Opinion

DEAR ABBY: My son married a wonderful woman. Sadly, they are having great difficulty conceiving a baby. They have opted out of many conventional medical procedures because of their religious beliefs, for which I admire them.

DEAR ABBY: I’ve been separated and divorced for two years. A year ago, I met a man through a mutual friend. He was also going through a divorce. We started communicating, fell in love and have been traveling back and forth between Ohio, where he works and lives, and New Jersey, where I am.

Autumn is upon us, but it is making me a little bit sad this year.

The Legislature may be closer than ever to a deal that will boost both parental choice and public schools, but you wouldn’t know it to hear the constant bickering in Austin.

Gov. Greg Abbott, just hours after the Senate initially approved a school voucher measure, said he would add teacher raises and increased public school funding to the ongoing special session agenda if the Texas Legislature passes his voucher plan, the Texas Tribune reported.

ardinals

How many more apartment complexes do we need on the river?

I am a Texas retired public school teacher with the honor of teaching 7,000 students throughout 25 years via Physical Education and Special Education.

“Are ya haaawngry?”

Scouring Senate Bill 1 for private school vouchers I didn’t find: requirements for private schools to report student performance or school financial accountability; acknowledgment that voucher money could otherwise be used for public schools; recognition that the $8000 voucher allowance isn’t adequate (The average price in Texas for private schools is $10,666); provisions for transportation or meals, even though priority would be given to low-income students (up to 500% of poverty); realization that the program administration would require a huge bureaucracy; appreciation for America’s seminal value of the separation of church and state.

When I read a news piece about the passing of longtime California senator Dianne Feinstein a few weeks ago, some of the comments left at the bottom of the online article made me sad.

Education is once again going to be the topic at the Texas Capitol. At Gov. Greg Abbott’s behest, the Legislature will convene in a special session Monday to debate school vouchers.