From a student petition that cracked 1,000 signatures to a coaching legend crossing party lines, Fort Worth Star-Telegram readers had plenty to argue about last week. Here are the five stories that drew the most comments from Oct. 4–10, 2026.

Students push back on scripted lessons

More than 1,000 people have signed a petition from Fort Worth ISD students protesting the district’s scripted Cowtown 12 lesson plans. In an open letter to Superintendent Peter Licata, students described slides riddled with errors, AI-generated images and English classes where they read chapter summaries instead of books. “Dumbing down the lessons we are taught doesn’t bring us to grade level,” the letter reads. Licata has defended the model, saying the district is getting “pretty damn good results.”

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A Keller backyard, an office tower and a lawsuit

Karen and Ron Pyle bought their Keller home in 2008 when it backed up to pastureland. Now a two-story office building looms over their yard at 1716 Keller Parkway — and they say the city issued the permit in violation of an ordinance capping buildings on the lot at one and a half stories. The Pyles are suing both the developer and the city. Tarrant Appraisal District records show their home dropped from more than $600,000 in 2025 to just under $500,000 this year.

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‘Political beef’ in the race for county judge

The Tarrant County judge contest between Republican incumbent Tim O’Hare and Democratic Commissioner Alisa Simmons has become one of the most-watched races in Texas. University of Houston political scientist Brandon Rottinghaus called it a rare matchup between two candidates with “political beef” — a clash that’s personal, not just ideological. Critics of O’Hare at Commissioners Court have nicknamed him “O’Hate” and the “tyrant” of Tarrant County, while some attendees say Simmons over-politicizes decisions. Election Day is Nov. 3.

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Longtime Aledo coach backs a Democrat for governor

A longtime Aledo football coach — an eight-time state champion who voted for Greg Abbott three times — endorsed Democrat Gina Hinojosa for governor in a video she posted Friday. “I know how to read a scoreboard,” the coach said. “Under Greg Abbott, the billionaires are up, and Texas is down.” U.S. Rep. Marc Veasey, D-Fort Worth, wrote on X that an endorsement from “one of the most conservative isd’s in N. Texas” is a very big deal.

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From ‘zero vacancies’ to dozens of openings

Weeks after Fort Worth ISD announced it started the school year with zero classroom teaching vacancies — a feat Licata called “unprecedented” — the district’s job portal listed dozens of openings as of Sept. 30, including 27 elementary and secondary classroom spots. More than 1,000 teachers resigned or separated from the district after the Texas Education Agency takeover in March, up 58% from last year’s deadline.

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This report was produced with the assistance of a proprietary tool powered by artificial intelligence and using our own originally reported, written and published content. It was reviewed and edited by our journalists.

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