LETTERS: School choice already exists; swift city action; the real source of violence

Special-interest scheme

Former state Rep. Kent Grusendorf blames the education establishment for the Texas Legislature's failure last year to pass a bill to fund public schools [ "Voucher push benefits public education," Sept. 17].

The school finance bill passed by the House died when the Senate added a voucher scheme to divert money from public education to private schools. Vouchers, parental choice, education savings accounts, or whatever word or description one uses, are just a sneaky way to steal tax money from productive Texas taxpayers and give it to others who feel they are entitled.

Parents have always had the choice to send their children to a private or parochial school. The parent must simply pay the required tuition from his or her own pocketbook. It is not the responsibility or obligation of the Texas taxpayer to pay all or part of private tuition.

Public education is enshrined in the Texas Constitution. Voucher schemes demanded by Gov. Greg Abbott, Lt Gov. Dan Patrick, state legislators and lobbyists only benefit special-interest groups. Public school funding must not be held hostage by grandstanding politicians. They should focus their efforts on what's best for all Texas students.

Michael Braun, Fort Worth

Quick response

Just wanted to shout a quick "thank you" to Mayor Jim Holmes and Waco City Council Member Josh Borderud for their quick action in resolving an issue for some Waco ISD students.

I recently received a call from a concerned parent about children crossing the street to get to school at 18th Street and Gurley Avenue. With no speed bumps, stop signs or traffic lights on that stretch of road, cars can get going pretty fast in front of South Waco Elementary School.

I shared our concerns with them on a Monday evening and by the next afternoon, the city streets department had a four-way stop sign in place and the crosswalk stripes repainted.

Thanks so much to everyone involved for helping to keep our students safe on the way to and from school. Keep up the good work.

Angelo Ochoa, Waco

Violent rhetoric

It is increasingly obvious that some in the media are involved in a false equivalency concerning the rhetoric employed by both presidential campaigns. After the second attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump at his golf course, he and other Republicans, including Trump's arch defender Elon Musk, accused Kamala Harris' campaign of inspiring the attempt because it has stated that Trump is a threat to democracy.

To be clear, Democrats have never advocated violence, though they have advocated nonviolent protests. This is in no way equivalent to the overt calls for violence by Trump over the last eight years.

When right-wing media tries to state that Democratic candidates and their allies are inciting violence, they can cite examples of Democrats encouraging protests and rallies, just as Martin Luther King Jr. and others did in the 1960s to call attention to civil rights abuses, but they cannot cite examples by the Harris campaign that advocate violence, as Trump has repeatedly done.

Gail Boyd, Woodway