Jim Schlossnagle’s move is just a reflection of money over loyalty in college sports | Opinion

It’s about bucks

Texas A&M baseball coach Jim Schlossnagle is headed to the University of Texas. (June 27, 1B, “Texas hiring Schlossnagle just more college sports ugliness”) There is so much money in college sports. Great coaches who can recruit are paramount. The coaches and athletes are always looking for the next opportunity. Even if they care about the school, they know they have a short window.

It’s ugly, and we all want loyalty. We have been buying coaches and athletes for years. It is out in the open now.

The good news is that if you have a bad team, you can buy a new one. The bad news is that if you have a good team, chances are many players won’t be back next year.

It’s the new normal.

- Frank M. Wagnon, Southlake

Texas jail needs

Thank you for covering the issues at the Tarrant County Jail. I was at the demonstration in support of stopping the harm and deaths of the incarcerated and dangerous conditions for workers in Texas county jails.

I worked for a county jail. Federal oversight and monitors are needed. Regular tours by management, elected officials, advocates, media and attorneys are needed. Fix the staffing shortages and the lack of training.

- Emmanuel Lewis, Irving

Back to basics

Texas public schools need to bring back phonics. Pre-K should be available to all children, and it should be all day for older children.

The fact that public schools base the entire school year on passing the STAAR test is a detriment to the children’s education. Instead of slowly learning and perfecting each concept, they are rushing through the basics.

My third-grader learned double-digit multiplication and was expected to have the multiplication chart memorized up to 12, along with knowing division up to three-digit numbers, fractions and how to write a three-page essay on a chapter book.

It’s too much, too fast. When children enjoy the curriculum and actually learn these subjects, they retain the knowledge.

Slow down the curriculum, go back to the basics and quit passing everyone no matter what. That will get us back on track.

- Shelby Allen, Conroe

Teachers’ tools

I was an educator in the Hurst-Euless-Bedford school system for 52 years, with the last 20 at Trinity High School as assistant principal. We were deemed the most diverse school in Texas. At the beginning of each school year, we had an open house for the parents. We presented data on our test scores compared with other schools in our district, region and state. We were at or above the levels of all these schools.

When parents left the meeting, they knew their children were getting a good education. This was because administrators and the school board gave teachers the tools they needed to succeed. We have fantastic teachers who could use these tools now.

- George Clark, Bedford

Preserve LaGrave

Here’s an idea for LaGrave Field. (June 19, 1A, “Fort Worth’s abandoned LaGrave Field will be demolished”) While the park itself isn’t historic, the ground where it sits is. Let’s keep the infield, dugouts and bases, which are they were when the field was built in 1927.

Open spaces and parks are planned in the Panther Island redevelopment project. Keep one city block and preserve LaGrave’s dugouts, dirt infield and real grass, home plate and bases. A kid standing at home plate could imagine him- or herself swinging away like Babe Ruth, Joe DiMaggio or Lou Gehrig, or could run the bases like Jackie Robinson. All of them played on the field.

Call it Legends of Fort Worth Baseball Park, with appropriate recognition of the dozens of major leaguers who played there.

- Joe Dulle, Fort Worth

Some choice

America’s top issues (regardless of party) appear to be inflation, immigration, border security and abortion. Yet our presidential debate participants argued about golf scores. With a population of more than 330 million people, can’t we come up with better candidates than those two?

- Alan E. Mesches, Frisco