The 03-27-24 Edition of The Fort Bend Star

Space Cowboys to host Las Vegas Aviators for Opening Day on April 2

The Sugar Land Space Cowboys, the Triple-A affiliate of the Houston Astros, open the 2024 season on the road on March 29 against the Round Rock Express. Opening Day at Constellation Field is on Tuesday, April 2 when the Space Cowboys take on the Las Vegas Aviators at 6:05 p.m.

There will be 75 home games in the season.

The team’s 2024 Sugar Land’s promotional schedule will include giveaways, including six bobbleheads, featuring a matching set of former Space Cowboys pitcher Hunter Brown (April 6) and Astros pitcher Justin Verlander (August 10) and a JP France Mustache bobblehead on April 19. New additions to the giveaway slate for 2024 include Eclipse Glasses (April 7), a Space Cowboys Crossbody Bag (May 12), Fishing Shirt (June 16) and Lotería Jersey (July 27) to name a few.

The Space Cowboys will also be giving away a custom Tumbler (May 10) and Pickleball Paddle (August 9) and will celebrate Houston on July 13 with a 713 Jersey. Sugar Land’s promotional schedule includes an additional seven Astros-themed giveaways, the first of which is an Astros Orange Cowboy Hat (April 20), with the rest announced at a later date.

The skies over Constellation Field will light up with 15 Texas-sized postgame fireworks shows with 13 Freddy’s Fireworks Fridays and a pair of non-Friday shows on Sunday, May 26 and Thursday, July 4. Sugar Land will also sport seven different custom on-field jerseys including ScoobyDoo (April 19), Military (May 26), Patriotic (July 4), Star Wars (June 30) and Marvel’s Defenders of the Diamond (September 1).

The Space Cowboys will once again participate in MiLB’s ‘Copa de la Diversión,’ playing as the ‘Dulces de Sugar Land’ presented by H-E-B for seven nights throughout the season (April 21, May 23, June 28, July 27, August 23, September 13 and 14) and will auction off their game worn Dulces jerseys on September 14.

Sugar Land’s home schedule features over 35 different theme days/ nights, ranging from Space Day (April 7) to 4H/FFA Night & Western Night (April 20) and Margaritaville Night (July 6). The promotional schedule

Speakers demand removal of 'pornographic' books from Fort Bend ISD libraries

A steady stream of speakers addressed the Fort Bend ISD board of trustees at its regular meeting Monday demanding that the district remove several books from district libraries that they said are pornographic in nature, reading excerpted long passages that contained explicit descriptions of sexual situations.

Many of the speakers were from area churches who had been advised of the book excerpts through a social media campaign instigated in recent weeks

by Position 7 Trustee David Hamilton, who serves as the board secretary. All of the excerpts come from the website of BookLooks, a Florida-based group that provides capsule summaries of books as well as excerpts that it finds objectionable.

While many of the speakers spoke in heated terms, the meeting, which included a significant contingent of Fort Bend ISD police officers, remained civil. The board members, who are prohibited by state law from addressing citizens during the public comments portion

of meetings, sat silently through out the session. It lasted more than an hour, although some speakers spoke on different topics.

The first speaker, Pastor Carlos Jones of Missouri City-based Inspiration Church, began by asking supporters of removing the books in question to stand. More than two dozen people stood. Jones read from “All Boys Aren’t Blue,: a book by George M. Johnson, described on its publisher’s website a set of essays in

Casias elected first Hispanic woman Fort Bend County Fair Association president

Community Reports

The Fort Bend County Fair Association recently named Alicia Casias at the fair’s President for 2024, making her the first Hispanic woman to be elected to the position and lead the organization. President is already making history.

“It’s an honor to serve as President. I am proud to be part of an organization that strives to be inclusive but also recognizes the traditions that make our community a vibrant place to live, work, and play,” Casias said in a news release.

“The Fort Bend County Fair is not just an entertainment venue; it is rich in history, home to generations of families’ involvement, and a champion of continued education,” she said.

Since 2010, Casias has been serving the Fort Bend

County Fair through volunteering on committees such as the Sponsorship Committee and dedicating her time to being chairperson.

“I began volunteering when I started managing a business office in Rosenberg. I needed to get involved in community events and network with other business professionals. This is when I was introduced to everything the Fair offers to the community and the youth in Fort Bend County,” said Casias, who has been a board member since 2014.

Alicia said she is proud to be the first in her family to participate in the Fort Bend County Fair. As a B.F. Terry High School student, she participated by marching with the Ranger band in the iconic kick-off parade. Her involvement grew and inspired her entire family to get involved in the Fair activities.

