Open schools’ tracks
Re: “On the Wrong Track — Dallas ISD should find middle ground on vandalism concerns, let neighbors access school facilities,” Monday editorial.
As a Preston Hollow resident and former user of the Hillcrest High School track, I fully agree with this editorial. I ran there regularly for years, along with many other walkers and runners, and never saw any signs of violence or vandalism. This includes during school hours (with school officials and students present) and weekends.
Everyone respected the property and each other. The track is now closed with no notice to the public and no evidence of malfeasance.
Opinion
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Public schools are city property and paid for with taxes from our hard-earned income. They are there to serve the public and the community.
Since the track is public property, it should be opened back up to the community.
Rawan Abdelrazek, Dallas/Preston Hollow
Residents paid for this
For many years, a large number of residents in the W.T. White High School area used the track in the early morning and evening hours. Private fundraising completely paid for the addition — with Dallas ISD permission — of a fitness area to the track for community and school use.
Following renovations with bond-issued funds, taxpayers are now completely locked out of track use to safely exercise during nonschool hours. The people who paid for it need to be able to use it!
Beth Rodriguez, Dallas
How is this dangerous?
Re: “Texas transgender kids need our support — Lawsuit to prevent ban on treatments just one way to bolster community,” by Sofia Sepúlveda, Tuesday Opinion.
Senate Bill 14 is the opposite of dangerous. It prevents doctors from charging ahead with irreversible sex change treatments for children who may regret the decision once they reach maturity. The bill contains no constraints on information a doctor can share with patients about treatments for gender dysphoria.
Doctors should always inform families about alternative, noninvasive treatments, but in recent years, many failed to share evidence that most kids grow out of gender dysphoria if not “affirmed” in the belief that their body is somehow wrong. This fact is rarely discussed in mainstream media, but the research of Dr. Kenneth Zucker in Toronto, as well as evidence from Sweden, Denmark and Finland, has shown this to be the case.
SB 14 will allow kids to grow up with their bodies intact. How could this possibly be dangerous as opposed to treatment that could destroy a child’s sexual function and cause sterility and lifelong health problems?
Other countries are backing away from the affirmative model based on actual evidence. Texas should do the same.
Martha Jane Shoultz, Dallas
Stop with the nonsense, senator
Re: “Senator urged to drop ‘irresponsible’ protest — President assails Tuberville’s blockade of military promotions,” July 14 news story.
I am extremely concerned that Sen. Tommy Tuberville of Alabama has been refusing to approve military nominations. Specifically, the Marine Corps is without a commandant for the first time in more than a century.
There are nominations and pay raises that need to be approved, and Tuberville has been holding these up because of his objections to the military’s policy of covering abortion travel costs. Even though the House narrowly passed legislation that bans the military from paying for these costs, the legislation will likely fail in the Senate.
Tuberville’s actions are inexcusable and a threat to national security. This nonsense needs to end. The senator needs to protect American interests and move forward with military nominations and promotions.
Kimmy Robinson, Farmers Branch
Two greatest commandments
Re: “For me, a better term,” by Judy Harman, Sunday Letters.
Like letter writer Judy Harman, I also identify better as a follower of Jesus. Jesus said that the two greatest commandments are to love God and love our neighbor. This simplicity appeals to me.
I am a Quaker (Religious Society of Friends). We have neither clergy nor creed. We worship in silence to listen for the still, small voice to guide our personal lives and also our service to our neighbors.
If an opinion or action contradicts those two greatest commandments, then I am not following Jesus.
Paula Keeth, southeast Dallas
Pass time with a book
Re: “Strikes are a big blow to Hollywood — Shoots grind to a halt, economics in turmoil as writers, actors picket,” Monday news story.
The Hollywood negotiations have broken. The unions are on strike; they have spoken.
There is no need to dread. Read a good book instead.
Your public library’s doors are wide open.
Jim Herrera, University Park
Promoting science
A local newspaper in Australia has reviews of the two current big movies, Oppenheimer and Barbie — the former about a bomb and the latter about a bombshell. Both seem very popular although probably attracting different audiences.
As a science teacher, I am always pleased to see scientists portrayed on the big screen with J. Robert Oppenheimer, a theoretical physicist, and Barbie, an astronaut, Mars explorer, astrophysicist, chemist, entomologist, marine biologist, robotics engineer, paleontologist and zoologist amongst her over 200 careers. She was also a science teacher like me, although I was less into pink.
It is good to see the world through pink-colored glasses, but we need more students to undertake science in their studies and enter scientific occupations, although hopefully not bomb-making.
Lets hope that young people see how science can make the world a better place and how they can contribute to its progress.
Dennis Fitzgerald, Melbourne, Australia
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/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/dmn/WTMX6MJEOVDRJEQDY7X7UZV6FU.jpg "Letters to the Editor — Dallas ISD tracks, SB 14 on transgender care, Sen. Tuberville")
