I respect you, George W. Bush — but you must speak the truth about Donald Trump

Show courage

I like former President George W. Bush as a person, even though we probably disagree on most policy issues. Nonetheless, I think it's cowardly of him not to endorse Kamala Harris over Donald Trump. I believe Bush detests Trump but doesn't have the courage to do the right and principled thing.

It's sad that he won't and lessens my opinion of him. He'll have to look himself in the mirror every day and recognize that he didn't step up when it mattered most.

- Arturo Montoya,

Now what?

I fail to see how deeming reading to be a civil right , as Pete Geren and Rob Notari recently contended, is going to guarantee that more children will learn to read. (Sept. 29, 4C, "Is literacy a civil right? How poor reading skills can threaten democracy")

A civil right guarantees equality of protection and opportunity. It doesn't guarantee outcome. If reading becomes a civil right, either by fiat or by a vote, who will be sued for violation of civil rights when students don't learn to read — teachers, school boards, the city, the state?

Slapping a misleading name on the problem will do nothing to solve it. But it will probably make folks feel like they're doing something.

- Cynthia Benton,

Democrats' talk

I am tired of the lies being told in political ads. In one, Colin Allred accuses Ted Cruz of enacting Texas' abortion ban. Cruz is a U.S. senator. He has no vote in Texas state laws. Also, Democrats have controlled the White House and Senate for four years and had the House for two years. They claim they are working hard to secure the border but can't because of conservatives. Why now? Why not four years ago, when President Joe Biden reversed Donald Trump's executive orders that enforced some control over the border?

Allred says Cruz is only in it for himself, but Allred and the Democrats are just trying to protect their jobs.

- Forest K. Naylor,

Respect, honor

I can sympathize with those who oppose abortion.

But what happens when the government intervenes in a decision that should be between a woman and her doctor? We've seen it in states where abortion has been outlawed or severely restricted, as in ours.

A woman whose fetus is not viable is forced to carry it to term. Doctors afraid of losing their licenses or even being imprisoned are forced to make decisions that could imperil a woman's life. Girls who have been raped are forced to go to another state to terminate their pregnancies.

If Trump is re-elected, we can expect a national abortion ban. If reproductive freedom is important to you, you must vote for Kamala Harris and the party that respects and honors women.

- Philip Riffe,

Buck passed

I have been attending Fort Worth ISD board meetings for more than a year. Complaints have been escalating, and the board has done nothing. Trustees voted not to accept the superintendent's five-year strategic plan in July, with no alternative plan. Then, Mayor Mattie Parker and other leaders brought the situation to the public's attention at a meeting, and the board decided it was all Superintendent Angélica Ramsey's fault and got rid of her. (Oct. 1, 1A, "FWISD board silent on next steps after superintendent's exit")

And still no plan. Trustees need to start doing their job.

- Reed K. Bilz,

Parker can do it

The people of Fort Worth are fortunate. Not only do they have a mayor, Mattie Parker, who can be the de facto school board president, perhaps she can also be a school superintendent.

If I were TCU head football coach Sonny Dykes, I would be worried.