The following Letters to the Editor appeared in the June 24, 2026 edition of the Star Valley Independent.

Pres. Trump

Dear Editor

In 18 months President Trump has

1. Secured the border.

2.  Deported thousands of the worst criminals here illegally.

3.  Cut fraud and abuse in Government programs.

4.  Cut taxes for the working class.

5.  Reduced the worlds number one sponsor of terror to a ruble heap.

6.  Venezuela is now freer, with a better Government, Cuba soon to follow.

7.  The US economy is booming.

8.  Working to keep men out of woman’s sports.

9.  Working to ban abortion.

10. Protecting our second amendment rights.

The list goes on and on.  Very intelligent President. God bless America and God bless President Trump.

I guess from the author of last week’s comments the previous administration was filled with mental giants.

Terry Larson

AI in Education

Dear Editor

In the most recent school board meeting on June 10, Mr. Josh Frazier, he and Mrs. Wyndy McGinley addressed concerns about school attendance, mentioned that students are using AI instead of turning to educator support and in consequence, not doing well in their exams.

Neuroscientist Dr. Jared C. Horvath, in his book, Digital Delusion, states “using AI to skip the slow, sometimes tedious work of learning isn’t the key to developing higher-order skills; it’s the surest way to prevent them from emerging at all.”

Dr. Horvath further discusses cognitive offloading, or “the act of using external devices to perform mental tasks.” He states, “whenever people regularly offload a task, they naturally come to lean on the tool. Over time this creates dependence: take the tool away and performance collapses”.  He goes on to say, “Cognitive offloading isn’t a shortcut to learning it’s a detour around it” Students are most likely using AI so much that instead of getting the education and support teachers give, they are leaning on AI and depend on it’s support to keep up performance.

In a Time article, Andrew Chow shares how researchers studied if ChatGPT harms critical thinking abilities. The study divided 54 people into three groups that wrote several essays. The first group could use ChatGPT, the second could only use Google Search, and the third could use nothing. The article goes on to say that the “Researchers used an electroencephalography (EEG) to record the writers’ brain activity… and found that of the three groups, ChatGPT users had the lowest brain engagement… Over the course of several months, ChatGPT users got lazier with each subsequent essay.” On the other hand the two other groups showed more “satisfaction” and “more engagement” in their essays.

This proves that excessive use of AI makes students “lazier” in their education and will block important learning skills.

My hope is that we will heighten our awareness of how we use AI and as a community help students stop overusing AI in their education.

Sincerely, 

Enoch Scharmann

Pro-life

Dear Editor

Wyoming, we need to wake up! Just days ago, a RETIRED district judge declared three more pro-life laws unconstitutional! Since Roe v. Wade was overturned in 2022, every single pro-life law passed by our elected representatives has been blocked by our unelected state court judges, undermining the will of the people and leaving our pre-born children unprotected by law. As a result, Wyoming is one of the freest states in the Union for abortion!

We need to rescue the pro-life laws hijacked by our state courts! We need to pass a “Restoration of Rights” constitutional amendment. Four states already have this amendment and others are seeking to enact it. The State Republican Party endorsed this amendment in a resolution passed in their State Convention in May. The amendment would state: “There is nothing in the state constitution that grants a right to abortion or taxpayer funded abortions.”

This amendment would protect our pro-life laws from being blocked by the courts, putting the power to determine abortion policy back in the hands of the people.

This campaign season is a perfect time for those who are pro-life to attend the “meet and greets” and town halls for the candidates for Governor and the state legislature and ask for their support! If they encounter this issue everywhere they go, they’ll know we’re serious about wanting to do something to restore our rights to have pro-life laws enforced in the state of Wyoming. Pro-Life? COWBOY-UP and let your voice be heard!

Margaret Tueller

Afton, Wyoming

Reflection

Dear Editor

These are times………

I’ve been lucky !

I have walked the paths of the Minutemen in Lexington and Concord, been to Bunker Hill, Morristown, and Ticonderoga, walked the hallow ground of Gettysburg, Antietam, Fredriksburg, the Wilderness, and arrived at Appomattox.

I have traveled the Lewis and Clark route across this country to the Pacific, followed long stretches of the Oregon Trail, and been to Wounded Knee in South Dakota.

How lucky that I could do that. I have been a student of history since I was 10 years old. To get to go and visit Washington, D.C., Mt. Rushmore, George Washington’s and Thomas Jefferson’s homes, Arlington National Cementary, Little Big Horn, the Alamo, and many of the national parks.

BUT

“These are the times that try men’s souls” words that Thomas Paine echoed during a desperate winter of  1776 for our colonial troops.

As we get ready to celebrate the aniversary of this great country, and the 250th year of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, this document states that we have unalienable rights, including “Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of happiness”.

We seem to be as divided as the Patriots and the Tories were back in 1776. We seem to be missing the key leadership and calmness that General George Washington provided for us.

So how do we celebrate!

How do each of us reflect what this 250th year means to us? Or does it not mean anything to you?

Jeff Bowen