Dear Editor, 

Just prior to the August 11, 2025, Fort Davis ISD School Board meeting, I learned that during the Open Forum at the meeting, speakers would be shut down if any reference to personnel was made.

I made my presentation, but left out anything that specifically referenced current personnel. My words fell flat. Six other citizens gave excellent concerns and had thoughtful questions. The board room was packed and extra chairs had to be brought in, yet some were still left standing. I submit my statement, leaving out my intro:

“As I looked through the district website, I came to the FDISD chain of command flow chart. I was and am surprised that our small school district has a Deputy Superintendent! Upon further investigation, I realize our Deputy Superintendent is the person hired to run our Early Childhood Partnership that was established to help our district become fiscally solvent. Great Idea!! 

“What concerns me is the number of personnel needed to run this Partnership. I won’t pretend to fully understand exactly how it all works, but if FDISD is legally profiting from this arrangement, and that is wonderful! This is what I question…the Deputy Superintendent, hired to establish the Early Childhood Partnership oversees the following paid positions: 1.) Administrative Assistant 2.) Partnership PEIMS coordinator and now listed on the district website as PEIMS coordinator 3.) Program Director…is that also the DS? 4.) Special Programs Director 5.) School Readiness & Curriculum Director 6.) Regional Specialists for West, South/Central and North/East.

“On the monthly payroll, are also 11 Teaching Assistants and 3 Early Childhood teachers…none of which live in Fort Davis or surrounding communities. With the exception of the teaching units for the Early Childhood programs throughout the State, I question the number of added positions, the salaries and the fact that those under the Deputy Superintendent do not live here. 

“In closing, I ask you, the Board Members, to ask these same questions and to suggest that the Deputy Superintendent be responsible solely for running the Early Childhood Partnership. The Interim Superintendent needs to run the district to include Maintenance, Business Office, Administrative assistants, Student Services Director, PEIMS coordinator, Technology Department and the JR/SR high school and elementary campuses.

“My final question is: WHO’S IN CHARGE?” It is evident that the current interim superintendent is comfortable letting the Deputy Superintendent change schedules that were already set by school personnel who had that responsibility. It is sad that several teachers received their teaching assignments as late as last week. As one former teacher opined, it used to be common practice that teachers knew their teaching assignments for the following school year. Good teachers use the summer in preparation for the upcoming school year. The current new PreK-12th grade principal stated that he has found the teachers cooperative and eager. Well, of course, they appear that way, because he will be the one evaluating them this year. Unless, of course, the DS also takes on that duty! 

“The scheduled budget workshop was postponed from the scheduled board meeting. It will soon be public knowledge, and the salaries of those working for the Early Childhood Partnership should be available. It will also be interesting to learn about the salaries of all the administrators. The lesson to be learned is for citizens of Fort Davis to be aware of what is really happening at the schools. The Board Members are wonderful folks, but I fear they have had the wool pulled over their eyes.”

Vicki Maline

Fort Davis

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Jim Bridges’ cartoon in the July 31, 2025, issue is incorrect. President Carter placed the farm in a blind trust. He did not sell it. There’s a difference.

The cartoon may simply be for entertainment but entertaining with falsehoods regarding politics is one reason why media of all types is under scrutiny … well deserved scrutiny. Inform and entertain please. Make Kool-Aid if you must but please ensure the Kool-Aid that you offer isn’t spewing lies.

Carlos Dominguez

Austin

Editor’s note: Dominguez is correct. Carter put the business in a blind trust, which put it out of his control. He later sold it after leaving office.

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To the Editor,

In this dark political moment, it’s easy to forget about the exploitation of animals. Day after day, year after year, we torture and slaughter sentient beings on an unimaginable scale — all in the name of food production. In my view, perhaps the most promising way of reducing the number of animals we exploit in this manner is through robust public funding of cultivated-research.

For those who don’t know, cultivated meat is grown from livestock cells, without slaughter. The technology currently exists to make the new protein, but to mass produce cultivated meat and sell it at a price that competes with or undercuts slaughtered meat, further scientific advancements are needed. There’s no reason to believe these breakthroughs can’t be achieved.

Compassionate politicians at the state and federal level should back significant government investment into cellular-agriculture development. Let’s build research facilities dedicated to this goal at every college and university in America with a farm program. We can create a better world, in which battery cages, gestation crates and livestock trucks are left on the ash heap of history.

Jon Hochschartner 

Granby, CT