Alicia Casias has been elected as President of the Fort Bend County Fair Association, making her the frst Hispanic woman to hold the position. Courtesy Fort Bend County Fair Association

International Art and Kite Festival

See Page 3 - for more photos from the festival

Willowridge senior surprised on campus with $100,000 scholarship

Ken Fountain KFOUNTAIN@FORTBENDSTAR.COM

He was late for the presentation, but it wasn’t his fault. Pascal Gashe, 17, a senior at Fort Bend ISD’s Willowridge High School, wasn’t quite sure why he’d been told to report to the school’s College and Career Center last Wednesday afternoon. His parents just told him that he was supposed to be there. His father, Victor Gashe, told him that perhaps he would meet the President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the West African nation from where he and his wife, Mariam, had emigrated to the United States 20 years ago. But Pascal wasn’t sure he believed that. When he entered the

somewhat cramped classroom in the main hall just off the school cafeteria, Pascal found that it was filled with many of his classmates along with a few teachers and administrators and some other people, including, strangely, a handful of news reporters.

Two representatives of APQC, or American Productivity & Control Center, a member-based nonprofit organization that is involved in benchmarking best practices and improvement practices for other organizations, led off the presentation by ask-

Pastor Carlos Jones of Missouri City-based Inspiration Church demands that the Fort Bend ISD district remove books he believes are inappropriate during Monday’s board meeting.

Photo by Ken Fountain

George Memorial Library to celebrate National Poetry Month event at George Memorial Library

Community Reports

Special “guests” will be visiting Fort Bend County Libraries’ George Memorial Library in April for National Poetry Month! Library visitors will have an opportunity to interact with some of their favorite poets - both past and present.

“Walking in Verse: An Interactive Poetry Experience” is an immersive live-performance event that will take place on Saturday, April 13, from 10 a.m.-noon, at George Memorial Library, 1001 Golfview in Richmond.

Actors from The Live Oak Playhouse will portray iconic poets, such as Maya Angelou, Shel Silverstein, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Edgar Allan Poe, and more. Children will also have an opportunity to meet Mother Goose.

Ongoing performances will rotate and take place simultaneously in the lobby,

WILLOWRIDGE FROM PAGE 1

of their expectations about college life were.

Whey they asked the students what there most pressing concern about going to college was, many of them said it was how to pay for it.

Lisa Higgins, president and CEO of APQC, then told the students that the presentation wasn’t really about asking them about college. They had a surprise in store: a $100,000 scholarship that had been won by Pascal.

Pascal, dressed smartly in black slacks and a white, long-sleeved shirt, sat stunned as his classmates screamed with delight. He went up to the front to be presented with an oversized check, surrounded by balloons. He was also stunned when he saw his beaming parents and some of his siblings, all dressed to the nines for the occasion. They handed him a suit jacket to add to complete his ensemble.

Pascal, who has a 3.9 GPA at Willowridge, will be a first-generation college student. He told reporters that he’s been driven his entire life to achieve academic success, largely because of the struggles he’d seen his parents face while raising their children.

He said he, too, had faced many obstacles, including on some occasions having to walk to and from school in a challenging environ-

the Youth department, and the second-floor landing of the library. While alternating turns in the spotlight, the actors will bring the poets to life, recite their poetry, and interact with visitors who will be able to converse with them as if they were speaking to the poets themselves.

Poetry enthusiasts can collect stamps on a scorecard after meeting each poet for a chance to receive a prize at the end of the event.

The performers include Vince Tortorice as Edgar Allan Poe, Mari Tortorice as Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Luke Hales as Shel Silverstein, Roxy Hales as Sylvia Plath, Jonathan Moonen as Roald Dahl, Caprice Carter as Maya Angelou, Joseph “Chepe” Lockett as William Shakespeare, Eric Jones as Langston Hughes, Jonathan Minchew-Gonzalez as Octavio Paz, Adrian Wyatt as Christina Rosetti, Dano

Colón as Khalil Gibran, and Alice Rhoades as Mother Goose. Stacy Bakri serves as Artistic Director.

The Live Oak Playhouse is a Houston-area nonprofit theater company that is dedicated to enriching the lives of their audiences by presenting entertaining, thought-provoking experiences, first-hand involvement, and Arts education.

Directed by Karla Brandau, the strolling players bring a variety of acting experiences to the theater group, forming a kaleidoscope of passions and visions that evolve and transform the group into a living, everchanging masterpiece.

