool for Governor Greg Abbott. Any man who can get away with trafficking of tragically vulnerable immigrants to far-away cities is not going to think twice about militarizing the streets of Austin. Upon hearing of Austin's suspension of the ill-conceived partnership, the governor immediately ordered in additional troopers.

But take heart, Austin. We will survive this petty man whose only concern is for conservative politics. Still, it wouldn't hurt to have some leadership that's on our side.

Ken Lones, Austin

The comical irony in the GOP's

condemnation of Sen. Tuberville

It’s comical in an extremely sad way how Republican leaders fell all over themselves in condemning Senator Tommy Tuberville’s apparent support of racist “white nationalism.”

After all, these are among the same Republicans who disingenuously display racism through winks and smiles, dog whistles, and racist gerrymandering and voter suppression.

And then there are the megaphoned shouts glorifying “lynchings” and the Confederacy that regularly go unchallenged by GOP leaders.

Stephen Shackelford, Austin

Is the objective of property tax relief

to defund Texas public school system?

I want to express how much I appreciate your excellent, in-depth coverage of issues, thanks to your outstanding reporting and reporters.

The debate over the government surplus took me by surprise. No teachers' salary increase, not even a bonus. However, property tax relief for $18 billion was agreed upon for homesteaders. More relief for owners of second homes will be voted on in the fall.

We know that Governor Abbott has been promoting school vouchers which would diminish the public school system. My question is: if the $18 billion marked for property tax relief runs out after two years, where is the money coming from to continue the property tax relief? By underfunding the public school system? Is this why public teachers received no increases? It appears to me that this property tax relief bill had another objective - to defund the public school system.

Renate Suitt, Bastrop

McElroy shows grace under pressure.

A&M's loss is University of Texas' gain.

I read with interest this article about Dr. McElroy’s experiences with Texas A&M University.  My responses are:

- So sorry to have you experience such nonsense.  You have grace under pressure.

- So glad you’re staying at THE University of Texas at Austin. A&M lost a really good one (as they are known to do).

- I wish I could audit some of your classes!

Hook ‘em.

Rolinda Carrington-Rhone, Austin

Zilker Park too important to

compromise with cash grab

Park land in Austin is just as sacred as Central Park was to New Yorkers when Frederick Law Olmstead designed the landscape for Central Park in New York City. That's what Zilker Park is to Austinites.

Say 'NO', to the music industry coveting Zilker Park for an amplified music venue for profit. ACL has enjoyed the use of Zilker Park so many times, but it's just like Aquafest using Fiesta Gardens at the beginning of its run; it's a launch pad but not a landing site.

Let them go after undeveloped acreage near the Circuit of the Americas. That venue is designed to accommodate the occasional crowds. They could coordinate dates to utilize the facilities for shared crowd control requirements for access and egress.

Frances Morey, Corpus Christi

Cornyn and Cruz should put their

weight behind farming bill

We need our U.S. senators John Cornyn and Ted Cruz to help us in Texas. The best thing our senators could do for us is include the Opportunities for Fairness in Farming (OFF) Act in the Farm Bill being negotiated this very summer. The OFF Act would not end corrupt government checkoff programs to benefit lobbying organizations, but it would bring much needed transparency and accountability to secretive government programs.

This is important because our Texas farmers deserve to know where their hard-earned money is going. Unless government checkoff programs are reformed, checkoff programs will keep funneling money to large corporations like Chinese owned Smithfield that have an ever-growing amount of power over our food system. A consolidated, corporate-controlled food system is bad for farmers, rural communities, workers, and everyone who eats in Texas. If we want to eat in the future, we should empower farmers and make checkoffs more transparent.

Katy Fendrich-Turner, Austin

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This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Letters to the Editor: Sunday, July 23