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Reverend Johnson is Spot On
Reverend Johnson is spot on, his words motivated by the Texas Supreme Court's ruling last week that the public school funding system is constitutional although broken, and the Legislature's consistent lack of political will to do what's right for all kids. Public education is simply not a priority to our Legislature. Instead, it is considered a nuisance, something they are forced to deal with each session with hopes they can survive without being forced to cast a vote that might damage their chances of re-election.
This is why it is so important that educators and parents get in the habit of voting for candidates with the courage to do right by Texas public schools. For more on that, visit www.texaseducatorsvote.com.
To be fair, public school funding is a hot potato, but only because the public school funding system is complex and misunderstood by most Texans, including most legislators. While the perception is that a $50+ billion price tag should be more than enough to fund our schools for a biennium, the reality is it's simply not enough. Divide that $50 billion by two to get an annual figure, then divide $25 billion by 5.3 million students and that large $50 billion number suddenly is not so large at $4,700 per student. That amount ranks Texas near the bottom nationally in dollars per student. By comparison, Texas invests $18,500 annually per inmate in its prison system.
Why is the biggest battle waged each and every legislative session a battle at all? Choosing to invest appropriately in our schools should be something we can all come together on and celebrate. No slice of the state budget pie yields more return than the dollars we invest in educating our state's youth while employing 600,000+ Texans and countless more who provide products and services in support of their work. Public education is one of the largest economic engines in Texas. Most of the money we invest in our public schools passes directly back into the statewide economy via jobs, salaries, supplies, services... and 5.3 million educated kids.
It is our bold opinion at Friends of Texas Public Schools that Texans ought to be investing proudly and generously in Texas children. Instead, tragically, we pick at our public schools, vilify them, and condemn them as failures to justify decisions that satisfy political agendas. While no one is suggesting that our schools are perfect, the fact is they are achieving great things for students and our Texas economy in spite of a severe lack of resources. Public education is the heart and soul of our great state. We should all be standing with them, gratitude and wallets in hand.
Scott Milder
Founder & CEO
Friends of Texas Public Schools
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