The event is free and open to the public. For more information, see the Fort Bend County Libraries website (www.fortbend.lib.tx.us) or call the library system’s Communications Office (281-633-4734).

ment. Since his high school career began around the same time as the onset of the COVID pandemic, he said, he struggled a lot with the social isolation from not going to school in person.

Aside from his stellar academic achievements, Pascal is the founder of Willowridge’s African Student Association and the LGBTQIA+ Straight Alliance Club.

Last week’s scholarship comes on the heels of another one for $40,000 Pascal won last yar. After graduation, he said, plans first to take some courses at Houston Community College and doing a summer internship before going to Washington University in St. Louis, a private research university. While he has a high interest in technology, Pascal told re -

porters he hasn’t yet decided on a major.

Higgins, the APQC president, told reporters that the organization began about a program about three years ago giving several scholarships, all of $100,000, to deserving students in the greater Houston region. Three more were given out last Wednesday, to students two at Vanguard High School in Houston ISD and one student at Manvel High School.

The scholarships are named after C. Jackson Grayson, who founded APQC in 1977. Higgins said that Grayson, who died a few years ago, believed strongly in education and its ability to lift up people who come from underprivileged backgrounds.

Fort Bend ISD to host hiring event on April 6

Community Reports

Fort Bend ISD will host its 2024 Talent Search Hiring Event on April 6, from 9 a.m.-noon, at Travis High School,11111 Harlem Road, Richmond.

Fort Bend ISD is one of the most culturally diverse public school districts in the nation and Fort Bend County’s largest employer, and offers teachers and other professionals daily opportunities to make an impact in students’ lives.

During the hiring event, FBISD will seek candidates for all job roles, including:

• Teachers

• Campus and District Administrators

• Paraprofessionals

• Central Office Staff (in areas such as Teaching

and Learning, Social Emotional Learning (SEL) and Enrichment, police, HR, informational technology (IT) and other education and noneducation categories)

• Support Services (such as custodians and facilities staff, crossing guards, bus drivers, cafeteria specialists and Extended Learning staff members

During the hiring event, hiring managers from campuses and departments will

be onsite to meet with candidates and share information about the many opportunities available. On-site interviews will be available, and qualified candidates may be eligible for job offers on the spot.

Registration for the Talent Search is open at www. fortbendisd.com/careers. Candidates are encouraged to check out all current job postings and apply for positions of interest prior to the event.

REMOVAL FROM PAGE 1

which Johnson describes growing up as gay Black man. Like all of the books that were brought up, it is marketed toward young adults.

Jones cited HB 900, passed by the Texas Legislature last year, which among other aspects requires public school districts to perform comprehensive reviews of all of the books on their shelves for their appropriateness for young readers for potential removal.

“We are not a book-banning group,” he said. “We want to make sure our

kids have access to education and not sway them to do things that we as parents don’t allow in our own home.”

One speaker said that he was demanding that the district “immediately” remove the books that were cited.

“I’m interested in protecting the children of Fort Bend County and their protection will be, in part, assured by the removal of this material from Fort Bend County schools and libraries,” the man said. “The Fort Bend school district should not be in the business of sexualizing children.”

He read extensive excerpts from “Push,” a

book

an abusive home environment, including serial acts of incest by her father. It was the basis for the 2009 film “Precious,” which won two Academy Awards. Sapphire, the author, has said in interviews she was the victim of incest by her own father.

There was no action item on Monday’s board agenda that dealt with removing any library materials. Hamilton has said that he is working to bring the district’s library materials policy before the board for future action.

also returns AAPI Night (May 25), Pride Night (June 12), Black Heritage Night (June 15), Faith & Family Night (August 10) presented by Thrivent, University of Houston Night (August 25), a twoday Hispanic Heritage Celebration (September 13 and 14) and Fan Appreciation Day (September 15) presented by Top Fan Rivalry. Three postgame concerts are scheduled for 2024 with a Tribute to George Strait (April 20), a Tribute to the Queen of Tejano (June 29) and the Spazmatics (August 31), plus Postgame Yoga on the Field (April 21) presented by Houston Methodist. The Space Cowboys

will have two Baseball in Education Days (April 3 and May 8) and one Super Splash Day (July 10) while beating the heat with Holiday Lights in July (July 12). Sugar Land will also host Nurse Appreciation Night (May 21) presented by Houston Methodist and two Teacher Appreciation Nights (May 23 and June 13) presented by Brazos Valley Schools Credit Union. Finally, the Space Cowboys are

at Constellation Field on Mother’s Day (May 12), Memorial Day Weekend presented by the Hunton Group (May 24-26), Father’s Day (June 16) and Independence Day (July 4). All promotions are subject to change for the 2024 season. The Sugar Land Space Cowboys open the 2024 season on the road on March 29 against the Round Rock Express. Opening Day at Constellation Field is on Tuesday, April 2 when the Space Cowboys take on the Las Vegas Aviators at 6:05 pm. Full season memberships, partial season memberships, single-game tickets, ticket plans and group outings are available for the 2024 season at SLSpaceCowboys.com/tickets.

