Texas Bidness

The editorial article in the Austin American Statesman, Again, education woes fall to courts, recognizes the detriment to public education caused by Texas’ 82^nd legislature resulting in school districts suing the State of Texas.  The $4 million tax cut to education is supposed to cut public school spending now, in order to provide for students in the future.  The author points out that previously a “Democratic controlled legislature” failed to provide for school districts.  Today, a Republican legislature is to blame.  According to statistics listed on the Legislative Reference Library, there are 101 Republican House members to only 49 Democratic members and the speaker of the house is also Republican.  These cuts also come at a time when Texas’ fiscal budget will be called into question for Gov. Rick Perry’s campaign for the presidency. 

In the bill, Revising financing of public schools, students are referred to as business investments where “initial investments are expensive, but the costs eventually decrease.”  An increase in business means an increase in jobs, families, and students.  Higher student enrollment means less spending per student.  The plan for the future is to decrease the amount of spending per student each year.  What the author doesn’t discuss are the affects property taxes have on the inequities of public education.  This money is what funds our schools, yet the discrepancy between rich and poor schools continues.  This business is about producing quantity not quality.

Texas schools are ranked the lowest in the nation.  Then lawmakers cut the spending used to educate these students or so called investments.  The author implies that an uncooperative legislature, failed property tax increment financing, and $4 million budget cuts are to blame for loss of funding to public schools.  Where is the urgency to provide a quality education whether or not the state is able to finance their budget?  There is also one more faction to blame for the cuts, Texas voters.

Making Texas Behave

Again, Education Woes Fall to Courts, Austin American Statesman Editorial Board Oct 12, 2011

 Public schools are suing the state of Texas regarding funding inequalities due to the $4 billion budget cut.  This editorial article reminds taxpayers and parents that the state can be held accountable with due process of the law.  The courts can implore the state to reevaluate the massive financial cuts which have resulted in inequalities between school districts.  Public schools attempting to protect and give their students an acceptable education are suing the state to demand funding.  This tactic by public schools is not new.  Law suits against the state by public schools occurred even in the 60’s.   In addition to the $4 billion cuts, the state cuts eliminated state education grants, and programs like full-day pre-k.  

Law makers stated these budgets were necessary to maintain a balanced budget, but at what cost to students and teachers?  Forget about a quality education, taxpayers would be happy with just an adequate one or at least an education that includes a future job and an equal opportunity to succeed for both male and female students.  This year, according to James Embry Political Blog, Texas unemployment rates “have increased again at 8.5%” including the loss of “19,000 government jobs.”  How many teachers do you think this figure included?  In addition, teen pregnancies are the “third highest in the country.”  In an editorial by David Wiley about teen pregnancy, Wily talks about the responsibility placed on public schools to teach sex education by tax payers and the state.  Inaccurate curriculum and unskilled teachers are causes for the “miserable failure and public health disaster” which is Texas’ teen pregnancy rate.  Yet, law makers cut $4 billion from public schools. 

 James Embry, Texas Unemployment Rate

David Wiley, Teen pregnancy a Texas public health emergency