Slashing education is just plain stupid!
Fellow Democrats,
If I didn’t know better, I might jump to the conclusion that Republicans are slashing education funds in Texas in order to grow an electorate dumb enough to keep them in office.
OK, that’s too harsh. But seriously, what do the Governor and his Republican allies not understand about the importance of public education? Poorly educated children and young adults not only cripple the social fabric of our state, they cripple the work force and the economy as well.
Former First Lady Barbara Bush wrote an op-ed piece in the Houston Chronicle last week against cutting education funds. And New York Times columnist Gail Collins wrote a scathing piece about the sorry state of our state, pointing out: “The birth rate there is the highest in the country, and if it continues that way, Texas will be educating about a tenth of the future population.” And not doing it very well.
Support for schools and colleges should be at the top of any budget priority, no matter how deep the crisis. And yet, the Republican leaders are floating a plan to slash nearly $10 billion from education when we can least afford those cuts.
Texas is already 50th in the nation of people 25 and older with a high-school diploma, and yet we are second (to California) in the nation in public school enrollment. Texas currently ranks 47th in the nation in literacy, 49th in verbal SAT scores and 46th in math SAT scores. Those are embarrassing statistics (from the Legislative Study Group) for a state that boasts of being the land of prosperity and opportunity.
The fact of the matter is we are way down the charts in per capita income and way up in the number of minimum-wage jobs. Does anyone really believe education and the economy are not related? The proposed draconian cuts to public education will threaten the future of Texas for decades to come.
We are facing teacher layoffs, bigger classes, fewer school days and drastic cuts to support services. In Austin alone, we are looking at eliminating 1,000 jobs within AISD (most of them teachers), closing nine schools and shifting grade levels at others.
Governor Perry has rejected new taxes and even refused $830 million in federal aid because Rep. Lloyd Doggett and other Congressional Democrats from Texas added language that would require the state to actually use the money for education and not to balance the budget (as happened last time).
As for the Governor’s preposterous scheme to serve up $10,000 college degrees, nobody in higher education believes that is even possible. Tuition and books for a single year easily add up to that amount, and tuition likely will increase in the face of state funding cuts.
There are alternatives to slashing billions of dollars from education, as the Center for Public Policy Priorities has stated, including an increase in so-called “sin taxes” on alcohol, tobacco and sugar-filled soft drinks. And, of course, there is the Rainy Day Fund, which is just sitting there apparently waiting to be used when Texas isn’t just rainy but flooded into total bankruptcy.
In the coming weeks and months I will update you on committee hearings and rallies at the Capitol in support of public education. I hope you will join me and our Democratic legislators in opposing these outrageous and unfair cuts to education. Let your voices be heard. The future of Texas is at stake.
Sincerely,
Andy Brown
Travis County Democratic Party Chair
Agree we cannot afford to cut education. How can we help send the message that education is worth funding?
Save Texas Schools will hold a rally and march at the State Capitol on March 12, 2011. We are expecting thousands of parents, teachers, students, community members, business owners, and faith organizations to attend. And we need YOU there with us!
Saturday, March 12, 2011
March: 11:00 a.m. starting from 12th & Trinity (1 block east of the Capitol grounds)
Rally: Noon – 2:00 p.m. at the Texas State Capitol on the South Steps, Congress Ave. & 11th St.
SaveTXSchools.org
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Travis Democrats and David Roland Strong, Jeff Tippens. Jeff Tippens said: Slashing education is just plain stupid! http://t.co/jUtmCtH via @tcdp [...]
I couldn’t agree more. We never had children in the Texas public schools, but we believe a healthy economy rests on the educational quality of a state. The strong California economy was built on excellent higher education institutions that were very cheap to attend. Education works as an engine of economic growth. Why aren’t we using the rainy day fund? This is surely that rainy day. What is wrong with taxing us so we can keep quality education in Texas? Texas should be looking at this time as an opportunity to pull ahead of other states in terms of education.
Thanks, Andy, and well said! I am a Texas educator with 30 years experience in public schools. I know how hard teachers (and all, who work in public schools) work! I really wish that legislators were required to work, even for one day, in a public school as a teacher. They would see that it is one of the hardest and most noble professions, that we need to spend more money, not less, on public education. Teachers work far more than nine months a year: first of all, the teacher-year is ten months long. Secondly, teachers go to training and workshops, often for many weeks in the summer. And, as for the hours put in during the week…I don’t know a single teacher that puts in less than 50 hours a week…most put in 60 or more…they take work home, stay up late, or get to school early to tutor students (on their own time…for no pay) and they work on weekends.
There is a real need for “specialists”…reading and math specialists…for music, art and P.E. All the paraeducators who work at my school work every bit as hard as teachers for far less pay…and many of them will be cut. Teachers will be cut…programs…new technology will be cut…administrators…believe it or not, they work at least 60-hour weeks…there is not one single person at my school that is surplus or not giving their all the whole day. They teach and teach and teach…but they do so much more…they watch our kids, they guide our kids, they listen to our kids, they laugh with our kids, they stay after school and tutor our kids…and they get results!
I could go on and on. I am very frustrated by the whole situation…Keep up the good work! Association of Texas Professional Educators and the Texas Counseling Association have good websites with LOTS of information if anyone wants to read more.
I will be at the rally on Saturday…will you?
By the way, on your home page it says the rally is at 11:00 PM…
What can I do to help save my wife’s teaching job? She is a 5th grade teacher at Pecan Springs Elementary here in east Austin. She is now fighting to save her job. What can we do?