1996

by the author Sapphire, which tells the story of 16-year-old Black girl who lives in

Invited by Pastor Carlos Jones, several attendees of Monday’s Fort Bend ISD board meeting stand in support of the removal of library books they believe are inappropriate for students.

Photos by Ken Fountain

Pascal Gashe, 17, a Willowridge High School student, accompanied by this parents and siblings, is presented a $100,000 scholarship at a surprise ceremony last week.

Photos by Ken Fountain

International Art and Kite Festival in Sugar Land

Photos by Ken Fountain

The wind wasn’t always cooperative, but Saturday was otherwise a perfect day to enjoy the International Art and Kite Festival at Sugar Land’s Crown Festival Park.

The annual event drew hundreds of folks from all around the region to try their hands at fying kites, take in the many vendors and food trucks, learn about other countries, and even see some real art cars.

Youngsters paint on a public art wall at the event. Photos by Ken Fountain

A family enjoys making large bubbles during the event.

Dancers with Bollycurves strike a pose after performing on the main stage.

Cameon McKenzie Reid and Karlene Rose display some cultural information about Jamaica to a passerby.

Alvin Zhang and his father, Albert, try to get their kite aloft.

Some of the world flags on display at the event.

Destiny Watkins, 9, and her mother Claudia, purchase a kit from

Rick and Jamie Hawkins of About Kites.

Palestinian-Americans display cultural times at the event.

Children get up close and personal with a “lion” from Unity Lion

Dance, one of the many performing acts at the festival.

Betsy Lemon and her daughter Bekah, 9, try to get their kite in the air.

Colorful daytime freworks for a highlight of the festival.

LYNN ASHBY Columnist

By Lynn Ashby ASHBY2@COMCAST.NET

THE KITCHEN – I have an icemaker in my refrigerator, but those trays are a mess. So I have this separate one where I fetch ice for my nightly glass of vodka while I watch the evening news. (Have you ever noticed that the newscaster always begins with “Good evening,” then tells us that’s it not?) This icemaker is state-ofthe art, expensive – and isn’t working. My latest problem comes after my car wouldn’t start. I was delivered a package from Amazon – I think it’s a rat catcher – which I didn’t order. How do I return it? My doorbell doesn’t work or at least that’s what the

SWAT guys claimed. All that is left to go wrong is that dental floss gets stuck in my teeth. This series of domestic disasters can only mean one thing: Lawrence of Suburbia is back. He is my occasional house ghost who comes around to make my life harder than a MAGA member’s heart.

“You rang?” says a voice from the den. A translucent figure emerges, tracking dog poop on my rug. “I’ll bet you missed me, but I’ve been busy running Sheila Jackson Lee’s mayoral campaign. She lost two-to-one, I’m proud to say.” I go to get a broom while whining, “No. I didn’t miss you. Things were going just fine until you appeared. Last time you were here I mistakenly put clean dishes in the dishwasher and they came out dirty. My roof leaked and my dog died. I don’t even have a dog.”

“It was your neighbor’s dog and she blames you. I cover all bases. Oh, it has been a string of work.

I haven’t been so overwhelmed since 2021 right before Ice Storm Uri when I convinced ERCOT that the Texas power grid was

strong enough to prevent blackouts. Nobody told them that it gets cold in Texas in the winter, but just wait till this coming summer. You have a home generator, don’t you? Not to worry, it won’t work. Actually, I’ve been traveling. At Texas A&M I had recommended that the regents extend a 10-year contract for Jimbo Fisher. Then the Aggies fired Jimbo and he is going to collect $76.8 million. The Aggies were gigged. Of course that came after I had suggested A&M hire Dr. Kathleen McElroy, a famous journalism professor, promising her tenure, then fired her with a million-dollar go-away gift. Aggie parents think of that every time they pay their kid’s tuition.”

