Budget Battle Book

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 29, 2011

The Texas Legislature finally adjourned today. What a dismal session and special session this was. No, I have not read all the bills that made it to the governor's desk, but I know enough to observe the following conundrums:

• Texas has a large fund balance designed to handle emergencies and funding shortfalls. But we will not use it in this emergency or this shortfall.

• Texas supports required sonograms for women but opposes TSA groping at airports.

• Texas supports the death penalty but opposes abortion.

• Texas supports funding wealthy public school systems but opposes funding poor school systems.

• Texas supports local school systems using their fund balances but opposes the state using its fund balance.

• Texas supports local school systems raising taxes but opposes the state raising taxes.

• Texas supports local school systems almost as much as they support charter schools.

• Texas is willing to make it easier to fire teachers and administrators than it is to fund public schools.

• Texas is willing to implement higher standards and more rigorous testing while cutting the funds to implement improved instruction.

Guess that about sums it up. Suck it up, public ed, you are supporting the Perry bid for the presidency and the wealthy Tea Party members. Sadly, every school system in the state will do exactly that - teach kids better with less.

POSTED BY EILEEN GOOD AT 4:50 PM


2 COMMENTS:



Eileen Good said...

OK, the anti-groping bill did not pass, but they wanted it to!

JUNE 29, 2011 4:55 PM



Anonymous said...

and Texas isn't the 'only' state where it's happening ... what a mess ...