Regarding “Opinion: Student loan relief sends wrong message to our youth,” (Aug. 29): In reading the letters to the editor, I was reminded of hearing my father tell me about how he walked barefoot to the two-room country schoolhouse to save his one pair of shoes a year. But he did not begrudge me the opportunity in the 1960s to ride the bus to school or have both an everyday and a Sunday pair of shoes. I’m glad our reader from Fayetteville is proud of the way he provided for his college. Unlike him, I did not have any help from the GI Bill. I paid for my own college tuition from the monthly $65 I made as a church organist. Times were different. Tuition was $15 per semester hour. Survival did not depend on computers, broadband or iPhones. In other developed countries investment in higher education has proved itself. Let’s focus on something bigger than helping people who sought an education. Forgiving their debt is not an equal or perfect solution but it is a drop in the bucket when compared with the taxes billionaires evade. Those taxes could more than pay for the debt forgiveness to youths and reduce the national debt.
Regarding “Period equity expands in Texas,” (Aug. 21): At age 12 when I started my menstrual periods, we lived in a small house in Pasadena. My father, a refinery worker and my mother, a school teacher, also sold encyclopedias. Money was scarce, but sanitary products were afforded when needed. Thankfully, trustees of the Pasadena Independent School District while I was in school decided money for books and teachers was the best way to spend the money allotted to them.
To say I am incensed to read about the decision to provide period products in schools for free is a misstatement. In fact, I may even file a suit in the name of my now-deceased parents to recoup the money they spent on sanitary products for me. Let’s see, using my experience: grades 6 through 12 plus four years of college, that’s 132 months. X equals some unknown amount for pads, tampons and bathroom baskets, multiplied by a virtual unknown number of students and schools, plus the inevitable unknown number of pads and tampons which will be taken home to other female family members. Oh my god, that comes to something like a jillion dollars!
Carol J. Rhodes, Texas City
Regarding “Simonton residents wanted to escape air pollution. A concrete batch plant could bring it to them.” (Aug. 26): Thank you for highlighting the fight against the proposed concrete batch plant in Simonton. With all the rural acreage available, they’ve chosen a spot directly in the middle of our neighborhood homes and abutting our community park and event pavilion. Aside from the obvious air pollution concerns, this plant poses a serious risk to scores of communities all along the Brazos — from our small town, to areas of Fort Bend and Brazoria counties, all the way down to the gulf. Why? Because the property in question floods often. In both the 2015 Memorial Day flooding and in 2017 with Hurricane Harvey, it was under several feet of water. When the next flood occurs, think of all the toxic chemicals and sludge that could freely flow into our neighborhood, soak into our groundwater and flow down the Brazos River, ultimately emptying into the gulf and impacting countless other communities and habitats. Toxic water runoff is already a concern with any batch plant, requiring mitigation measures in place to help limit contamination. So, to be granted approval to build one where it has repeatedly flooded and will do so again? Ludicrous!
Regarding “Artemis 1 moon launch scrubbed; next possible date is Friday,” (Aug. 29): Is anyone else offended by the term “uncrewed” spacecraft? Wonder what hu-person came up with that?
The opinion desk welcomes and encourage letters from readers in response to articles published in the Houston Chronicle.
Please include the headline, the page and the day it was printed. Include name, address, and day and evening phone numbers for verification purposes only. Letters have a maximum word count of 250 words, though are generally closer to 100 words, and may be edited.
The best way to submit letters is by sending it to viewpoints@chron.com.
Many residents across the Houston area are still dealing with the lingering effects of Hurricane Harvey, such as mental health issues, unsafe living conditions and financial distress.
By Dug Begley, Sam González Kelly