“Speaking of college sports,” I ask, “Did you design that Name, Image and Likeness program so that college athletes can get paid outright and made it easier for them transfer schools? It makes the term ‘student athlete’ even more of an oxymoron.” He smiles sheepishly. “So they are now honest professionals. Look at the positives. I’ve booked the Dallas Cowboys to play

the Texas Longhorns. I can make so much money when the Houston Cougars take on the Texans.”

Do you ever have things go wrong one after the other? Problems seem to come in waves. So you, too, may have a house ghost like Lawrence. There is no other explanation. I ask, “What else have you been up to?” He smiles, “Have you ever reported a crime to the Houston police? Your complaint is in a box in a warehouse. There are about 264,000 backlogged incidents, including over 4,000 sexual assault investigations, or 10 percent of all reports, since 2016. The HPD used a code “due to a lack of personnel,” marked CBB for ‘Can’t Be Bothered.’ I advised Governor Greg Abbott to vow that Texas would work to “eliminate rape,” but a new study estimates more than 26,000 rape-related pregnancies in Texas in the 16 months since the state outlawed abortions. And only about 10 percent of rapes are reported to the cops. No wonder.”

“Ah, yes, Austin. I really don’t have much to do there to generate complete

chaos. Send in the clowns. No one could invent your tone-deaf state leaders with their ineptitude, arrogance and misplaced priorities. You made Texas the laughingstock of the nation. Hey, that’s my job. Due to COVID-19, you have had 8,508,204 cases and 92,378 deaths in your state. Just in Harris County you people have had 1,320,367 cases and 11,691 deaths, but it’s early in the week. I got more of you to listen to Governor (“No Masks”)

Abbot than to that quack doctor, Peter Hotez. You keep re-electing Dan Patrick, Texas Official State Demagogue. Patrick is so bad that ‘Texas Monthly’ chose him for its Bum Steer Award for 2023 and the competition was pretty tough when you’ve got Ken Paxton in the race.

Lawrence goes on to brag how he advised the British royals on photography. “I guaranteed the Princess of Wales that no one would figure out if she altered her family portrait.” Then he tells me about his job as a wheel-and-door inspector for Boeing. “I also made a trip to Washington to write the GOP’s rebuttal

to President Biden’s State of the Union Address. I told Senator Katie Britt to speak from her kitchen and include a heart-breaking recounting of a poor Mexican woman caught up in human trafficking and to blame Joe Biden. But it all happened in Mexico years ago when George W. Bush was president. Boy did that make great skit on ‘Saturday Night Live.’ By the way, did I mention that I am organizational adviser to the Republican House? Speaker Mike Johnson, or maybe it’s John Mikeson, is Sam Rayburn times two.” I put down my broom and ask, “Are you the one who advised Tik Tok to reach more users by advertising in Chinese? And told Nikki Haley she was a shoo-in for the GOP presidential nomination? What am I going to do with those five acres you told me to buy in Colony Ridge?” Lawrence shrugs. “You can cover the loss with what you made on your Enron stock.” I reply, “Gaggel jamby mifcoat.” It seems I have dental floss stuck in my teeth.

Ashby is cursed at ashby2@comcast.net

Answers found in this week’s Classified section

15.

35.

By Ken Fountain

Take a good look at that photo of me above. Believe it or not, I was not always the paragon of studly manliness you see depicted (and no, with all deference to a recent movie, I’m not “just” Ken). In my middle and highschool years, in fact, the term many would have applied to me was “geek.” (Some still might, but we won’t dignify those smallminded folks here.)

For a host of reasons that we don’t need to delve into, those years were pretty rough for me, as they are for many adolescents. I wasn’t one of the “cool” kids and I knew it. I wasn’t antisocial, exactly, in the sense that I yearned to be more popular, but I didn’t quite have the knack. There was always one part of the high-school day that I particularly dreaded: that half-hour or so between when my bus arrived at school and when the bell rang for the first class. All of the cool kids were in the halls, making small talk, comparing each other’s clothes, doing all the stuff I was no good at.

