Roy and McCaul: Texas Republicans offer a study in contrasts on Ukraine aid | Letters

No one would ever mistake U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul as anything other than a staunch conservative, but when it comes to national defense, he's about as mainstream as one gets. No histrionics, just a realist.

That was particularly evident last week when he voted for military aid to Ukraine in its desperate fight for survival against Russian invaders.

Contrast that to U.S. Rep. Chip Roy, who in ranting and voting against aid to Ukraine seemed to think, along with many other far-rightists, that they offered "peace in our time" by letting Ukraine fall to Vladimir Putin.

In that, Roy and friends are woefully and dangerously mistaken.

Stephen Shackelford, Austin

Vast majority of student writing

shouldn't be for test preparation

Re: Bridget Grumet column, 'Forget teaching to the test for STAAR. Now Texas students are writing to bots'

Your article about automated scoring of STAAR writing items led to three thoughts:1. The vast majority of student writing should be done for purposes other than test prep.2. This requires that students do lots of writing in all of their classes.3. In general, teachers should be deeply involved when important educational decisions are being made. If this slows things down, that is OK if it leads to better decisions and increased trust.

Chrys Dougherty, Austin

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This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Roy, McCaul: Texans offer study in contrasts on Ukraine aid | Letters