Commentary/Criticism #1: Editorial:Austin trustees should give school superintendent authority to run the budget

Editors of the Statesman say Superintendent Meria Carstarphen is doing right by those involved by asking the Austin school of trustees to declare the district in financial exigency in the editorial, Austin trustees should give school superintendent authority to run the budget. Filing for exigency would give her the power to make cuts where she sees fit such as non-classroom positions and laying off some people. The process can get messy quick and they may be dealing with entanglements and legal battles with employees. The board worries about letting people go with the economy being the way it is in today’s times. Carstarphen points out that the school children always come first and they have greater needs in other areas to better their education. In the Northeast district of San Antonio did the same thing, they filled for exigency so that they could help the financial problems of the district. They wanted to restructure it so that they could help the children of the district have more money for better programs that would be more beneficial. I think that the editors of the statesman have a good point. They’re right in saying that filling for exigency would be beneficial to the district. It would allow Carstarphen the power that she needs to help the most important people involved, the school children. This would allow her to carry out what she thinks is necessary to make the district a better place without having to make tax payers pay even more than they are now. This way taxpayers will also see more positive results and outcomes for their dollar.

UT to spotlight border walls, human rights; peace conference at Southwestern

I thought something with UT and humans rights in the title would get your attention and interest you to read on. So to the real matter... the article I read has nothing to do with either really, it's about energy, our environment, and our community. The article I'm actually discussing is Council urged to pass renewable energy plan

The Austin City Council has proposed a plan that would change the way Austin would get a vast majority of its energy. Coal usage would go down in a lot and Austin would be replacing the coal with more electricity instead. Yes, electricity would cost a lot but coal prices are too increasing. Using more electricity would open up more jobs and not using coal as much helps preserve out world.

In the article Marty Toohey says, "Members of Clean Energy for Austin said Austin Energy's proposal would help the environment, attract jobs and protect the city from sharp increases in the cost of coal." Those are three big problems we're having in our society. We could knock all three out with this one more. Some are hesitant and some flat out say no because they believe that the electricity would be too costly. The Clean Energy for Austin say that the proposal is not set in stone. They are just trying to play with this possibility to find a good solution to the problem.

Renewable energy is really important in our world. Global Warming has become a big issue in the past decade and it is important that we do something to help prevent it. There is also a large number of unemployment and this proposal would solve both problems. It is good to know what we are trying to do to solve these problems and possibly take the proposals and come up with a actual solution that can be put to action and bring with it the outcome that we need. Knowledge is power and the more we know the more we can do.