Thankfully, I had a refuge: the library. Along with

Just checking things out

a few fellow geeks, er, bibliophiles, I would spend that time reading the newspaper or newsweeklies and science magazines. I could escape into a world of words and ideas before I had to deal with all that messiness to come. I had been a voracious reader from the beginning of my schooling. My reading choices often went along with my various nerdy popculture interests: Tarzan, Planet of the Apes, DC (and later, Marvel) comics, Sherlock Holmes, science fiction, etc. Sometime in middle school, I became a fan of the television show “M*A*S*H”. Nerd that I was, I wasn’t content just to enjoy the show. I went to the school library to read the encyclopedia entries for the Korean War and U.S. Army rank structure, just so I could be a betterinformed viewer. During my freshman year in high school, I bought the original novel, written by a real-life Army surgeon who modeled the character “Hawkeye” after himself. Like the 1970 movie, the novel is much racier than the relatively tame network TV version. Classic adventures and mystery stories were always a keen interest of mine, and books I remember checking out from the school library include “The Three Musketeers,” “The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde,” and the like. After watching the movie “Excalibur,” I checked out “La Morte d’Arthur” and found it both challenging and rewarding (spoiler alert: it includes a lot of

sex and violence). After a late-movie television showing of “The Great Escape,” I read the book. Nautical stories always held a fascination for me (hence my later enlistment in the U.S. Navy), and I read “Mutiny on the Bounty” and its two lesser-known sequels. I was a also a fan of Cold War spy stories, including a few of Ian Fleming’s very racy and violent James Bond novels, and even checked out Soviet dissident Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn’s massive tome “The Gulag Archipelago,” although I must admit I didn’t get very far into it.

My love for libraries and bookstores has never left me. When I was younger, many relatives, strangely believing that I was “hard” to shop for, often bought me gift certificates at the mall bookstore for the holidays and my birthday, and I made good use of them. Near the end of my third and final deployment in the Navy, my grandfather died. When the message from my family came through, my shipmates knew just where to locate me: the ship’s library, where I spent many of my off-duty hours while underway. As I write this, I possess three valid library cards from different systems.

Right about now you’re probably asking why I’m telling you all of this. As you’re no doubt aware, libraries, both school libraries and those for the general public, have been in the news lately. They have become the front lines in the latest skirmish of the yearslong culture wars that we’ve

been seeing for so long, and that I dare say many of us are eager to see wane.

Of course, libraries and books generally have always proven fertile ground for these kinds of battles. One other place I did find a home at high school was on the staff of the school newspaper. In one edition, I wrote a story about book bans in school libraries. Even then, they were old hat. Journalistically speaking, the story wasn’t my finest effort, but I did do a fair bit of research and even interviewed one of our school librarians. Many of the titles she mentioned remain among the usual suspects in efforts to ban books from school libraries today.

About 15 years ago, I wrote for the Beaumont Enterprise, a few counties away from Fort Bend. My main beat was the courts, but one day, my editors assigned me a story from the education beat. Beaumont ISD had recently earned the distinction from PEN, a national literary organization, of having instituted one of the most egregious examples of school book bans in the country. The book: “Friday Night Lights,” H.G. “Buzz” Bissinger’s universally acclaimed journalistic account of a Texas Panhandle high school football team’s exploits on the field and how those reverberated in the wider community. The book later was adapted into a well-regarded film and a long-running and perhaps even more lauded network television series. In my reporting, the reasons for the ban were never

made quite clear. According to district officials, one parent had complained about the book after their child brought it home from school. But the specific reasons for the original complaint were never identified. It turned out that there were only two copies on the library shelves of the entire district. The administration decided to remove those copies, although teachers could still assign it in class, under the assumption that students could read it with adult guidance.

I wasn’t able to interview Bissinger for the story, although I tried very hard to. I placed a call to his publicist, but my editors wanted the story fast (they were afraid we would be scooped by another outlet), and I worked around it, using some of his quotes from the PEN article (properly attributed, of course). Bissinnger, winner of a Pulitzer Prrize, did call me the next day, and we had a great conversation, but too late for my story, a fact that annoys me to this day. Even he was uncertain about the reasoning, although he seemed to believe it might be because of allusions in the book to teenage sex. Others have objected to the book (the objections continue to this day) because of its realistic use of profanity and its depiction of the racism that was prevalent in the community he covered for about a year. (As a side note, I did meet Bissinger at a book-signing event in Houston a few years later, and reminded him of our interview. He’s quite an interesting guy.)

Thus far, Fort Bend schools have seemed to avoid many of the culture war battles that have raged in recent years, including discussions of banning books wholesale from libraries. But we live in the times we live in, and anything could happen. Of course, there should always be room for discussion about what kinds of reading materials are appropriate for young and impressionable minds. The key is for those discussions to be thoughtful, reasoned, measured. A book, any book, should be considered as a whole for its intent, its literary merit, its value to the audience it is trying to reach.

