Letters: DeSoto ISD, Student/teacher Ratio, HB 1182/SB 686, Mike Rawlings, Climate Change

Could TEA do any worse?Re: "DeSoto studies big cuts - District considers school closing, larger classes, fewer teachers to deal with nearly $23 million shortfall," Tuesday news story.More money for the public schools will not fix the problems of the schools. The financial problems of the Dallas ISD are well known. But your report of the DeSoto schools reminds that if school boards hire the wrong people and do not do their jobs of holding these people to account that the taxpayers, money is wasted. It really matters who is in charge of a multimillion-dollar enterprise. I suspect that DeSoto ISD is not the only school district governed by feckless boards and incompetent administrators. I wonder if the Texas Education Agency is even equipped to monitor all the districts. Still, at least in the case of DeSoto, they could hardly no worse in running these schools, which seem to be in the hands of fools.John Schuh, Lake DallasAchieve 10-to-1 ratioGov. Greg Abbott said school reform would be the primary aim of the Legislature this session, then out the other side of his mouth he is trying to usurp the power of the local communities to collect the funds for their schools. The most important reform was recommended long ago by the Luce-Perot study when it said the student/teacher ratio should be 10-to-1, and it has been ignored ever since. The aim of any new school legislation should be to achieve this ratio. We were sold on the Lottery to fund schools, then were bushwhacked by the bait-and-switch. Lottery funds should designated to the 10-to-1 student/teacher ratio along with taxes on gasoline, county .05 cent sales tax and a "sin" tax on tobacco, alcohol, pot, gambling and red-light districts. All funds to go to achieving the 10-to-1 ratio.Warren M. Lynn, Fort WorthFree financial literacy class materialsHB 1182 and SB 686 adds personal financial literacy, PFL, to the list of courses a student must take in order to graduate high school. Today, there is little to no training for a student that teaches them how to manage their personal finances. Texas has defined the course and requires all schools to offer the class. Unfortunately, less than 1 percent of graduating seniors have taken it. Historically, the cost of books has kept the state from making this a graduation requirement. The material to support the course is now available for free from two sources. A nonprofit Next Gen Personal Finance (ngpf.org/courses/semester-course) and the Federal Reserve. (dallasfed.org/educate/pfl.aspx).It is time to teach our students how to prosper. Let's make this happen this spring.Michael Ryan, AustinSupport carbon fee and dividendRe: "Mayor enlists Dallas for climate action group - City is waiting for invitation to join global network," Monday Metro & State story.I was delighted to read about Mayor Mike Rawlings' initiative to make Dallas a global leader in addressing climate change. At first glance, climate change seems like something a city government should not focus on. However, on second thought, when local governments around the world act together on this issue we can get results that everyone can benefit from. People around the world are demanding action and his initiative shows leadership.The article also mentioned a City Council resolution urging Congress to enact a national carbon fee and dividend. I agree with this. A resolution that does just this has been introduced in Congress, the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act (HR 763). I am urging Rep. Colin Allred, to support this resolution.Thomas Wikman, DallasFocus on money, Mayor RawlingsMayor Mike Rawlings is working to make Dallas a global leader in "addressing" climate change. But should we be doing this at all? Alarmist climatologists claim to understand climate, yet they are unable to accurately predict the next El Nino. The computer models they rely upon have been inaccurate for over 30 years. Their predictions seem more like gloom and doom shots in the dark.Climate change schemes, including the C40 Cities program Mike Rawlings is endorsing, will increase the cost of energy. Instead of promoting such schemes, Rawlings would better serve us by finding ways to save Dallasites money.Robert P. Smith, Dallas/Preston HollowSick denial of climate scienceWilliam Happer's denial of climate science is problematic since he is slated to head the proposed Presidential Committee on Climate Security. His comparison of efforts to limit carbon emissions to Nazi efforts to exterminate Jews is incredibly distasteful, and indicative of truly sick mind, in my humble opinion.Charlotte Connelly, Dallas/Oak CliffThat's not reportingRe: "Dems call for sprint to emission-free future - Republicans blast nonbinding proposal as costly, 'delusional,'" Feb. 8 news story.I am amazed that you can run a half-page story on a way-of-life-changing proposal while allowing one sentence to describe what it would do and one sentence to tell us what it might not do. The Associated Press has raised the bar on non-reporting reporting.William Frawley, Rockwall  Continue reading...