I don’t make this statement lightly: at various times in my personal history, reading books has in some sense saved my life. My love for reading, for the opportunities it offers to provide glimpses into other worlds, other realities, other ways of being, has seen me through more difficulties than I can name. Like me, young readers today find the books that speak to them, maybe even the books they need for their own particular circumstances. And like me, they’ll find them whatever way they can. Any adult who thinks otherwise is fooling themselves.

If you’d like to discuss this with me, I’m available. When I’m not slaving over my laptop, it’s a good bet you can find me at the library.

Fountain checks in at KFountain@fortbendstar. com

Clements, Dulles JROTC units advance to academic bowl

The JROTC units from Fort Bend ISD’s Clements and Dulles high schools have advanced to the 2024 JROTC Leadership and Academic Bowl, to be held June 21-25 at The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C.

Clements will be among the eight Navy JROTC programs competing, and will be represented by students Aashreeti Deo, David Esteban, Sophia Jarlowe, Elfi Van Kuilenburg, Hannah Wang and Qihan Wang. Clements’ JROTC unit is led by Chief Jason Gorsuch and Lt. Colonel Rick Jarlowe.

Dulles will be among the 16 Air Force JROTC programs competing, and will be represented by students Hariharan Arivazhagan, Isaac Clark, Kareem Garcia, Landyn Pruitt and Aanya Singh. Dulles’ JROTC unit is led by Major Doug Hawn and Master Sergeant Patrick Hardy.

Both teams advanced after two preliminary rounds that assessed cadets’ accuracy and speed on a range of subjects including math, science and language arts, along with their understanding of current events, citizenship, leadership skills and financial literacy. During the Academic Bowl, cadets will be assessed on JROTC curriculum.

Both schools are among the 105 programs that will compete this year, and two of the four teams representing the greater Houston area. The JROTC Leadership and Academic Bowl is organized by College Options Foundation, a nonprofit organization committed to enhancing the academic journey of high school students, particularly JROTC cadets, and aiding them in their pursuit of higher education. To learn more, visit cofcontests.com.

Clements High School’s Navy JROTC unit has advanced to the 2024 JROTC Leadership and Academic Bowl, to be held June 21-25 at The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C.

Courtesy Fort Bend ISD

Dulles High School’s Air Force JROTC unit has advanced to the 2024 JROTC Leadership and Academic Bowl, to be held June 21-25 at The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C.

ONGOING

HOPE FOR THREE TEEN HUDDLE

Is revving up for its annual Car Wash for Kids sponsored by Sugar Land Baptist Church and OCuSOFT on Sunday, April 7th, at C & C Dental, 17003 SWF, Sugar Land from 10 am to 2pm. Student volunteers promote awareness, acceptance, and inclusion for their autistic peers. Donations from this FREE, Eco-friendly, waterless car wash impact local families. This Eco-friendly car wash is free, but donations are welcome. Ready to lend a hand? We need volunteers ages 12 and over. Choose from two shifts or stay all day. Volunteer now and be part of something meaningful. Register today at www.hopeforthree. org/events.

LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF FORT BEND

The League of Women Voters of Fort Bend, a nonpartisan organization, will provide voter registration and education events prior to the Feb. 5 deadline to be a registered voter in the March 5 Primary election. Locations, dates, and times include: (1) Wednesday, 1/24 -- Fort Bend YMCA, 4433 Cartwright Rd, Missouri City 7:30am - 12:30pm and 5 - 7pm; (2) Thursday, 1/25 -- First Colony Library 3:30 - 5:30pm; (3) Sat., 1/27 -- Cinco Ranch Library 10:30am - 1:30pm and University Branch Library 11am - 2pm; (4) Tuesday, 1/30 and Wednesday, 1/31 -- WCJC Sugar Land, Brazos Hall, 9am - 2pm; (5) Thursday, 2/1 -- ThriftWise, 501 Hwy 90E, Richmond -- 10am - 1pm. Register to vote, update your current voter registration, and get nonpartisan voting information at any of these events, or contact lwvfortbend@gmail.com.

the best ft for getting involved with a local, nonpolitical, humanitarian service organization with a global presence to satisfy your passion. We’re on a quest for new members! Call or email Dean Clark, 469-850-2424, dean7351@gmail.com. We’re a friendly group that meets once a week for lunch.

FT. BEND ACCORDION CLUB

NO HOCUS POCUS IN MUSIC MAGIC CLASS FOR 6 & 7-YEAR-OLD BOYS!

Young boys need music in their life for mental, physical and emotional growth and the best place to receive quality music instruction is with the Fort Bend Boys Choir of Texas! They ofer Music Magic, an eight-week music enrichment class for six and seven-year-old boys. The Fort Bend Boys Choir of Texas, currently in its 42 nd season, brings music alive with the use of movement, musical games, singing and other child-centered activities. Boys learn about pitch matching and rhythm awareness in addition to developing large muscle coordination, increased focus and better musicianship. Music Magic helps boost brainpower, sparks creativity and forges strong connections with others. No auditions are necessary for the class – just a love of music and singing! Serving as Music Magic director is Founder and Artistic Director William R. Adams who leads this class on Tuesday evenings from 6:30 p.m. – 7:15 p.m., beginning March 19 and ending May 14 at the First United Methodist Church Missouri City, 3900 Lexington Blvd., Missouri City. Music Magic will then sing at the Fort Bend Boys Choir’s annual Spring Concert on Saturday, May 18! Classes are limited in size so please call the choir ofce at (281) 240- 3800 to pre-register or visit their Music Magic web page at https://fbbctx.org/our- programs/music-magic/. Be sure to stop by their Facebook page for the latest on the Fort Bend Boys Choir's Music Magic class and the organization's public performances.

AMERICAN LEGION POST 942

311 Ulrich Street, Sugar Land meets the fourth Tuesday of each Month at 7:00 pm. All Veterans are welcome.

LOVING FRIENDS IS A GROUP OF WOMEN AND MEN WHO ARE WIDOWS AND WIDOWERS THAT MEET MONTHLY FOR LUNCH, FRIENDSHIP, AND SOCIALIZATION

Lunches. are planned for the fourth Tuesday of the month at various local restaurants. Please contact Bobbie Tomlin at {281} 967-0718

For more information about us and to learn about this month’s planned lunch. We hope to meet you soon.

QUAIL VALLEY GARDEN CLUB

The Quail Valley Garden Club is very busy, not only with meetings, but with some fun “stuf” for our members and the community. Please fnd our fall schedule of events that the QVGC will be involved with this fall leading up to the holidays.

Meets on the 4th Sunday of every month from 2:pm - 4:pm at: CHRIST CHURCH SUGAR LAND (in the Chapel) 3300 Austin Parkway, Sugar Land, TX 77479 FREE and Open to the Public! We welcome everybody! If you play accordion, beginners to professional and would like to play Call, Text or email: Vince Ramos Cell: 281-204-7716 vincer.music@gmail.com.

LITERACY COUNCIL OF FORT BEND COUNTY

We enhance lives and strengthen communities by teaching adults to read. We need your help. Literacy Council is actively recruiting Volunteer Tutors to provide instruction for English as a Second Language (ESL) Levels 0-5, three hours a week. For more information, call 281-240-8181 or visit our website www. ftbendliteracy.org.

JAM WITH SAM

Join Sam Grice Tuesday evenings at 6:30 for a casual evening of music. We play a variety of music including bluegrass, country, gospel and some western. We request acoustic instruments only please. We welcome both participants and music lovers who enjoy listening to good live music. There’s no charge and we welcome beginners and gladly ofer gentle assistance. We meet at First Presbyterian Church, 502 Eldridge Rd, Sugar Land. Please call Sam at 832-428-3165 for further information.

GIVE A GIFT OF HOPE

Give a Gift of Hope one-time or monthly. Your help provides access to therapies and services children with autism might otherwise go without. Please consider Hope For Three in your Estate, Planned, or Year-End Giving. Register now, or learn more about exciting events: www.hopeforthree.org/events.

DVD-BASED ADULT SUNDAY

SCHOOL CLASS WITH NO

HOMEWORK REQUIRED

Weekly class designed to help you understand and appreciate the Bible by giving you a better sense of the land and culture from which it sprang. The class meets at 9:30 am every Sunday at First Presbyterian of Sugar Land (502 Eldridge Rd.). For more information call 281-240-3195.

EXCHANGE

EXCHANGE, America’s Service Club, always welcomes guests and is in search of new members! Various Fort Bend clubs exist and can accommodate early morning (7 a.m.), noon and evening meeting time desires. For more info, contact Mike Reichek, Regional Vice President, 281-575-1145 or mike@reichekfnancial.com We would love to have you join us and see what we are all about!

MISSOURI CITY AARP CHAPTER 3801

Meets the second Monday of every month at 11:30 a.m., at 2701 Cypress Point Dr., Missouri City Rec Center. Lunch, education, and entertainment. All seniors over 50 invited. For more information, call 713-859-5920 or 281-499-3345.